Heavy rains continued to pour onto Indiana fields but farmers still found opportunity to do fieldwork for the week ending June 6, 2014, according to the USDA, NASS, Great Lakes Region. Average temperatures ranged from 68 to 75 degrees, or 0 to 6 degrees below normal. The lowest recorded temperature for the week was 45 degrees; the highest, 93 degrees. The statewide average temperature for the week was 69.9 degrees, 2.0 degrees below normal. Recorded precipitation ranged from 0.03 to 2.55 inches, with a state average of 0.48 inches.
Regionally, winter wheat was 95% mature in South, 90% in Central, and 52% in North. Winter wheat harvested was 83% in South, trailed by 47% in Central and only 20% in North. Soybeans blooming was 36% in Central, followed by 32% in North and 14% in South. Corn was 34% silked in the South, compared with 13% in Central and just 6% in North.
Severe Monday storms in the North brought widespread wind damage to fields, as well as tornado and hail damage in select areas. Many producers reported green snap in their corn fields, through corn that had not snapped was said to be recovering well. The storm brought relatively light rains in comparison to previous weeks, and the remainder of the week stayed mostly sunny – some farmers were finally able to get out to spray and sidedress any fields that were above water. Wheat harvest began in earnest over the holiday weekend for many producers, despite some fields lying flat from Monday’s wind storm. With a drying window finally available for the majority of the week, second cutting of hay was going strong as well. Other activities for the week included hauling grain, field scouting, and attending fairs.