In Season 09.10.10
East-Central Illinois: A big rain last week brought harvest to a temporary halt, but most combines were rolling again after only short delays. Corn harvest is progressing rapidly. Yields are quite variable. In Northern Illinois the crop has matured a great deal over the last few weeks, but "full harvest" is still several weeks away. Harvest has focused on the shorter-season hybrids (around 103-day corn), with moisture reports in the low 20s. Many soybean fields are turning and shedding leaves, but producers will be harvesting corn acres before many soybeans are ready for harvest. [University of Illinois Extension]
- In Michigan, peach harvest is winding down. Many growers are done. Late season varieties being harvested include Autumn Star, PF35-007, PF28-007, Laurol, Encore and Victoria. Fruit size and quality continues to be good. In apples, growers are harvesting Honeycrisp, Golden Supreme, Smoothee, Swiss Gourmet, Cortland, Ozark Gold and Jonamac. Apple ripening is a week to two weeks ahead of the long term average. In pears, Bosc harvest is underway with Harrow Sweet soon to start. Blueberry harvest has ended. In grapes, harvest of early wine varieties such as Cayuga White and table grape varieties are underway. Fall raspberry harvest continues. [Michigan State University Fruit Crop Advisory Team]
- Second cuttings in Washington's mint harvest are under way. Mint growers in the Yakima Valley are hoping for high yields to make up for low ones from July's first cuttings, which were dampened by rain and cool weather in the spring. [Seattle PI)
- Wine grape growers in Washington are significantly behind schedule. The weather has ranged from unusually warm to unusually cool, leading to delays in ripening. [Washington Wine Report]
