Crop Report

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Tuesday, June 24, 2008

An estimated 80 percent of alfalfa has been baled in Otter Tail County. Drier weather in this area, and across much of Minnesota, allowed farmers to perform fieldwork.

“Alfalfa work is about two weeks behind schedule, compared to previous years, but good strides were made last week,” Regional Extension Educator Doug Holen said. “Many years we have four alfalfa cuttings in the growing season. This year, however, it’s likely we’ll have only three waves of alfalfa cutting in Otter Tail County.”

The first alfalfa cutting, statewide, was 61 percent complete — close to 20 percentage points behind the pace in Otter Tail County.

Corn growth in Otter Tail County is slightly above the state average of 11 inches in height. However, that figure is well below the 34 inches last year, in June 2007, and 21 inches for the five-year average.

Soybeans in the county are close to the average of four inches in height statewide. This compares to nine inches last year and six inches for the five-year average.

Holen said that small grains, particularly wheat, are heading out throughout Otter Tail County.

Statewide, according to the Associated Press, there were an average of 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork last week, up 3.6 days from the previous week. The average temperature was 64.4 degrees, 1.9 degrees below normal.

But crop development continues to lag because of the cool, wet spring and the late start to planting. As of Friday, 62 percent of the corn and soybean crops, statewide, were rated in good or excellent condition.

Oats were 16 percent headed compared with 59 percent last year and a 41 percent average. Barley was seven percent headed compared with 47 percent last year and a 31 percent average.