Pennsylvania Ag Connection - 69 Percent of Pennsylvania Pastures Good to Excellent

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69 Percent of Pennsylvania Pastures Good to Excellent
Pennsylvania Ag Connection - 07/16/2019

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Pennsylvania, there were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday. Topsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 82 percent adequate, and 15 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 85 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus.

Pasture conditions ranged from 0 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 63 percent good, and 6 percent excellent.

Reporters are from Extension Service (Ext), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Conservation District (CD), farmers, commodity specialists, or other knowledgeable individuals.

Adams County, Judy A. Behney: Adams County started the week off wet and still wet. Some areas got additional rainfall this week and other areas hardly got anything. Very sporadic. Temperatures started high 60's most mornings and into the mid 80's during the day. Corn and soybeans continue to grow with some corn in tassel. Some corn was still planted last weekend before the heavy rains on Sunday. Soybeans continue to be planted after wheat or hay harvested. Wheat continues to be harvested. What was harvested before these rains last weekend was good wheat but the quality has been lowered to feed wheat for what was harvested after the rains. Hay continues to be made when weather and ground conditions permit. Fruit crops seem to be doing well. Peaches are being harvested. Tart and sweet cherries had a nice crop this year. Producers are busy with all kinds of field work and can change in minutes as the storms have been coming fast and maybe on one side of road and not the other side.

Adams/franklin counties, Thomas Kerr: Wheat harvest when weather permits. Harvest is well along. Corn growing well. Peach harvest good quality, but some early varieties are coming up short in yield.

Bradford County, Casey Guindon: Field activities progressed rapidly this week, though progress is still far behind average. Tillage, corn and soybean planting, and haymaking were all common practices this week. Corn replants have been common this summer as wet weather early in the season drowned plantings on less-than-ideal ground.

Cameron, Elk, McKean, Potter counties, Nicole S. Carutis: This past weeks sun and warmer temps have made all crops look better.

Centre County, Dick A. Decker: Great week for field work. Few areas could use a shower to increase top soil moisture. No measured rainfall.

Columbia County, John O Yocum: Warm weather helped growth of corn and soybeans.

Juniata, Snyder counties, William C. Sheaffer: Barley harvest is complete and the wheat harvest is near completion with the yields being very good. Very good week for the growing crops. Corn is beginning to tassel and the early soybeans are beginning to flower. The main activities for the week were harvesting, making dry hay, and spraying herbicides and side dressing.

Lackawanna County, Eric Johnson: Warm, dry weather has been a welcome sight for those needing to harvest first cut, dry hay. Second cut alfalfa is coming on strong and corn planting season has finally wrapped up.

Lancaster County, Jeff Graybill: Widespread showers were a blessing across the county this past week. Some limited flooding and heavy rain did minor crop damage. Tobacco topping will be in full swing this week with some crop damage from wind and hail in last week's storms. Wheat harvest is wrapping up with several yields reported at 100+ b/a. With this heat and humidity the county would benefit from another rain end of the week or early next!

Merer County, James P. Rust: Many acres of first cutting were baled the 4 days. Should be baling 2nd cutting of hay at this time.

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