Anyone who’s driven the rural byways of north central Ohio lately without getting stuck behind a farmer transporting hay or straw should consider himself lucky.
Local agricultural producers, blessed for the first time this summer with several consecutive days of sunshine, seasonally warm temperatures and no rain whatsoever, had a lot of catching up to do last week, and did just that.
“Warmer temperatures spurred crop development. Precipitation was lighter and less frequent, and sunny weather favored wheat harvest and baling of straw and hay,” the Great Lakes regional office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service said in its latest Ohio crop weather report.
“The benefits of rescue efforts such as nitrogen application in corn was apparent. Growers continued application of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, resorting to aerial applications in fields too soggy to support equipment.”
However, despite the vastly improved weather, crop conditions in Ohio didn’t really improve last week.
The USDA said 37 percent of the state’s corn crop was in good shape for the week ended Sunday, with 33 percent rated fair, a slight improvement over 36 percent good and 34 percent fair a week earlier.
Meanwhile, 35 percent of soybeans were in good condition and 35 percent fair, the USDA said, but the percentage of beans rated poor rose from 16 percent the week before to 17 percent last week.
Most of Ohio’s winter wheat had been harvested as of Sunday at 81 percent, although the five-year average is 98 percent. While 31 percent of that crop is good and 30 percent fair, a sizable 23 percent has fallen into the poor category, according to the USDA.
“Growers harvesting wheat found sprouting in lodged fields, low test weights, and vomitoxin levels created difficulties in marketing the crop,” the USDA said. “Quality of hay harvested was reduced by over-maturity, and supply may be an issue this winter.”
As of Sunday, 56 percent of the state’s alfalfa hay fields had undergone a second cutting, compared to 78 percent at the same point last year.
The USDA said 60 percent of Ohio’s topsoil had adequate moisture as of Sunday, although 38 percent was still in surplus. Locally, Fredericktown is harboring a precipitation surplus of 4.34 inches since April 1, Marion 3.95 inches and Mansfield 2.04 inches, while Bucyrus is essentially normal at 0.48 inches above average.
Statewide, the largest rainfall surpluses are in northwest Ohio at Lima, Pandora, Paulding and especially Van Wert (20.62 inches).
Cheryl Turner, statistician for the USDA’s Ohio field office, said dairy herds in the state produced 455 million pounds of milk last month, 0.7 percent lower than a year earlier.
Finally, Turner reported that 95,800 mink pelts were produced in Ohio in 2014. Nationwide, half of the pelts produced are black, followed by mahogany and blue iris.
Save the dates
The farm bureaus in Richland, Morrow and Delaware counties will host a “Grow It. Know It. Give It” fundraiser from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at Flying Horse Farms, 5260 Ohio 95, Mount Gilead. The dinner will help further the mission of the farms and provide operating expenses for the children’s vegetable garden.
The camp provides experiences to hundreds of children with serious illnesses and their families each year, for free.
The dinner Aug. 22 will be prepared by Joseph Motter of Malabar Farm Restaurant. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased through Aug. 17 from the Morrow County Farm Bureau at 800-327-6055.
The Ohio Agriculture Department will sponsor a collection for farmers wishing to dispose of unwanted pesticides from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Crawford County Fairgrounds, 610 Whetstone St., Bucyrus.
The pesticide collection and disposal service is free, but only farm chemicals will be accepted. Paint, antifreeze, solvents and household or non-farm pesticides will not be accepted.
