WAWG
From NASS
There were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, down from 5.4 the previous week. Crop conditions and emergent progress benefited from a mixture of rain and sunshine throughout the state. Field crops looked good. Rain hampered some final planting and fieldwork.
In western Washington, the warmer weather last week helped grass hay grow at a faster rate. Some hay and haylage was harvested. Most of the corn was in the ground. Several vegetable producers observed big increases in Community Supported Agricultural requests. Livestock producers were sold out for fall beef and pork. Egg sales were also plentiful.
Central Washington reported weather that was cloudy and cool with scattered showers early in the week. On the plus side, the nice weather last week extended the asparagus harvest. Another crop observed in the farmer’s markets were green onions. Some corn fields with plants reached calf height, while field corn started to emerge in most fields. Growers harvested first cutting of alfalfa hay. Pear and apple crops looked good with fruitlets reaching quarter-diameter size. Field crews thinned off the apple crop to promote fruit size. Post bloom frosts reduced the cherry crop for the earlier harvest in Yakima County. Cherry growers initiated bird-scaring tactics like reflective tape. Yakima County still looked to have a modest to good crop of good-sized cherries.
In northeast Washington, a second wet week of rain and windy days were reported. Precipitation also greatly increased topsoil moisture conditions and improved winter and spring cereal crop conditions in eastcentral Washington.
In southeast Washington, first cuttings of alfalfa and other hay took place in the southern part of Walla Walla County. Rain helped get the soil moisture content up over the past week across most all of southeast Washington. With heavy rains last week, some dry peas that were in bloom got blooms knocked off or flattened.
Washington crop conditions:
Winter wheat:
0% very poor
1% poor
12% fair
76% good
11% excellent
Spring wheat:
0% very poor
6% poor
15% fair
74% good
5% excellent
Barley:
0% very poor
6% poor
6% fair
86% good
2% excellent
Oats:
0% very poor
0% poor
23% fair
72% good
5% excellent
Dried edible peas:
0% very poor
0% poor
8% fair
87% good
5% excellent
Washington crop progress:
Spring wheat emerged:
87% this week
82% last week
75% last year
86% 5-year average
Winter wheat headed:
28% this week
20% last week
19% last year
38% 5-year average
Barley emerged:
82% this week
71% last week
60% last year
78% 5-year average
Oats planted:
95% this week
85% last week
69% last year
78% 5-year average
Oats emerged:
55% this week
50% last week
38% last year
49% 5-year average
Dry peas emerged:
95% this week
88% last week
59% last year
NA 5-year average
Alfalfa hay 1st cutting:
44% this week
29% last week
32% last year
40% 5-year average