By Andi Anderson
Warm temperatures and dry conditions across Michigan have pushed corn and soybeans closer to maturity, according to Marlo D. Johnson, Director of USDA NASS, Great Lakes Regional Office.
For the week ending September 1, 2024, farmers had 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Oat harvest is nearly complete, and 2 percent of corn fields were rated as mature. Corn silage harvest is progressing, with 6 percent of the crop harvested so far.
Soybeans and dry beans are also maturing, with 10 percent of soybean leaves and 29 percent of dry bean leaves dropping last week. The dry bean harvest is expected to start within a couple of weeks.
Sugarbeet harvest has already begun, with early campaign beets being accepted by sugar plants. Potato growers across the state are reporting high yields and excellent quality, pleasing both buyers and farmers.
Due to limited moisture, hay harvest has slowed down, and regrowth is struggling. Other activities last week included scouting for pests, planting cover crops, baling straw, hauling hay, chopping alfalfa for silage, seeding alfalfa, and livestock management.
In the fruit sector, very warm weather accelerated fruit maturity. Honeycrisp apples are maturing rapidly, with growers hoping for cooler nights to enhance fruit coloring. In Southwest Michigan, Gala apples for fresh markets and Jonathan and Empire apples for taffy apples were harvested.
Early Fuji apples on the Ridge entered their harvest window, and Gala and McIntosh varieties were picked. In the West Central region, Honeycrisp and Minneiska harvests were wrapping up, and growers started harvesting Gala apples.
In the Northwest, early strains of Honeycrisp and Ginger Gold were harvested, though Gala apples were smaller than expected in some orchards.
Michigan vegetable growers are at different stages of their season, with some finishing their growing season while others focus on fall plantings of cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Fungicides were applied to carrots and celery to combat disease from warm temperatures and high dewpoints. Pumpkins are ripening earlier than usual, and cucumbers, squash, and zucchini are hitting the market in larger quantities.
Late plantings of tomatoes and peppers are going in as farmers manage pest and disease pressures. Sweet corn harvest continues, with some farms wrapping up the season.
Photo Credit: istock-pixeldigits
Categories: Michigan, Harvesting