Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 10/20/14

There were 4.7 days suitable for field work 4.7 for the week ending Oct. 19, 2014. Topsoil moisture  was rated 8% short, 77% adequate, and 15% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 11% short, 78% adequate, and 11% surplus. The state received widespread showers during the week with many areas receiving over an inch of rain. Temperatures continued to stay above normal for the week. Reported crop progress data for the week showed soybeans leaf drop at 75% and harvest at 16%. Cotton bolls opening recorded at 95% and harvested at 23%. Reports for corn harvested for grain rose to 89% and harvested for silage almost complete at 97%. Flue-cured tobacco harvest was reported at 95% while Burley harvested is at 85%. Sweet potato harvest is at 69%, peanut harvest jumped to 50%. Apple harvest is at 90%. Small grain planting is well underway with barley reported at 25%, wheat at 12% and oats planted at 22%. 

For the full report, click here.  

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Heavy rains in early week have limited field harvesting. Jan McGuinn – Rutherford County Extension  

Sweet potato, corn, and tobacco harvest nearing completion. Sorghum and peanut harvest are underway. Wheat, Barley, Rye, and Oats are being planted. Livestock producers are overseeding warm season pastures with winter annuals to help out with projected hay shortage again this year. Brian Parrish – Harnett County Extension  

Producers are glad to see some drying weather. There will be a lot of cotton defoliation this week and lifting dug peanuts prior to harvesting. Some Group IV and V soybeans now being harvested. Tim Hall – Agronomist Region 4  

Rain has prevented field work to one day this week. Excessive heavy rains early Wednesday caused water to stand in fall planted crops. It is too early to tell how much of an impact this will have on the fall squash. Cathy Herring – Central Crops  

Harvest progress continues but slowly due to wet soils and rains. Grower's willingness to plant wheat low. Expecting lower than normal wheat production acres. Growers continue to try to harvest cotton but rains/wet soils limit progress. Widely scattered earlier soybean varieties are close to harvest but majority of fields are still green to slightly yellow. Mike Carroll – Carteret and Craven County Extension  

Tobacco harvest, for most still harvesting, should wrap up this week, although there are some that will go until a killing frost, whenever that may be. The peanut crop looks to be very good.  Don Nicholson – Agronomist Region 7  

Harvest slowed to a crawl due to wet field conditions. Tobacco farmers who were already behind are getting even further behind schedule waiting for fields to dry enough to continue harvest. Those who are able to get into field are keeping drying barns full trying to finish before frost. Soybean harvest has stopped waiting for the beans and the soil to dry enough to continue harvest. Double crop soybeans are turning color and starting to drop leaves. Farmers are still cutting and baling hay, though it is getting harder to get dry enough to bale without getting the hay wet, plus the wet field conditions have made hay harvest challenging, too. Paul Westfall – Granville County Extension  

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS   
This Week  Last Week  Last Year  5-Year Avg  
PHENOLOGICAL:      
Soybeans % Leaf Drop 75 60   67      72  
Cotton % Bolls Opening 95 92 88      95      
PLANTED:      
Barley 25 18 48 38  
Oats 22 14 49 33  
Wheat 12 n/a 12 11
HARVESTED:      
Apples 90 81 n/a n/a  
Corn for Grain 89 85 95 95  
Corn for Silage 97 93 98 100  
Cotton 23 15 11 25  
Hay 3rd cutting 82 80 n/a n/a  
Peanuts Threshed 50 32 52 47  
Sorghum 24 15 51 na  
Soybeans 16 11 n/a 12  
Sweet Potato 69 59 65 68  
Tobacco: Burley 85 80 100 98  
Tobacco: Flue-cured 95 90 100 97        

CROP CONDITION PERCENT  
VP P F G EX  
Cotton 0 4 28 54 14  
Pasture  1 10 32 49 8  
Peanuts 0 1 14 67 18  
Sorghum 0 2 25 57 16  
Soybeans 1 4 22 59 14        
VP = Very Poor  P = Poor  F = Fair  G = Good   EX = Excellent    

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT  
VS ST A SS  
Topsoil Moisture 0 8 77 15  
Subsoil Moisture 0 11 78 11        
VS= Very Short   ST = Short   A = Adequate   SS = Surplus