Posted: 07.07.2010

Grow!  That's what corn does in warm, dry weather.  According to Wisconsin Ag Statistical officials - corn shot up 16 inches in one week!  Now the average corn height around the state is 47 inches tall - 8 inches above the states five year average.

Despite that growth, farmers are still worried about irratic, uneven growth in fields that suffered with the excess moisture from June.

Soybeans are also ahead of normal.  10 percent of the crop is already blossoming - the first stage of deciding the overall size of crop farmers might expect.  Weeds, however, are still a big problem in a lot of soybean fields.
 

Oats headed was reported at 94 percent complete, an increase of 12 percentage points from the previous week. Oats were reported as looking good with conditions rated at 87 percent Good to Excellent. Harvest of oats was reported as beginning in Dunn, La Crosse, and Fond du Lac Counties.

Growers have to keep an eye on their winter wheat too.  Fields have started to turn color pretty rapidly - a sign its maturing.  In fact in south central Wisconsin, some combines have already been rolling.  Early reports to farm director, Pam Jahnke, were that test weights were running around 60 pounds with moistures around 14 percent.  Of course that was when the weather was dry. Weeds are one issue farmers are reporting in their wheat fields - and the other is possible rust on the wheat because of all the wet weather in June.

Harvest of peas began in Door and Columbia Counties.

Raspberry season was in full swing and the crop was reported as looking good in Waupaca County.

Pumpkins and squash were reported as blossoming in Waupaca County.

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