Kentucky experienced well above normal temperatures and above normal rainfall over the past week. Precipitation for the week totaled 0.99 inches, 0.18 inches above normal. Temperatures averaged 53 degrees for the week, 3 degrees above normal. Topsoil moisture was rated 25 percent very short, 43 percent short, 31 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 27 percent very short, 46 percent short, 26 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5.6 out of a possible seven.
Primary activities for this week included stripping tobacco, seeding winter wheat, and harvesting corn and soybeans. Warm, dry weather to start the week gave way to cold temperatures and precipitation.
The weekend brought some light snow for much of the state. Even with unstable weather at times, fieldwork continued at a steady pace.
The corn harvest is now 96 percent complete. Eighty-six percent of soybeans have now been harvested. Currently, tobacco is 54 percent stripped.
Winter wheat remains stable and mostly good. Wheat planting is moving along while emergence has been slowed at times by erratic weather, specifically drought.
Pasture ground continues to suffer from recent weather patterns. Fall growth has been stymied by drought and now cold temperatures are a detriment despite recent precipitation. Hay stocks will be low for many this year due to early feed supplementation. Also, there was a large variability in hay yields this cutting season. The length of the winter will be a huge factor in stretching supplies.
Categories: Kentucky, Crops, Corn