Michigan Ag Connection - Weather Helps Push Michigan Crops to Maturity

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Weather Helps Push Michigan Crops to Maturity
Michigan Ag Connection - 10/04/2022

Rain events early in the week along with warm daytime temperatures promoted crop maturation, according to Marlo D. Johnson, director of the Great Lakes Regional Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork in Michigan during the week ending Sunday. Soil moisture levels increased from the previous week, with 84 percent of topsoil moisture reported as adequate or surplus.

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, counties in Northern, Eastern, and Southwestern Lower Peninsula were abnormally dry. The Thumb Region and a few counties in Southeastern Michigan continued to experience moderate drought.

Corn for grain continued to mature close behind the average pace while harvest progressed due to good harvest weather. Corn for silage harvest was winding down in Western Michigan and made good progress in all other areas.

Soybean harvest moved along and winter wheat planting immediately followed in several areas in Southeast Michigan.

Dry bean harvest progress remained ahead of the five-year average pace.

Sugarbeet harvest continued in full swing and progressed only slightly behind average by week's end.

Alfalfa and other hay cuttings continued, thanks to the dry end of the week.

Other activities during the week included, preparing harvest machinery, prepping for winter, and hauling manure.

Apple harvest moved along last week but was slower in some areas because of rainy weather. Growers were harvesting as quickly as weather, equipment and labor resources would allow. In the Southwest, growers hurried to harvest a very heavy Red Delicious and Golden Delicious crop. There were reports of Golden Delicious dropping in some orchards in the Southwest. Growers also harvested Fuji there. On the Ridge, growers had finished Honeycrisp, Gala and McIntosh and were harvesting Golden Delicious, Empire and Ambrosia. Red Delicious and Fuji harvest will begin soon there. In the West Central, growers finished up Jonagold, Gala and Honeycrisp and moved on to harvest Golden Delicious and Empire. In the Northwest, growers had taken a first pick of Honeycrisp and Gala but were waiting on better color to begin full scale harvest of those varieties. Cooler, drier weather should spur harvest there.

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