Rain slows fieldwork (Colorado)

Midweek rain slowed fieldwork in areas for the week ending Oct. 28, but harvest activities picked up later in the week as warmer and drier weather prevailed, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Mountain Regional Field Office, Colorado. Warmer temperatures at week’s end aided winter wheat emergence. In northeastern counties, a reporter noted some corn and sorghum was damaged more by prior hail storms than producers originally expected prior to harvest. East central counties also received rain this week, which delayed harvest of corn and sorghum, but the moisture was beneficial for seeded winter wheat. In the San Luis Valley, field operations generally decreased since crop harvests were complete. A reporter for southeastern counties noted rain delayed harvest last week and fields were very soft. Some corn was not drying down well after the frost. Statewide, corn was rated 66 percent good to excellent, compared with 79 percent rated good to excellent last year.