Pa. farmers keeping busy harvesting fruit, vegetables, grain
HARRISBURG Rainy, cool
weather during the week ending
August 3 gave way to warmer,
dryer conditions, but left Com
monwealth farmers with only four
days suitable for field activities,
according to the Pennsylvania
Crop Reporting Service. ,
Farm field activities included
harvesting vegetables,, peaches,
apples and small grams, baling
straw, making hay, digging early
potatoes, topping tobacco and
clipping pastures.
The snapbean, cabbage, sweet
com and early tomato harvests
continue across Pennsylvania. The
harvesting of apples and peaches
also continues with the peak
season peach varieties just now
getting ready to pick in the
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southern region. Grape growers in
the central region report some
Japanese beetle damage.
Topsoil moisture across the
commonwealth was rated mostly
adequate to surplus with some
short areas reported. The north
rated topsoil moisture 67 percent
adequate, 28 percent surplus and
five percent short. The central
region rated moisture supplies 86
percent adequate, nine percent
surplus and five percent short,
while the south rated topsoil
moisture 85 percent adequate and
15 percent short.
Com throughout most of Penn
sylvania is tasseling and silking
with an average height reported as
74 mches, 14 inches higher than
a year ago at this time. The
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average corn height in the nor
thern, central and southern
regions was 71, 73 and 79 inches
respectively.
Ihe barley crop statewide is
reported to be 94 percent harvested
with the remaineder of the crop
turning ripe. Southern and central
farmers reported then barley
harvest to be virtually complete,
while northern growers reported
the crop to be 87 percent harvested
and 13 percent npe.
Rainy weather hampered wheat
harvesting activities statewide as
farmers reported wheat 83 percent
harvested, 15 percent ripe and less
than five percent turning yellow.
The south reported the wheat
harvest to be virtually complete.-
The central region reported wheat
.STATE.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 8,19t1—A19
87 percent harvested and 13 per
cent ripe, while the north reported
the crop 66 percent harvested, 28
percent ripe and six percent
turning, lliere were scattered
reports of decreased yields due to
wheat scab and powdery milde w.
For the first time this summer
the oat harvest statewide fell
behind last summer’s pace. The
oat crop was reported as 39 percent
harvested, 36 percent ripe, 22
percent turning yellow and less
than five percent headed. The
south reported oats 64 percent
harvested, 35 percent ripe and less
than five percent turning, while the
central region reported the crop 50
percent harvested, 41 percent ripe
and nine percent turning. The
north reported oats 14 percent
harvested, 33 percent ripe, 47
percent turning and six percent
headed.
Farmers experienced un
cooperative weather during the
week as the second cutting alfalfa
schedules
YORK York County will be
holding their annual 4-H fair this
week, August 13-15 at the York
County Fairgrounds.
Events for Thursday follow thus:
10 a.m., dairy round-up; 1 p.m.,
registration for dairymen’s con
test; 3-5 p.m., cow judging and
foods; 6-7 p.m., hot wheels, bale
throwing and frog jumping con
tests. Also that evening will be a
harvest had progressed to only 69
percent completion, compared to
last year when the harvest was 74
percent complete. The south
reported the harvest 92 percent
complete, the central region
reported the harvest 73 percent
complete and the north reported
the harvest 43 percent complete.
Many operators still report heavy
populations of leaf hoppers in then
fields.
Hay quality in the state is mostly
fair to good with some poor areas
reported. Feed from pasture was
rated average to below average in
the state. The south rated pastures
77 percent average, 15 percent
below average and eight percent,
above average. The central region
rated pastures 79 percent average,
11 percent above average and ten
percent below average, while the
north rated pastures 72 percent
average, 14 percent above average
and 14 percent below average.
York County
4-H Fair
muu tractor pulling contest and a
fashion show.
On Friday is scheduled the York
County Holstein Show at 10 a.m., a
bike rodeo and the livestock
contest at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s evening include a
beef show at 9 a.m., tractor driving
at 10 a.m., pet parade at 11 a.m.,
and a goat show at 1 p.m.
The fair closes at 4 p.m. on
Saturday.