News

Limited fieldwork in Michigan, some fruit buds swelling

Some fieldwork has begun in Michigan’s lower peninsula, but there are still areas with some snow and nightly frosts in the upper peninsula.  USDA reporters say there were barely two days suitable for fieldwork, but many fields are not dry enough for equipment. 

Forty-eight percent of the Winter wheat is in good condition, with 35% fair, and only 7% excellent.  USDA says wheat, pastures, and some hay fields are starting to green up, and some seeding of oats and alfalfa started last week.  There were also a few reports of nitrogen and herbicide applications.

Michigan’s fruit appears to have come through the winter well with little winter loss.  Pruning and brush removal was common last week in the northwest, and buds were beginning to swell on southern Michigan fruit.

The farmers that could get into the fields spent some time with manure hauling, spring tillage, and some even had to harvest their 2019 corn crop.