Above average temperatures and mostly dry weather allowed harvest to progress at a normal pace during the 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Oct. 26, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. A few low-lying fields remain too muddy to harvest. Activities for the week included fall tillage, manure and fertilizer application, corn stalk baling, and hauling grain.
With almost all of Iowa’s corn acreage mature, harvest was 36 percent complete, six days behind 2013 and 16 days behind the five-year average. Corn harvest in west central Iowa was 32 percent complete. Moisture content of corn at harvest was estimated at 19 percent, encouraging some farmers to harvest, but still limiting others who are waiting for corn to dry down in the field. Seventy-seven percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition.
Soybean harvest reached 81 percent complete, two days behind last year and four days behind normal. West central Iowa farmers are ahead of many in harvesting soybeans, with that task 88 percent complete. Many farmers across the state were waiting for their replanted soybeans to mature.
Grain movement from farm to elevator was rated 58 percent moderate to heavy, increasing 3 percentage points from the previous week. Off-farm grain storage availability was 90 percent adequate to surplus. On-farm grain storage availability was 86 percent adequate to surplus.
Pasture condition rated 65 percent good to excellent, while hay and roughage supplies were estimated at 97 percent adequate to surplus. Livestock conditions were excellent, and a few cattle were turned out on corn stalk fields.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 4 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 82 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 13 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 83 percent adequate and 17 percent surplus. Southwest and south central Iowa were the wettest with more than one-third of their topsoil and subsoil in surplus condition.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship: Iowa enjoyed a mild and mostly dry week. Light to moderate rain fell between Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 22 and Thursday morning over most of the state. Some very light rain was also scattered across northeast and east central Iowa on Friday afternoon, Oct. 24. Otherwise dry weather prevailed.
Weekly rain totals varied from just sprinkles over extreme southeastern Iowa to 1.18 inches at Council Bluffs. Volunteer weather observer John Beltz reported .29 inch of rain on Oct. 23. The statewide average precipitation was 0.35 inches while normal for the week is 0.56 inches.
Temperatures were above normal throughout the week across western Iowa where Sioux City recorded highs in the 70s every day. Eastern Iowa temperatures were near to below normal through Thursday but climbed well above normal on Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday. There were some scattered freezes, mostly across northeastern Iowa, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday mornings. However, these lower readings came in areas that had recorded freezes earlier this fall. Much of the southeastern quarter of Iowa, and a few scattered areas elsewhere, have yet to record a freeze this season.
Beltz reported a high temperature of 70 degrees on Oct. 2 and a low temperature of 37 on Oct. 19 and Oct. 22. Temperature extremes for the week varied from a high of 78 degrees at Sioux City on Friday, Oct. 24, to a low of 27 degrees at Elkader on Sunday, Oct. 26.
Temperatures for the week averaged from 11 degrees above normal over extreme northwest Iowa to one degree above normal at Burlington with a statewide average of 5.1 degrees above normal. Soil temperatures at the four inch depth were mostly averaging in the mid-50s at the end of the week.
