Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 10/27/14

There were 6.5 days suitable for field work for the week ending Oct. 26, 2014. Topsoil moisture was rated 1% very short, 13% short, 79% adequate, and 7% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 1% very short, 12% short, 79% adequate, and 8% surplus. The state received virtually no rain and temperatures fell slightly below normal for the week. Reported crop progress data for the week showed soybeans leaf drop at 85% and harvest at 21%. Cotton harvested at 34%. Reports for corn harvested for grain rose to 92%. Burley tobacco harvested is at 88%. Sweet potato harvest is at 78%, peanut harvest rose to 64%. Apple harvest remained at 90%. Small grain planting continued to progress with barley reported at 41%, wheat at 22% and oats planted at 36%.  

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COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Last cutting of hay is underway, spotty frost has created some prussic acid caution in sorghum-sudan, and Johnsongrass pastures and hay fields.. Donna Teasley – Burke County Extension  

Pastures are beginning to fail as a few livestock producers have started feeding some hay. Main farm activities for the week included tending livestock, harvesting grain corn, and tagging Christmas trees in preparation of harvest to begin next month. Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension  

Tobacco harvest is nearly complete with a few growers in the region with about a week or two left depending on frost. Cotton harvest should be ramping up this coming week and soybean harvest of early varieties is on going. Sorghum  harvest will continue as well. Colby Lambert – Agronomist Region 9  

Great week allowed farmers to begin/ resume harvest.  Yields still good for soybeans, even some that suffered from southern leaf blight.  Most of the heavily damaged fields were not rotated and were of a particular variety line. Steve Gibson – Catawba County Extension  

Most of Cabarrus County is very dry. Soils are too dry. Seeded small grain and winter annual pastures do not have enough soil moisture for germination and emergence. Pastures are very dry. Farmers are already feeding hay. Carl Pless – Cabarrus County Extension  

Dry and sunny weather conditions has brighten cotton fiber in the field which should improve grades. Reported cotton and peanut yields have generally been excellent. Weather conditions have aided good growth of clary sage. Richard Rhodes – Bertie County Extension  

Great field conditions to get harvest work done. Some cotton will have to wait til just before frost before boll openers are used as upper boll is still rank on later cotton. Soybean yields are being reported as really good. Roy Thagard –Greene County Extension Above average acreage of rapeseed planted this year. Wheat acreage planting intentions are down 30-50% for some growers. Cotton yield reports are above average. Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension  

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS   
This Week Last Week Last Year  5-Year Avg  
PHENOLOGICAL:      
Soybeans % Leaf Drop 85 75   84      84  
Wheat Emerged 13 n/a n/a n/a        
PLANTED:      
Barley 41 25 58 53  
Oats 36 22 68 50  
Wheat 22 12 21 21        
HARVESTED:      
Apples 90 90 87 90  
Corn for Grain 92 89 97 97  
Cotton 34 23 16 37  
Hay 3rd cutting 87 82 77 82  
Peanuts Threshed 64 50 68 69  
Sorghum 33 24 62 n/a  
Soybeans 21 16 10 19  
Sweet Potato 78 69 68 76  
Tobacco: Burley 88 85 100 99        

CROP CONDITION PERCENT  
VP P F G EX  
Cotton 0 4 26 55 15  
Pasture  1 10 34 47 8  
Sorghum 0 2 28 54 16  
Soybeans 1 4 22 60 13        
VP = Very Poor  P = Poor  F = Fair  G = Good   EX = Excellent    

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT  
VS ST A SS  
Topsoil Moisture 1 13 79 7  
Subsoil Moisture 1 12 79 8        
VS= Very Short   ST = Short   A = Adequate   SS = Surplus