Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 3/30/15

DAYS SUITIBLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
3.4 n/a n/a n/a

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 0 1 45 54
Subsoil Moisture 0 1 56 43
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
 VP P F G EX
Barley 1 4 22 69 4
Oats 6 11 45 32 6
Pasture 8 23 42 26 1
Wheat 2 12 37 41 8

VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent

COUNTY AG EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS

The break in the weather with less rain and warmer temperatures have help the small grain crop and it is off to a good start. Most growers had the chance to get their nitrogen application on small grains and it has the potential to make a good crop. Most cool season pastures have been fertilized and are starting to grow, but hay is still in short supply. The strawberry crop has survived the late February cold temperatures with little damage and has the potential to make a good crop.
Daniel Overcash – Agronomist Region 11 

Soils are very wet, so little field work is being done. Tobacco greenhouses are planted and growing, with some early plantings affected by the cold weather. Farmers are applying nitrogen to wheat and pastures. Pastures are greening up, but there has not been much forage growth yet. Pastures should improve quickly with warmer temperatures.
Paul Westfall – Granville County Extension 

Too wet for field work, farmers are anxious to begin burn down programs to their corn crop and ridge tobacco land. Wheat crop is not looking good. Need some sunlight for tobacco greenhouse plants to germinate. All in all, folks are ready for spring weather.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station 

March has continued to be wet and cold. Field work has been limited in March up until the last couple of weeks of the month. Winter wheat top dressing has been challenging, and some of the crop still has not been fertilized due to wet field conditions. Tobacco greenhouses look good at this point, and plants should be ready. Colby Lambert – Agronomist Region 9 

Frosts over the weekend have stunted wheat and pasture growth that had begun with the warmer weather. Hay supplies in the area have dipped to a record low and many are thankful that the grass had started growing again. Sporadic rains, cloudy days, low temperatures and rain logged fields have farmers trying to spray wheat and fertilize when they can.
Jessica Morgan – Anson County Extension 

Slow rains are helping with the rainfall deficit. Tobacco plants are growing well in greenhouses. Typical spring weather has arrived with 60's - 70's one day and snow the next 
.Julia Houck – Ashe / Alleghany Counties 

Weather conditions for the month of March were relatively mild following a cold and wet February. Temperatures for the month were highly variable with an average high near 60(max 72 and average low around 37(min 19). Around 2.5" of precipitation fell during the month. Main farm activities for the month were tending livestock, field preparations for the coming production season, and seeding greenhouses for various crops. Pastures greening up is a welcome sight for livestock producers as hay supplies are getting short. 
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension 

Strawberry and peach growers are concerned about the extent of damage caused by this past weekend extreme cold weather. Farmers have been very busy tilling land in preparation for planting season. Wet fields are still causing problems in some areas. Wheat, Barley, and Oat fields on which Nitrogen applications were made are turning around and looking much better. The warmer weather in March has drastically improved pasture growth and animal performance.
Brian Parrish – Harnett County Extension 

Tobacco growers are fumigating tobacco land, but wet conditions have it later than normal and is causing many growers to skip areas in field that are still too wet. Tobacco greenhouses look to be good with few big problems.
Don Nicholson - Agronomist Region 7

Frequent rainfall keeps delaying planting of Irish potatoes, and cabbage as well as topdressing of nitrogen of wheat as well as land preparation for corn planting. Farmers are taking advantage of the times the land is dry enough to do field work.
Al Wood – Pasquotank County Extension 

To read the full report, click here.