WAWG
From NASS
There were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, up from 4.8 days suitable the previous week.
The Puget Sound area had cold, dry conditions for the week. Farmers were preparing fields and planting fall crops. Early major flooding last week of the Snoqualmie River and Stillaguamish River caused major vegetable crop loss. Rivers rose. Most areas had light frost. The last corn in the fields failed to be harvested due to the high water levels. Potato harvest was delayed. Hay was very wet, and cover crops were lost. Pumpkins floated away in the flood waters, and farmers raced to harvest crops. Flood waters receded quickly. San Juan County CSA operations were cleaning up, and late crops were in farm stands. Fruit harvest for late apples and pears continued.
Skagit County was wet. Yakima County had freezing nights and daytime temperatures around 70 degrees.
Heavy rains in Franklin County were followed by high winds. Feed corn and fourth and fifth cuttings of alfalfa hay were harvested. Apple harvest was progressing rapidly. Buckwheat fields were in various stages of cutting, drying and combining.
Adams County’s potato and dry bean harvests were completed. Fall planting of annual forages, such as winter triticale and winter forage peas, wrapped up.
The Palouse had a few freezing nights.
Washington crop conditions:
Winter wheat:
0% very poor
2% poor
31% fair
57% good
10% excellent
Washington crop progress:
Winter wheat planted:
94% this week
86% last week
93% last year
93% 5-year average
Winter wheat emerged:
70% this week
66% last week
63% last year
71% 5-year average
Alfalfa hay 4th cutting:
84% this week
78% last week
79% last year
93% 5-year average