After cold start, harvest heats up

Wisconsin had 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending October 23, 2022, After a cold start to the week ending Oct. 23, 2022, warm temperatures and dry conditions allowed farmers to make significant inroads on the fall harvest.

According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, farmers had a window of nearly 6 days to work out in the fields, with both the potato and corn silage harvest nearing completion.

Many farmers recall past falls when persistent rain showers slowed harvest to a crawl and prevented crops from drying out. This year topsoil moisture condition rated 4% very short, 21% short, 73% adequate and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 3% very short, 19% short, 75% adequate and 3% surplus.

Ninety-six percent of corn was deemed mature. Harvest of corn for grain was 22% complete, 2 weeks behind lastyear and 4 days behind the 5-year average. Moisture content of corn harvested for grain was 23% with the crop condition rated as being 77% good to excellent statewide, down 1 percentage point from last week. Corn for silageharvest was 94% complete.

Combines could be found in a cloud of dust as they harvested the soybean crop. This year's harvest was 76% percent complete, 2 days ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the average.

The potato crop of 2022 is nearly in the books with 95% being harvested. Winter wheat planted was at 91%. Winter wheat emerged was at 67%, 4 days ahead of the average. Winter wheat condition was rated 80% good to excellent statewide. Fall tillage was 43% complete, even with last year but 12 days ahead of the average.