Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 2/29/16

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK

This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg. 

2.5 N/A 0.8 N/A 

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT

VS ST A SS 
Topsoil Moisture 0 0 46 54 
Subsoil Moisture 0 0 46 54
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Barley 1 22 37 40 0
Oats 5 18 46 29 2
Pasture 6 24 49 19 2
Wheat 10 19 38 30 3
VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS

Snow, ice and rain have made feeding livestock a challenge during February. We have had several days of high winds and low temperatures. Hay supplies are getting tight but hay in neighboring counties can still be found.
Julia Houck – Ashe-Alleghany County FSA 

Frequent rainfall has kept fields too wet for any field work. Some tobacco greenhouses have been seeded. Several farm buildings, some farm equipment, and fences were destroyed on a dairy farm and a beef farm during the week.
Paul Westfall – Granville County Extension 

Soils are still very wet, though the wind is beginning to dry the soil surface. Farmers are beginning to apply nitrogen to small grain, pasture and hay fields as soil conditions allow. Hay supplies are very low. Livestock farmers still have muddy conditions around feeding areas.
Carl Pless - Cabarrus County Extension

Has been exceptionally wet. TOO wet to top dress any small grains. John Ivey - Guilford County Extension

Cattlemen are purchasing fertilizer and lime for cool season pastures and hay fields. Also, they are spraying for buttercup in pastures that were short in the fall.
Seth Nagy – Caldwell County Extension 

We are at 1000 chill Hours (NC Blueberry Model, Jackson Springs, State Climate Office). We have lost a few of the earliest blooming blueberry and peach varieties, but the main varieties still look viable. Small grains and pastures are delayed in development for this time of the year
Taylor Williams – Moore County Extension 

Frequent rains in recent weeks has many soils saturated, but soils are starting to dry out. Irish potato growers started preparing land for planting and planting should start next week. Farmers are also starting to burndown fields that will be planted to corn, Saturated soils have wheat looking off color, but many fields have good tiller counts. Al Wood – Pasquotank County Extension

Wheat in poor condition. Hay supplies are short. Very wet conditions.
Gary Cross – Person County Extension 

Extremely wet conditions have made it impossible for some growers to get needed Nitrogen to many acres of small grains. Some growers are able to commence tillage operations for tobacco land.
Don Nicholson – Agronomist Region 7 

We have had a wet winter with some areas being flooded. We have also had major wind storms.
Danelle Cutting – Rowan County Extension 

Burndown Herbicide applications are being made where field conditions allow. Wheat is in need of nitrogen.
Jarette Hurry – Bertie County Extension 

Saturated soil conditions continue to inhibit any field work. Some winter wheat will be destroyed and used as a cover crop due to lack of tilling and overall health. Wheat that had significant amount of N applied last fall still looks like it has good yield potential. Storms caused some greenhouse damage from wind and hail last week. Georgia Love – Agronomist Region 5 

Tobacco greenhouses have been seeded with plants emerging. Some land preparation has just started taking place on higher / dryer ground fields. Greenhouse Tomatoes are behind schedule this year due to so many cloudy overcast days. Farmers also cleaning up large pine limbs in pastures and field borders that were knocked down during ice storm and heavy winds.
Brian Parrish – Harnett County Extension 

Wheat planted in Pender County is suffering from too much rain and the inability to get across the ground to apply weed control and fertilizer. Rainfall totals and frequency have prevented a lot of field work in February. Cold weather in February added much needed chilling hours to blueberry bushes, which are required to promote blossom and fruit set.
Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension 

For the full report, click here.