Educational Programs Being Held in the North Country in March

From Cooperative Extension:

Four educational programs are taking place in the North Country this week and next.

*** Up to 4 NYS DEC core pesticide credits are available at each of two programs held in Canton and Malone this week.  Links to registration pages are highlighted.

·         Feb 27, Best Western University Inn, Canton.  Morning session, 2 credits, begins at 9:30 am.  Afternoon session, 2 credits, begins at 12:30 pm.  $20 per session, $40 for both.  Lunch on your own. 

           Feb 28, Franklin County Courthouse, 1st floor cafeteria, Malone.  Morning session, 2 credits, begins at 9:30 am.  Afternoon session, 2 credits, begins at 12:30 pm.  $10 per session, $20 for both.  Lunch on your own.

*** North Country Hay & Pasture School will be offered at three locations beginning this week.  Speaker lineup is similar, but not identical, at all three locations and the program runs from 9:30 am to 3 pm.  Lunch is included.  Registration is $25.  

Details are as follows and https://web2.login.cornell.edu/?SID=1B09C8BB3385911B&WAK0Service=https/apps.cce.cornell.edu@CIT.CORNELL.EDU&WAK2Name=NetID%20or%20GuestID&WAK0Realms=NetID,GuestID&ReturnURL=https://apps.cce.cornell.edu/1B09C8BB3385911B/cuwal2.c0ntinue&VerP=3&VerC=2.3.0.238/idmbuild@fox07.serverfarm.cornell.edu/CentOS7-64bit-58/2.4.6&VerS=Apache%2020180226-1203&VerO=Linux%20xcu-cce-02.mediathree.net%203.10.0-693.2.2.el7.x86_64%20%231%20SMP%20Tue%20Sep%2012%2022:26:13%20UTC%202017%20x86_64%20x86_64%20x86_64%20GNU/Linux%20%5cS&Accept=K2&WANow=1519668774&WAK2Flags=1&DualAuth=all&WAreason=2 the registration link is here.

Agenda details are https://nydairyadmin.cce.cornell.edu/pdf/event/pdf682_pdf.pdf at this link.

·        March 2, Friday, Farm Credit East meeting room, Rt 12, Burrville. 

·        March 3, Saturday, Best Western University Inn, Canton.

·        March 9, Friday, BERC Auditorium at Miner Institute, Chazy.

Contact Tatum Langworthy (315-788-8450 or tlm92@cornell.edu) or your local CCE office for details or to register. Preregistration is required so those running the programs know to have enough materials and lunches on hand.

Drought Stresses Crops Throughout New York State

By JOE LEATHERSICH, MALLORY DIEFENBACH,
JIM KRENCIK and DEBRA J. GROOM
Empire Farm & Dairy
 
It’s hot.
 
It’s dry.
 
It’s not raining.
 

Drought map as of early August

That’s the forecast farmers have been dealing with since they began putting crops in the ground a few months ago. It doesn’t matter what they’re growing, the crops have been stressed due to the ongoing drought hitting a good part of New York state.
 
“Many areas of the state are in a severe drought,” said Aaron Reynolds, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Buffalo. “The precipitation has been real spotty in nature. And that is producing stress in the crops.”
 
According to a map put out by the National Weather Service, the worst of the drought is in Western New York. The map shows a severe drought area along the Southern Tier from Binghamton west, the Finger Lakes region, the Suffolk County area of Long Island and most of Western New York.
 
Patches of the Hudson Valley, Nassau County on Long Island and most of Central New York, such as Onondaga, Oswego and Jefferson counties, are in a moderate drought. The north country is deemed “abnormally dry.”
 
It doesn’t seem the weather will get any better any time soon.
 
Though rain is forecasted for short periods, it’s going to take a lot more than that to break the drought. And even then, the damage has been done to many of Western New York’s farms.
 
Crops struggling
 
Some farmers are fighting a two-front war as the drought worsens — with one problem not as obvious as the other.
 
Most obviously, the lack of water is hurting the crop harvest. Yields are way down as plants are struggling to grow. By this time of year, corn stalks should be above your head, but this year’s crop is topping out at about two feet high. And it’s not like the corn is behind schedule — it’s just done growing.
 
John Starowitz of Starowitz Farms in Byron, Genesee County, said his corn crop has already “tasselled,” meaning the corn is as good as it’s going to get, and it’s barely above your knee.
 
“When you have crops and vegetables, they all rely on water, and you’ve got to have a certain amount of water,” he said. “When you don’t have water, everything is skimpy and small.”
 
Jason Turek, who runs the third-largest vegetable farm in the state — Turek Farm near King Ferry in Cayuga County — grows 4,000 acres of vegetables that are sold throughout the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states. Of that, 2,500 acres are sweet corn.
 
He said he is harvesting only about a quarter of each field in early harvest vegetables, like corn and green beans. “It is hurting us — we’re in denial,” he said.
 
He said his corn is “hurt for sure” and by now, he should have cut 20,000 boxes of cabbage for shipment. He’s cut 1,000 boxes.
Ironically, his farm is spread out along the shore of Cayuga Lake. 

He’s lacking water but there’s a whole lake nearby.
 
But Turek said it really doesn’t make any difference. If he could draw water from the lake, he would be allowed by regulation to take only 100,000 gallons a day. He said he needs 65 million gallons to water his entire farm.
 
“It’s like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose,” he said.
 
The drought is bringing on another problem that might not be as obvious, too: pests.
 
Pests are attracted to moisture, and the only things with any semblance of it are the crops, even though they’re struggling themselves.
 
Starowitz said the bugs, deer and woodchucks are all causing damage to his crop, worse this year than past years because of the drought. The pests are “clearing out anything that’s green,” he said.
 
He hasn’t completely given up hope yet, though. He said there might be enough crop to sell to buyers, but he’s not expecting to make any money on it.
 
“Basically we’re just riding the storm out, we’re going with the punches,” Starowitz said. “There’s always hope.”
 
While some crops suffer in the drought, others are doing well. 

Onions seem to be coming through the drought OK, said Christy Hoepting, Cornell Cooperative Extension vegetable specialist.
 
“One of the benefits of it being hot and dry, and so breezy, is that we don’t have very much disease pressure,” Hoepting said. “The disease pressure is what can really be ravaging. There are a couple diseases that get going when it is cool and wet, so we don’t have to worry about any of those. The biggest pest concern is onion thrips, which do very well in the heat.”
 
However, onions — which prefer moderate temperatures — will grow quicker, and may not reach their full-size potential, especially in ground which hasn’t been irrigated. Still, Hoepting believes this season’s yields will be “pretty good.”
 
“Our (onion) quality should be excellent,” she said, explaining without the diseases to contend with, onions can produce crop of higher worth. “Quality is usually excellent in a hot, dry year at the expense of maximum bulb size.”
 
Dairy farmers feel the heat
 
Dairy farmers are having trouble handling the heat, too.
While crop farmers are dealing with the effects of the drought now as they harvest, the season will be over soon and what’s done will be done.
 
Dairy farming, however, is a 24/7, 365-day operation and can’t necessarily stop because corn and hay crops failed. But the harvests are so low that farmers are looking elsewhere for feed.
 
“We’re taking a lot of steps to purchase feed,” said Dale Stein of the multi-generational Stein Farms in Le Roy, which has about 1,000 cows on it. He’s taking these steps because his corn harvest is down 60 percent.
 
“We’re going to be so short (until next harvest),” he said.
 
Unsurprisingly, this shortage brings on a lot of financial burden. 

Stein said this shortage will cost him about $25,000 a month for 12 months until he can harvest again. Many farmers have insurance for situations just like this, as Stein does and has tapped into a little this year, but that doesn’t recoup lost revenue as much as it lightens the debt burden. 

For instance, Starowitz said if you have $100,000 in debt because of the drought, insurance might cover $90,000 of that, leaving the farm still in the red.
 
Stein said dairy farms’ problems are being compounded as well by drought; not only are they paying for feed, but small revenues are being brought in because of the low price of milk.
 
He added this has him “concerned” and “worried” that the effects of this situation might linger for another two years.
 
One glimmer of hope in all of this for some dairy farmers is that milk production is relatively stable thanks to technological advancements.
 
Cows like cooler temperatures and definitely do not like the heat. But since a lot of farms have invested in equipment that regulates the temperature in Western New York’s fickle climate, most cows are none-the-wiser.
 
“Our cows are kept cool,” Stein said.
 
Livestock impacted as well
 
The drought affects farmers in different ways, depending on their crop and what they are raising.
 
For those who raise livestock, there was no pasture available for animals to graze. While livestock typically graze about six to seven months out of the year, pasture foraging was limited because the season started so dry.
 
“A lot of livestock producers are now feeding hay, which they would normally feed during the winter,” said Nancy Glazier, small farm specialist on the Northwest Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team for Cornell Cooperative Extension. “Their hay harvest has been lighter than normal, so that’s adding another kind of a wrinkle. 

They have to purchase some hay elsewhere.”
 
While some farmers have been buying hay from their neighbors, others have been going out of the region and out of state to get what they need. She added some farmers even put in alternative feed such as oats or another type of annual grass.
 
The drought affects the livestock as well; Glazier said the drought and high heat causes more stress.
 
“Some farms may actually keep their animals in the barns, because it is a little cooler if they don’t have trees available for them in pastures,” she said.
 
“Farmers are pretty resilient,” Glazier went on. “Every year is a different year. They just have to deal with the hand they are dealt from Mother Nature.”
 
Other commodities affected by drought
 
Most people probably wouldn’t think trees would be bothered by a lack of water. Mature trees have deep roots and can draw on underground water for their needs.
 
But the lack of rain and excessive heat still can stress trees. Christmas tree growers, maple syrup producers and apple growers all are worried about this year’s crop or future crops.
 
Mary Jeanne Packer, president of the Christmas Tree Growers of New York, said some producers have lost up to half their crop of new trees planted this spring. Each year, growers replace the trees they harvested and sold last holiday season and it’s these young trees that have trouble in a drought.
 
“Some have set up irrigation,” she said. “Most of the problem is west of Syracuse.”
 
The loss of young trees won’t affect consumers immediately, but you never know down the road. Packer said if growers lose half of their young trees this summer, they will have to plant double the amount next spring and that damages their bottom lines.
 
Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association, said both apple trees and grape vines are stressed this summer from lack of rain.
 
With the apples, the drought won’t kill the trees, but it will affect the size of the fruit.
 
“The apples will be much smaller. They will be good and very sweet because there will be less water in them and more sugar,” he said.
 
It won’t be good financially for the apple growers either because the drought also will reduce the number of apples on the trees, cutting their yields. He said they shouldn’t have a problem with new trees planted in the spring because most growers irrigate these.
 
Maple trees won’t die from the drought, said Helen Thomas, executive director of the New York Maple Producers Association.
 
But, “if the water table is low and continues through the winter, the trees won’t have enough water to make as much sap in the spring,” she said. This means there could be a lot less syrup and other maple goodies next year.
 
What’s causing record dryness
 
David Thomas, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Buffalo, said the recent summers that could take the silver or bronze medal in the Drought Olympics were 2012, 1995 and 1988. 

In all three cases, the past droughts followed particularly dry years, with isolated or widespread droughts across Western New York in the March 1 to July 31 period, that were eased by later summer weather.
 
“2012 was also dry from spring into the summer,” Thomas said. “It was a little wetter than this year (with rain picking up in the summer). It helped (end) the drought, but we did have a dry period from March to July.”
 
The National Weather Service monitors droughts via multiple measures, with precipitation at airports an input that Thomas said shows this as the driest summer in 75 years. It’s been a confluence of factors to get here.
 
In Western New York, multi-year droughts like the one hitting California are prevented by the shear accumulation of snow that provides an annual replenishing of the water table and soil moisture.
 
Batavia experienced a reprieve from heavy snowfall in 2016 after back-to-back winters that brought blizzards, sustained deep freezes and snow-bound misery, but that wasn’t helpful below ground.
 
An upper-level wind pattern that frequently blew from the northeast prevented the “no doubters” of Gulf of Mexico-fueled spring rains that commonly add to the precipitation scoreboard.
 
“We didn’t have a really snowy winter, and that led into a dry spring that really caused the ground to dry out quickly across the region,” Thomas said. “The bright, sunny days through the spring and drier air allowed the drought conditions.”
 
Even the timing of weather systems hasn’t helped. Cold fronts have generally appeared over Western New York during the more atmospherically stable overnight hours, whereas an afternoon conflict with the daytime heat would lift the formation of clouds and thunderstorms.
 
“Without the sun’s heat, there’s not as many showers and thunderstorms,” Thomas said.
 
More than a little rain needed
 
This far into a drought, the region needs more than a sustained rainfall. Thomas said it will take months of above-normal precipitation to replenish the water table and have lawns, fields and trees recover.
 
“It won’t be one particular event or a week-long stretch,” he said.
 
A wayward hurricane ready to unload a flash of rain in Western New York, similar to the late stages of Hurricane Frances in 2004, wouldn’t be the solution. Thomas said a tropical storm would bring an abundance of rainfall, but forecasting one to pass over the region is next to impossible at this point.
 
And a flood doesn’t “fix” the problems of a drought. It just creates problems of its own.
 
At Fenton Farms in Batavia, Paul Fenton and his wife Gail have been fortunate to catch a portion of the handful of rain events that have punctuated the worst drought in their 30 years of farming an area between the city and Thruway. But each week the benefit has been weaker.
 
“It’s just evaporating so fast, the subsoil is absorbing the showers we do get, and with the high temperatures — we have three days of 85 degrees plus this week — the evaporation is just intense,” Fenton said. 

“We’re still producing nice stuff where it’s getting water, but the work to produce the product (is unprecedented). We’re irrigating seven days a week.”

Hay School for Northern New York Coming Later this Month

The annual hay school for Northern New York is scheduled for later this month.

There will be online sign up or call your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office.

The hay school will be March 18 at the Carthage Elks, March 19 at the Best Western in Canton and March 22 at the Miner Institute in Chazy. 

The cost is $30 for the first person from a farm and $15 for others. The costs are $40 for the first person from a farm and $20 for others if you pay at the door.

Tom Kilcer will be here to talk about how to make “Hay in a Day” by wide swathing and the ins and outs of baleage making. A complete flyer has been mailed out.

New York Ag Receipts Outpace National Averages

From New York state:

The growth of agricultural sales in New York outpaced the national average, with cash receipts up 36 percent across the state and only 32 percent nationally. 

In 2014, farmers in New York state also set a new record for sales with $6.36 billion in cash receipts, up from $4.7 billion in 2010, representing a nearly $1.7 billion increase in gross income from sales of crops, livestock and other products.

New York has seen a surge in average gross income and a significant increase in sales of many of the state’s top commodities. Since 2010, the following commodities have shown the greatest increases:

   

· Poultry and eggs up 63 percent to $206 million; · Peaches up 80 percent to $12.6 million; · Honey production up 59 percent to just under $9 million; · Cattle production up 132 percent to $415 million; and · Hay up 173 percent to $147 million.

The national estimates for the same commodities for the same period are:

· Poultry and eggs up 39 percent; · Peaches up 2 percent; · Honey production up 38 percent; · Cattle production up 59 percent; and · Hay up 63 percent.

The New York dairy industry also saw record high dairy prices in 2014, constituting about half of the state’s agricultural receipts.

Website Available for Buying, Selling Hay

Do you have hay to sell?
 
Do you need to buy some hay?
 
Producers throughout New York state are encouraged to use Hay Net on the Farm Service Agency website to sell or buy hay.
 
The website is www.fsa.usda.gov/haynet
 
This online service allows producers with hay and those who need hay to post ads so they can make connections.
 
Hay Net is a popular site for farmers and ranchers who have an emergency need.
 
Individual ads can be posted free of charge by producers who complete a simple online registration form the first time they use the site.

NY Crop Prospects Up This Year Compared to 2012

News from the USDA:

Crop production prospects in 2013 for New York are mostly higher compared with a year earlier, according to Blair Smith, state statistician of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York Field Office. 

All forecasts in this release are based on conditions as of Aug. 1 and assume normal growing conditions throughout the remainder of the season.

Forecasts for corn for grain, soybeans, hay, oats and winter wheat are expected to be higher. Production of dry beans are expected to be lower than 2012.

New York grain corn production is forecast at 113 million bushels, up 23 percent from last year. Area for harvest is expected to total 750 thousand acres, 10 percent above a year ago. Yield is forecast at 150 bushels per acre, up 16 bushels from last year and equal to the record high set in 2010. 

Nationally, grain corn production is forecast at a record high 13.8 billion bushels, up 28 percent from 2012. Based on conditions as of Aug. 1, yields are expected to average 154.4 bushels per acre, up 31.0 bushels from 2012. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 89.1 million acres, unchanged from the June forecast but up 2 percent from 2012.

Soybean production in the Empire State is estimated at a record high 15.5 million bushels, up 8 percent from last year’s 14.4 million bushels. Acreage for harvest increased 2 percent from 312 thousand a year earlier to a record high 317,000 acres. Yields are expected to average a record high 49 bushels per acre, up 3 bushels from last year.

U.S. soybean production is forecast at 3.26 billion bushels, up 8 percent from last year. Based on Aug. 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 42.6 bushels per acre, up 3 bushels from last year and the fifth highest on record.

New York production of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures, at 1.13 million tons, is 25 percent above 2012. Other dry hay production is expected to total 2.53 million tons, up 47 percent from a year ago.   A sharp increase in alfalfa and other hay expected yields offset lower harvested acreage and resulted in higher production for all dry hay (alfalfa plus other hay).

Dry bean production in New York is forecast at a record low 129 thousand hundredweight (cwt), down 29 percent from the 182 thousand cwt produced last year.  Harvested acreage is expected to total a record low 7,800 acres, down 1,700 acres from 2012.  Yields are expected to average 1,650 pounds per acre, down 14 percent from last year’s 1,920 pounds. 

U.S. dry edible bean production is forecast at 24.6 million cwt for 2013, down 23 percent from last year.

New York oat production, expected to total 3.30 million bushels, is 2 percent above a year ago. Acreage for grain harvest is estimated at 55 thousand acres, up 10 percent from last year. Yields are forecast at 60 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels from 2012. 

U.S. oat production is forecast at 75.2 million bushels, 1 percent above the July 1 forecast and up 17 percent from 2012. If realized, this will be the third lowest production on record.

Winter wheat production for New York is estimated at 7.48 million bushels, up 40 percent from the 2012 crop of 5.36 million bushels. Acreage for harvest is up 29 percent to 110 thousand acres. Yields are expected to average a record high 68 bushels per acre, 5 bushels more than a year earlier.

U.S. production of all wheat is forecast at 2.11 billion bushels, up slightly from last month but down 7 percent from 2012.

Some News on Forage

This is from a Kentucky publication, so not sure if it's totally relevant here. But http://www.state-journal.com/spectrum/2013/08/03/agriculture-news-it-s-time-to-start-thinking-about-stockpiling-forages I pass it on anyway.

Jefferson County Farm Wins State Agricultural Environmental Management Award

News from Empire Farm Days:

The Shelmidines, Dylan, Christopher, Todd, Kaitlyn, Donald, Erik, Susan, Jessica, Devon and Doug

The Shelmidine family of Adams, Jefferson County, today received the 20th annual New York Agricultural Environmental Management Award during the NY Ag Leadership Luncheon at Empire Farm Days.

State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine presented the award to Donald, Doug and Todd Shelmidine and their families.

The AEM program aims to boost public awareness of farm efforts in preserving the environment. During the awards presentation, Aubertine said the family's commitment to conservation and the environment extends far behind the farm.

The Jefferson County dairy farms 1,650 acres of alfalfa hay, corn silage, corn for grain, soybeans and small grains – all of it supporting their 775-cow milking herd. Working closely with the Soil and Water Conservation District, Sheland Farms’ conservation and environmental protection measures go above and beyond those required for their concentrated animal feeding operation.

The family has played in key role in putting in place the state's AEM program in the Sandy Creek project. Doug has served on USDA's Agricultural Air Quality Taskforce for 10 years.

"Meeting CAFO requirement has been challenging," he said. "But our SWCD has helped us solve most problems."

The Shelmidines keep all cattle and crops "under cover" – roofs for all dairy animals, plus crop residues and cover crops on their fields. Even Sheland Farms' manure lagoon is covered. It all fits with the farm's commitment to protecting the environment.

A manure solids separator and methane digester were installed in 2007. They began composting manure solids for bedding and generating electricity from methane created in an anaerobic digester.

Close to half of the farmland is no-tilled to minimize soil compaction. The rest is minimum-tilled. Most manure nutrients are spring-applied and incorporated into the soil just ahead of planting or on spread on growing hay ground to maximize nutrient uptake and minimize nutrient losses.

The Shelmidines are active in the New York Farm Bureaus, 4-H, FFA and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association. In 2006, their farm was honored the Rural Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Small business Development Center of the State University of New York.

In 2011, it was chosen as Jefferson County SWCD's Conservation Farm.

Other 2013 finalists for the award were:

* Downing Acres, Burke, Franklin County, is 200-acre mix of hay, grazing and wood lands with a large herd of Katahdin sheep. Owners Elizabeth and Pat Downing were nominated by Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District.

* Heritage Hill Farm of Fort Ann, Washington County, Inez Mattison and family were nominated by Washington County SWCD. Heritage Hill involves 750 acres of cropland plus a 250-cow dairy herd meeting their concentrated animal feeding operation commitment.

What to do For Feed When Alfalfa is Scarce

Go to http://hayandforage.com/dairyforage-nutrition/what-feed-dairy-cows-when-alfalfa-s-sparse to see what a Michigan State forage expert says are excellent substitutions for dairy cattle when you can't find alfalfa.

Farmers Delight in Recent Dry Weather

This photo was submitted by Ann Oliver, of Oliver Farms LLC in Marcellus. She said Rob Oliver, owner/partner, was able to get out in the dry weather this weekend and bale hay for the dairy farm. Oliver Farms is a dairy farm and the operation also raises corn, wheat, oats, hay and soybeans.  Rob Oliver is the third generation for this farm, which was started in the early 1900s.

How to Deal with Wet Hay

Check out http://www.state-journal.com/spectrum/2013/07/06/agriculture-news-how-to-deal-with-hay-in-wet-conditions this story from the Frankfort, Kentucky newspaper.

Weather Causes Problems for Farmers Across NYS

The weather has been tricky for farmers in the last few weeks, with days and days of rain and not much sun.

Here's what the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Services reports for the week of June 10-16:

WEATHER:  The week was rather active across New York state, with various types of weather affecting the area.  High pressure controlled the weather across the region on Sunday and Monday. A low pressure system brought locally heavy rain to the region from Tuesday through early Wednesday, with rainfall accumulations reaching between a half inch and two inches.

Another low pressure system came into the region with later in the week with more locally heavy rain late Thursday into early Friday. Rainfall accumulation from Thursday into Friday totaled another half inch to 2 inches across the region. Temperatures for the week were generally below normal, with highs in the 70s to around 80 on dry days, and temperatures ranged from the upper 50s to the upper 60s on rainy days.

CROPS:  There were 2 days suitable for fieldwork.  Soil moisture was rated 30 percent adequate and 70 percent surplus. Condition of oats was 20 percent fair, 68 percent good, and 12 percent excellent.  Winter wheat was rated 1 percent poor, 15 percent fair, 65 percent good, and 19 percent excellent.  Hay crops were 7 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 14 percent excellent.

The first clover timothy cutting was 60 percent complete compared to 66 percent in 2012.  The first alfalfa cutting was 74 percent complete compared to 78 percent in 2012.  The first cutting of grass silage was 75 percent complete compared to 84 percent last year. Corn was 93 percent planted compared to 97 percent in 2012 and behind the 95 percent five year average. Potatoes were 90 percent planted compared to 96 percent in 2012 and was below the five year average of 97 percent. 

Soybeans were 68 percent planted compared to 92 percent in 2012 and behind the five year average of 87 percent.  

In Madison County, wet weather prevented field work, and many low, poorly drained areas were under water. Earlier planted corn looked good, while corn planted later did not. Some second cut grass stands in the northern part of Madison County were ready to be harvested.

In Cayuga County, fields were flooded and wet conditions delayed spraying. Field work came to a halt in Cortland County due to wet conditions.  The soil was too saturated to support equipment without damaging the field.  Plowing continued between periods of rain to turn over hay fields after first cutting.

Corn planting intentions in Jefferson County changed every day due to wet conditions. Many hoped to finish planting soybeans as soon as the weather cooperated. With well over 5 inches of rain for the month, farmers in St. Lawrence County had few opportunities to make first cut hay silage and little opportunity to make dry hay. No additional crops were planted in Seneca County due to an additional 2 inches of rain. The lack of dry weather created additional problems.


FRUIT:  Apple conditions for the week were 23 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 24 percent excellent.  Peaches were 17 percent fair, 80 percent good, and 3 percent excellent.  Pears were 14 percent fair, 79 percent good, and 7 percent excellent.

Sweet cherries were 6 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 68 percent good, and 4 percent excellent. Tart cherries were 8 percent poor, 39 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Grapes were 6 percent fair, 86 percent good, and 8 percent excellent.

VEGETABLES:  Sweet corn was 73 percent planted, compared to 79 percent in 2012, and was below the 88 percent five year average. Sweet corn was 38 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 4 percent excellent.  Onions were 22 percent fair, 71 percent good and 7 percent excellent.

Snap beans were 38 percent planted, compared to 64 percent in 2012, and behind the 66 percent five year average. Cabbage was 83 percent planted, compared to 89 percent in 2012, and below the 86 percent five year average.

In Cayuga County, flooded fields prevented farmers from planting corn and beans.

LIVESTOCK:  Pasture was rated 3 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 19 percent excellent.