Crop Progress and Condition for the Week Ending August 31, 2014.
Mostly dry conditions allowed corn producers to begin harvesting with early yields looking favorable. Soybean and cotton farmers took advantage of the dry weather to finish up spraying for pests. Higher temperatures allowed cotton to catch up to more normal development levels. Hay producers were busy with their second cuttings with most areas reporting good yields. There were 6.0 days suitable for field work last week.
Topsoil moisture levels were rated 5 percent very short, 22 percent short, 69 percent adequate and 4 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 6 percent very short, 23 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.
County Agent Comments
Corn is drying down. Expect harvest to begin soon. Soybeans and cotton are setting pods and bolls, respectively. Pastures are good along with cattle. We are having armyworm issues on pasture, turfgrass, and gardens.
–J.C. Dupree, Lauderdale County
Corn has progressed to the point in most cases of waiting to dry down enough to harvest. A few scattered acres have been harvested being delivered to elevators offering early premium for wet corn. Major harvest efforts for corn will probably occur beginning the week of September 8th in Dyer County. Beans are progressing well and looking good. Grain sorghum maturing out but isolated instances of white sugarcane aphid have occurred, requiring an application of insecticide. Cotton continues to mature hopefully at a more rapid pace than during most of the season since experiencing warmer days and nights over the last few weeks. Insect pressures continue to remain fairly light but as corn dries down may see movement of worms to soybeans. Will need to keep scouting beans for a while yet.
–Tim Campbell, Dyer County
The farmers in Fayette County have been spraying pests this week but getting ready to stop in most crops. Some corn and bean harvest has started. All crops look good. It is dry, but we did have a few pop-up showers come through.
–Jeff Via, Fayette County
Producers had a dry week and were able to finish-up what spraying needed to be done on cotton. The warmer temperatures are really enabling the corn and early bean crops to dry down. Pastures are really holding up well.
–Walter Battle, Haywood County
Corn yields are looking good so far. Armyworms are in pastures and stink bug numbers are on the rise in soybeans.
–Jake Mallard, Madison County
Producers have been busy spraying double-crop soybeans with fungicides and preparing for corn harvest. Some late March and early April planted corn has been shelled with yields running in the 180-220 bushels per acre range. Some minor acreage of Group II soybeans has been harvested with yields running in the mid 50’s. Scattered thunderstorms have left varying amounts of precipitation up to 1 inch across the county this week.
–Jeff Lannom, Weakley County
Silage chopping is just about finished with reports of good yields.
–A. Ruth Correll, Wilson County
Corn harvest has begun with very good yields reported – some 200 plus bu. on dry land corn. The continuing pattern of rain we seem to be in is helping maintain pastures. Kevin Rose, Giles County Rainfall has been very spotty; parts of the county have received less than 0.75 inches of rain in August. Soybeans, pasture/hay fields, home lawns and gardens are suffering in those areas. In the places where rain has been more plentiful, crops are looking good. Expect corn harvest to begin any day now.
–Mitchell Mote, Rutherford County
Corn harvest started this week with yields approaching 300 bu./acre in some highly managed, irrigated fields. Non-irrigated fields that have been harvested have also been impressive at about 225 bu./acre. Obviously we have a long way to go, but it certainly looks like yields will be impressive.
–Chris Hicks, Smith County
A few isolated showers at the beginning of the week with heavier rain at week’s end produced from .50 to 1.5 inches of rain. Corn harvest got under way this week with excellent yield reports of plus or minus the 200 bushel mark. Soybeans continue to progress with timely rains, especially late planted double crop beans. A few acres of early beans are ready for harvest, the bulk of full season beans are showing signs of maturity.
–Ed Burns, Franklin County
One (or two) more good rain(s) needed on the beans to drive them home. Corn is looking good and harvest began this week with moisture in low to mid 20’s and great yields thus far.
–Creig Kimbro, Grundy County
Harvesting of corn silage is underway with favorable yields. Second-cutting hay harvest is in high gear with some reports that yields are better than first cutting.
–John Wilson, Blount County
Rain in July and August really brought a rapid recovery from the dry May and June. Corn, tobacco and soybeans look like a bumper crop.
–George Heiskell, Claiborne County
Blue mold found on tobacco.
–Anthony Carver, Grainger County
We have had an unusual situation. Turkeys are digging up large areas in hay and pasture fields looking for grubs.
–Neal Denton, Knox County
Second hay harvest looks to be thin in most situations.
–Jerry Lamb, Rhea County
Good conditions this week for hay harvest.
–Chris Ramsey, Sullivan County
