Frozen ground limits fall tillage (Minnesota)
Below normal temperatures and scattered precipitation left Minnesota farmers with only 3.5 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Nov. 18, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Upper Midwest Regional Field Office, Minnesota. Field activities for the week included the ongoing harvest of corn, soybeans and sunflowers. Fall tillage activities were limited in areas with frozen ground, as many areas reported tillage will need to wait for next spring.
Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 71 percent adequate and 27 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus.
Corn harvested for grain was 93 percent complete, 4 days ahead of last year but 3 days behind the five year average. Corn moisture content of grain at harvest averaged 18 percent, unchanged from last week. Ninety-eight percent of the soybean crop was harvested, 2 weeks behind both last year and the average.
Sunflower harvest was 90 percent complete, 1 week behind average.