Crop progress and conditions for the week ending Nov. 22, 2015.
Agricultural News: Days suitable for fieldwork were 4.9. Field activities for the week were limited but included harvesting cotton and soybeans, and planting winter crops; wet and damp conditions prevented some fieldwork. Farmers continue making plans for the coming year. Temperatures were mild with scattered precipitation; average temperatures were similar to the previous week, but precipitation amounts decreased. High temperatures were in the upper 60s to 70s, and lows were in the upper 20s to 30s.
REPORTER COMMENTS BY COUNTY – Comments are based on remarks made by extension agents, farmers, commodity specialists, and other knowledgeable individuals.
WESTERN
ROCKBRIDGE (Thomas A Stanley): Rain Wednesday night in Rockbridge slowed field activities, but harvest work is largely complete and most farmers are current on field work.
CENTRAL
AMELIA (Laura Siegle): With some dry days recently, we saw some combines busy this week on soybean harvest.
CHESTERFIELD (Charlotte Maxwell): When I drove around last week, a very small amount of soybeans had been harvested. We have gotten some heavy rains in the past two weeks and the fields haven’t been drying out.
EASTERN
CHARLES CITY (John Allison): Soybean harvest was fast and furious this week before the rain on Thursday. The final acres of small grain planting are held up until soybeans are in.
ESSEX (Keith Balderson): Good progress on soybean harvest continued during the week. Soil sampling and planning for the 2016 crop year continued.
GLOUCESTER (David Moore): Soybean harvest continues. Weather conditions are not cooperating. Folks are making planting decisions for 2016, also soil sampling and liming.
SOUTHERN
FRANKLIN (Cynthia Martel): Up and down temperatures in Franklin County has kept farmers from finishing up. It rained for 2 days last week, with heavy rain in some areas. Animal conditions depend on producers feeding habits.
LUNENBURG (Lindy Tucker): We have gotten a fair amount of rain with fairly warm conditions which have made it nice for pastures, but terrible for soybean harvest. Everyone is just getting into the thick of harvest as temperatures drop. Almost all of the beans have damage. The majority of the wheat is in the ground but there are still beans to harvest, which is causing a delay. Animals look good overall.
SOUTHEASTERN
BRUNSWICK (Cynthia Gregg): Last week was cooler and some rain came in midweek and some showers over the weekend. Early in the week, soybeans were harvested and small grains were planted.
CHESAPEAKE CITY (Watson Lawrence Jr.): Rain this week limited soybean harvest and wheat planting. Warm temperatures continue to enhance growing degree days for fall and winter crops.
PRINCE GEORGE (Scott Reiter): Only 2 good harvest days this week with rain showers on Wednesday and Sunday. Wheat planting is almost finished with only a few fields left where soybeans still stand. Double crop soybean quality is much better than the full season crop, but yields are nothing to get excited about. A little bit of late season hay has been cut and baled over the last 10 days.
SURRY (Glenn Slade): Showers last week slowed cotton and soybean harvest. The last of small grains is being seeded, low prices are causing a decline in acres.
SUSSEX (Kevin Wells): More rain has slowed the fall harvest of cotton and soybean. Small grain planting is almost complete and growers have started taking soil samples.
