Weather more like winter than fall hampered field work and harvesting for many Wisconsin farmers, some saying they won't be able to get into their fields until spring.

The crop progress report for the week ending Nov. 30 said some farmers tried to keep at it, but Thanksgiving and the annual deer hunt put crimps into field work plans.

The report comes from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

"Isolated soybean fields were still standing, mostly in the northern part of the state," the report said. "Many of these fields will not be harvestable until spring."

"Low temperatures and just enough snow caused problems, but warmer temps melted snow over the weekend and made fields greasy, so harvest was slowed some more," a Juneau County report said. "Hopefully, the forecast of cold temperatures and dry conditions will allow farmers to have a good week for harvest and get things finished up."

There were only 2.6 out of 7 days suitable for field work, thanks to the wet weather and muddy or frozen fields. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) ranged from 0.68 inches in Eau Claire to 2.28 inches in Green Bay.

Weather reports look good for the first week of December, so farmers were anxious to get the last of the crops in.

"Producers still have high hopes of finishing soybeans and corn harvest when the weather cooperates," an Eau Claire County report said.

Corn for grain was 78 percent harvested, down from 86 percent a year ago at this time, while grain moisture at harvest was averaging 21 percent.

Winter wheat was 93 percent emerged, with the crop condition rated 67 percent good to excellent.

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