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A very wet spring has yielded to a much better summer so far, and that’s good news for farmers in Wisconsin and the Sheboygan area. May’s nearly double the usual rainfall left Sheboygan County fields soggy and farmers anxious about planting and emerging crops. June wasn’t much better with the 22nd alone responsible for nearly doubling the normal rainfall as over a half foot fell for the whole month. But after a wet first week, the remainder of July has been a blessing so far with plenty of warm, dry weather, and that’s evident in the latest crop report issued Monday from the USDA.
The soggy spring soils have dried impressively, with topsoil moisture around the state listed as 3 percent short, 79 percent adequate and just 18 percent surplus. Days suitable for fieldwork increased from 4-1/2 the previous week to 5-1/2 last week. 23 percent of pastures are in fair condition, with 50 percent “good” and 20 percent in “excellent” condition.
51 percent of the Corn crop is in good condition, with 17 percent described as “excellent”.
The statewide soybean condition is described as 32 percent fair, 56 percent good and 14 percent excellent, with the remainder either poor, or very poor.
12 percent of oats have already been harvested, about double the usual at this point. 63 percent is
described as good, with 14 percent “excellent”.
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