Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 9/15/14

GENERAL: Days suitable for field work 4.2. Topsoil moisture 1% very short, 10% short, 73% adequate and 16% surplus. Subsoil moisture 11% short, 79% adequate and 10% surplus. The state received heavy showers and thunderstorms during the week with much of the state receiving over 4.0 inches of rain causing delays in field work. Average temperatures were normal with most areas averaging in the mid-70s. Reported crop progress data for the week showed soybeans blooming at 97%, setting pods at 88% and leaf drop at 16%. Cotton bolls opening jumped to 48%. Reports for corn showed dented at 96%, mature at 92%, harvested for grain at 52% and harvested for silage at 70%. Flue-cured tobacco harvest made progress and moved to 65% while Burley is set at 40% harvested. Sweet potato harvest is at 27%. The second cutting of hay is at 95% with 3rd cutting reported at 66%, peaches harvested at 95% and apple harvest at 59%.

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Extension Agent Reports
Corn and tobacco harvest continues. Good rains received in areas of Region 9 while some areas continue to be on the dry side. Farmers are working hard to get tobacco in as the crop continues to mature fast and disease is progressing fast. Cotton is cutting out and bolls are opening. Soybeans need rain showers and time and set and develop pods lost earlier in the season. Grain sorghum is maturing and most is ready to harvest. A late flush of Palmer amaranth is showing up in grain sorghum, cotton, and soybeans and could cause problems during harvest. Colby Lambert – Agronomist Region 9  

Fall prep for vegetables, apples beginning to sweeten. John Ivey - Guilford County Extension  

Upper Cleveland County received nearly 5 inches of rain over the weekend. Some reports of flooding and washouts have already been received this morning. Conditions were very dry before this, but the rain fell so fast that much of it ran off. Stephen Bishop – Cleveland County NRCS  

Heavy rains fell across many area of the county during the first part of the week delaying field operations. Reports indicate corn yields have generally been good. Worm infestations have remained light in soybean and peanut fields. Results from peanut maturity clinic shows that many fields are within two weeks of harvest. Richard Rhodes – Bertie County Extension  

Frequent rains preventing much field work. To date, over six inches have fallen in September. Mike Carroll - Craven County Extension  

Had so much rain in the area that farmers could not harvest corn, and only select tobacco and sweet potato fields could be cropped/dug. More rain over the weekend will further delay harvest, while crops lose their quality in the field. Worry that corn, tobacco and even cotton is deteriorating quickly. More rain in the forecast for later this week. Roy Thagard - Greene County Extension  

Heavy, frequent rainfall continues across Pender County. Rainfall totals for the week range from 3" to 6". Little to no corn was harvested last week. Yields are ranging from 150 to 250 bu. per acre. Excess rainfall is causing soybeans to lodge, which will affect yields. Frequent rainfall has also slowed farmers hoping to get land fumigated for strawberry planting. Wet conditions will also delay wheat planting in October. Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension  

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS   
This Week    Last Week    Last Year 5-Year Avg  
PHENOLOGICAL:      
Soybeans % Blooming 97 93 93 99  
Soybeans % Setting Pods 88 80 84 95  
Soybeans % Leaf Drop 16 11  n/a 12  
Corn % Dented 96 94 100 100  
Corn % Mature 92 87 95     96  
Cotton % Bolls Opening 48 30 32     60  
HARVESTED:      
Apples 59 53 40 46  
Corn for Grain 52 39 50 58  
Corn for Silage 70 57 84 88  
Hay 2nd cutting 95 92 87 94  
Hay 3rd cutting 66 61 33 42  
Peaches 95 88 99 98  
Sweet Potato 27 20 n/a 13  
Tobacco: Burley 40 35 83 69  
Tobacco: Flue-cured 65 58 86 73      

 
CROP CONDITION PERCENT  
VP P F G E X  
Cotton 0 5 25 57 13  
Pasture  1 11 38 42 8  
Peanuts 0 1 17 67 15  
Sorghum 0 2 25 58 15  
Soybeans 1 4 24 56 15  
Sweet Potatoes 0 1 15 69 15  
Tobacco: Burley 1 2 29 43 25        
VP = Very Poor  P = Poor  F = Fair  G = Good   EX = Excellent        

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT  
VS ST A SS  
Topsoil Moisture 1 10 73 16  
Subsoil Moisture 0 11 79 10        
VS= Very Short   ST = Short   A = Adequate   SS = Surplus