Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 4/30/18

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
3.5 5.3 2.5 4.0

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 0  4  59  37
Subsoil Moisture 0  5  72  23
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS
This Week  Last Week  Last Year  5 Yr. Avg.
Barley 1  2  21  73  3
Corn 0  1  19  69  11
Oats 1  2  15  75  7
Pasture 1  4  29  62  4
Wheat 0  1  23  66  10

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
PLANTED:
Corn 63 48 77 73
Tobacco: Flue-cured 24 14  36  35
PHENOLOGICAL:
Barley 50 25 n/a n/a
Corn Emerged 36  11  48  44
Wheat Headed 50  20  85  53
VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
The pastures are behind, corn planting behind, tobacco transplant behind on growth and planted. Very wet, cool.
Gary Cross – Person County Extension

Rutherford County has recorded over 3 inches of rain this week but with the cooler temperatures the growth is just not there for grains, pastures and hayfields. Warmer temperatures would be of benefit to all the crops at this point.
Janice Nicholson - Rutherford County Extension

Rain for most of the week limited field activity. Overall, most of the county received between 3.5" - 4" of rain for the week. Temperatures were mild with lows mainly in the 40's and highs mainly in the upper 50's - lower 60's. Pastures and hay ground are responding well to fertilization.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension

Rainfall was 1.75", which was above normal for period (April showers) with temperatures near normal. Frost on April 30 in the lower growing valleys (29 F in Whittier, NC). Soil Moisture is Average Wet to Wet.
Robert Hawk - Swain County Extension

Wheat is starting to head. Crop condition has improved with warmer temperatures. Low areas in field will have stand loss due to excessive moisture. Tobacco transplanting has started, but was slowed by rainfall during the week. Expect that process to start moving quickly once fields get dry enough, though there is still a lot of field work that needs to be done. Corn planting continued, with early planted fields just starting to emerge as soils warm up. Pastures are finally growing fast, but cool season grasses will start heading out soon. Getting fertilizer onto pasture is still a problem, especially on heavier soils.
Paul Westfall - Granville County Extension

A series of late frosts last week further damaged peach and blueberry crops, particularly in the Eagle Springs-Jackson Springs area. Taylor Williams - Moore County Extension

Got 1-3 inches of rain in Duplin County this week. Many growers are worried that some their corn will not come up. Tobacco is beginning to be set in the fields.
Blake Sandlin – Duplin County Extension

Ability to plant select fields affords slow progress. With a more favorable weather forecast, anticipate that most producers will transplant tobacco and plant corn this week. Cooler weather continues to result in slow plant growth of corn and tobacco in fields. Mike Carroll – Craven County Extension

Planting still behind due to cold temperatures and scattered rainfall. Several southern areas received 3.0-5.0 inches of rainfall and will be delayed even further.
Mike Carroll – Carteret County Extension

Heavy rain was reported across much of the county in the last week, but the last few days have seen milder conditions. Pastures in county seem to be slow to start growing this season, mainly as a results of cooler weather conditions. Corn planting was delayed some due to heavy rains over a three day period with accumulations of up to 6 inches.
Nancy Keith - Iredell County Extension

Much of the county received around 3.5 to 4 inches of rain last week. Everybody is waiting for fields to dry out to finish up corn planting. A few farmers are spraying down fields now for early soybeans. Small grains look good.
Stephen Bishop – Cleveland SWCD

Received some much needed rain last week. Wheat is progressing well. Early planting of soybean and cotton has been delayed by cool weather.
Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension

Rains early in the week slowed field activities such as tobacco transplanting and corn planting but growers got back in the fields by mid-week. Don Nicholson – Agronomist Region 7

Rains continue to delay planting.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

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