TOBACCO HARVEST HAS BEGUN
Tobacco producers began harvesting this past week. The wet conditions experienced throughout the summer have proved favorable for row crops, with corn, cotton and soybeans rated in good-to-excellent condition at weeks end. A short period of hot dry weather would be welcome in order to dry down the corn crop and provide heat units for the cotton crop. Some problems with insects, weeds and fungus were noted, and farmers applied pesticides when needed. Other farm activities last week included cutting hay, harvesting silage and topping tobacco.
There were 4 days suitable for field work this past week. Topsoil moisture levels were rated 1 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 24 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 1 percent short, 79 percent adequate and 20 percent surplus. Temperatures averaged below normal this past week. Rainfall averaged above normal across the east and middle portions of the state, while the west and plateau regions saw slightly below average rainfall.
|
Crop Condition % August 18, 2013 |
||||||
|
Very Poor |
Poor |
Fair |
Good |
Excellent |
||
| Corn |
TN |
0% |
2% |
11% |
52% |
35% |
|
US |
4% |
9% |
26% |
44% |
17% |
|
| Cotton |
TN |
1% |
5% |
24% |
52% |
18% |
|
US |
9% |
14% |
31% |
37% |
9% |
|
| Soybeans |
TN |
0% |
5% |
12% |
56% |
27% |
|
US |
2% |
8% |
28% |
48% |
14% |
|
| Pasture |
TN |
0% |
2% |
12% |
65% |
21% |
|
US |
12% |
16% |
27% |
36% |
9% |
|
|
Crop Progress |
|||||
| August 18, 2013 | August 11, 2013 | August 18, 2012 | 5 Year Average | ||
| Soybeans-Blooming |
TN |
80% |
67% |
99% |
96% |
|
US |
92% |
88% |
98% |
96% |
|
| Soybeans – Setting Pods |
TN |
61% |
45% |
88% |
81% |
|
US |
72% |
58% |
90% |
81% |
|
| Corn-Dough or Beyond |
TN |
91% |
84% |
100% |
95% |
|
US |
52% |
32% |
87% |
65% |
|
| Corn-Dent or Beyond |
TN |
65% |
48% |
93% |
79% |
|
US |
11% |
5% |
57% |
30% |
|
| Corn-Mature |
TN |
2% |
NA |
56% |
25% |
|
US |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
| Cotton-Setting Bolls |
TN |
83% |
69% |
95% |
97% |
|
US |
73% |
53% |
87% |
81% |
|
| Cotton-Bolls Opening |
TN |
0% |
— |
15% |
8% |
|
US |
8% |
— |
16% |
14% |
|
County Agent Comments
The farmers in Fayette County dealt with wet conditions early in the week. By mid-week, the sun came out and temps had dropped. Farmers were busy spraying and harvesting hay where they could. Jeffery Via, Fayette County
Had a week in which there were seven days suitable for work. There is quite an amount of rank cotton. The crop is not getting the heat units that it needs to mature on time. Soybean and corn crops should have great yields. I’m very impressed with the dry land acreage crops. Pasture and hay/forage conditions are excellent. Walter Battle, Haywood County
Once again rain has hit. Plant bugs are a big issue in the cotton fields. Wet conditions have not allowed us to spray to control plant bugs and put growth regulator on the plants. Stink bugs are popping up in full season soybeans pretty heavy. Wet conditions are leading to fungus in the row crops this year. Corn ears have not fallen yet, thus catching water and cause some sprouting and other issues with the seed. Cattle seem to be doing very well. We are still in need of some hot dry weather to help dry the corn down and help the cotton produce. Jake Mallard, Madison County
Early last week parts of Giles County received around 3 inches of rain. Fungicides are going out on many acres of late planted beans. Pastures look very good with plenty of grass. Kevin Rose, Giles County
We have had some hay cut this week but it is rank and drying very slow with the cooler temps and lack of sunlight. We are having a lot of sickness in stocker cattle due to the changing weather. Larry Moorehead, Moore County
Isolated to scattered light showers produces from .10 to over an inch in a few isolated areas. Most areas received less than a half inch for the week. Corn continues to mature with about 25% of the crop mature and beginning to dry down. Soybean producers continue to apply fungicides to double crop beans as they begin to put on pods. With reports of Asian rust in Northern Alabama, producers are adding triazole fungicide as a preventative. Kudzu bugs were confirmed earlier in the week. A number of producers were able to harvest hay Ed Burns, Franklin County
Rains of between one and two inches fell toward weeks’ end. Corn and soybeans, especially late-planted ones, are progressing well with the moisture. Pastures are growing well with all the moisture and favorable temperatures. John Wilson, Blount County
