MGGA Weekly Crop Condition Survey - April 2017
April 4, 2017
Mitch Konen - Teton County
Spring has sprung here on the bench and the prospects for the coming year look favorable for growing good crops. What crops, is the big question. With the reduction of the major malt barley contracts we are having to shift to other crops to cover our acreage. Our learning curves have shot straight up both in production and marketing. This will be a year of true testing of the resilience of the producer. Snow pack in the mountains is as good as we have seen in the last 15 years with close to 120% of normal. Hopefully it is froze in well and comes out slow. Irrigation should have a fairly reliable season of water supply, with only distribution and adjudication being the main concerns for the coming year. A little bit of seed has already been put in the ground around here and most if not all of the machinery is out in the yards getting ready for the big dance. Everyone have a safe and bountiful year.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: 0; Winter Wheat: Good; 2-leaf
Dan Works - Chouteau County
Spring was in the air last week. This week it appears winter has returned. We have a couple inches of snow this Tuesday morning. Rain and snow most of yesterday will prevent field work this week. Fields have been wet, so very little field work has been done in this local.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: Best guess is about .5"; Winter Wheat: Excellent; 3-leaf; 60 (bu/A)
Phillip Ferda - Chouteau County
It is as dry here as I have ever seen it, for this time of year. No wet spots or water ponds to farm around. Most of my fields too dry to seed right now and temperature gets pretty cold at night. Really need some moisture soon!!!!!!!!!!!!
Moisture Conditions: Poor; Precipitation the Past Week: None; Winter Wheat: Fair, 3-leaf; Spring Wheat: Not seeded; Barley: Not seeded; Other Crops: Grass and hay crops are just setting there, they really need moisture.;Problems in the Field: Kochia, fan weed, goat grass and cheat grass and tansy mustard
Vince Mattson - Liberty County
WW is just starting to look green again. Much later than last year.
Moisture Conditions: Good; Precipitation the Past Week: 0; Winter Wheat: Good; 2-leaf; 70 (bu/A); Other Crops: Will probably start seeding later next week. We'll be planting lentils, chickpeas, and durum.; When will you begin harvest? ???
Tryg Koch - Flathead County
Things are still wet but all the frost is gone and so is the snow. I would imagine that guys will probably start in some fields buy the middle of next week.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: 3/4 of an inch; Winter Wheat: Good
Greg Mathews - Judith Basin County
Another dry week. Everybody seems to be waiting for the storm and cold that is to hit Monday. Some have their peas in, and a few have their winter wheat top dressed. The wheat looks good.
Moisture Conditions: Good; Precipitation the Past Week: 0; Winter Wheat: Good; 3-leaf; 60 (bu/A)
Alex Smith - Big Horn County
Barely any spring fieldwork done in the area. Big rains last fall, heavy snow, cloudy, cool and rain is keeping things stalled. Have no WW this year so need to get in the field. WW in the area looks real good.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: .3
April 11, 2018
Dan Works - Chouteau County
We missed the storm this weekend. There was moisture in the air all day Sunday, but only put .05" in the gauge. Soil Moisture is still very wet. I hope to get in the field Tuesday or Wednesday. A few of the neighbors are doing a little planting, but most are still in the yard because of the wet conditions. The prairie will become a busy place later this week.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: .05"; Winter Wheat: Excellent; 4-leaf; 60 (bu/A); Spring Wheat: Not seeded; Barley: Not seeded; Problems in the Field: Cold soils have limited weed growth
Craig Henke - Liberty County
Very cold and wet spring. Have lentils ready to emerge and some still in truck. Will make harvest interesting. Seeding mostly chickpeas and lentils, and hoping not to flood that market. Good thing we don't have just small grains. Nice to have all the processors for pulse crops on the Hi Line. Will be lots of water for irrigating but now have to worry about the invasive mussels. Have safe spring and stay out of mud holes, unless you need a picture to send to Mr. Edwards.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: .15; Winter Wheat: Excellent; 4-leaf; 50 (bu/A)
Mitch Konen - Teton County
It was a big cloud of smoke around here last week as everyone decided to get into the fields. Everyone is slowly ramping up for the spring fling only to get shut down by the rain and snow that fell Saturday night and all day Sunday. We are really welcoming the moisture. Soon as it dries up enough things will get busy around here. A lot of peas got put in already and I am guessing a few barley and spring wheat acres have been seeded as well.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: .96; Winter Wheat: Good; 4-leaf
Tryg Koch - Flathead County
Things remain wet around the area. There are guys in the fields but not many. Next week it looks like the weather is going to straighten up a bit so I think it's going to break loose next week. What winter that isn't flooded out looks in good shape.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: 3/4 of an inch; Winter Wheat: Good; 2-leaf; Problems in the Field: Flooding
Greg Mathews - Judith Basin County
Watching the snow come down Sunday morning. Only two days seeding done this past week. Got the peas done and waiting to do the malt barley. The snow last week stopped all field work till Friday, the spring cheat grass is just starting and a few weeds. Most are waiting to top-dress to get the most they can for protein. That will pick up when it dries up.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: .14; Winter Wheat: Excellent; 3-leaf; 70 (bu/A); Barley: Excellent; Problems in the Field: Cheat fanweed, mustards
Boyd Heilig - Fergus County
We top-dressed the winter wheat the last part of March and had to wait 10 days for some precip. Hope we didn't lose much.
Moisture Conditions: Fair; Precipitation the Past Week: 3 tenths; Winter Wheat: Good; 4-leaf; 50 (bu/A); Spring Wheat: Germinating; 30 (bu/A)
Alex Smith - Big Horn County
Hardly any field work done in the county. Too wet. I got a few hundred acres sprayed last week. Overall, a little spraying in the county is done and maybe an isolated field seeded but hardly any percentage wise. Fields are saturated and it takes hardly any rain at all to make fields muddy again. Getting concerned as this is typically all seeded by now as we in the very south end of the state. A heavy local storm dropped an inch on us but most areas got .3-.5 in addition to another 1.1 inches.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: 2.1; Spring Wheat: Not seeded
Terry Angvick - Sheridan County
Most snow now gone. Some still hanging in shelterbelts, tree rows, etc., low spots still have standing water, but fields are drying fast. Should be able to get in with pulse crops later in week or right after Easter. Soil moisture conditions are excellent.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: None
April 18, 2018
Craig Henke - Liberty County
Very wet spring, only seeded 2 days last week. Snow this Monday afternoon again. When dry will be a rush to get all seeded. Winter wheat looks great and have first lentils just coming up.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: .66; Winter Wheat: Excellent; 5-leaf; 50 (bu/A)
Greg Mathews - Judith Basin County
After the big snow last weekend the ground got dry enough to seed Friday. Saturday morning woke up to snow again, so much for the weatherman saying little to no chance of moisture. Got going after lunch, but is very cold Saturday night. Lewistown got .40 Friday night, top dressing is still going slow on the winter wheat. the spring cheat is starting to show up with a few weeds.
Moisture Conditions: Good; Precipitation the Past Week: .64; Winter Wheat: Excellent; 3-leaf; Barley: Excellent; Not seeded; Other Crops: My peas are in, some are just planting their lentils and spring wheat; Problems in the Field: Cheat, fanweed, mustards
Robert Bold - Fergus County
Starting spring seeding. We are going to put in spring wheat this spring. First time in over a dozen years. With wheat prices as they are and as long as it has been, it is hard to get much more bearish. With the moisture conditions here, we are setting very good. Also, spring is coming late in North Dakota and Saskatchewan it appears that there may very well be planting issues. There is a lot of talk of pulse crops but not much for contracts this year as in the past.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent; Precipitation the Past Week: Quarter of an inch; Winter Wheat: Good; Problems in the Field: Excellant cheat grass crop coming on. All the moisture from last fall it really brings on the cheat grass. The winter broadleaves are coming on. Looks like we will be spraying earlier than normal.
April 25, 2018
Mitch Konen - Teton County
It is always nice to have rain, but would like to get a crop in as well. Seems like every time I get revved up I get rained out. I will take the rain for now. A few folks are done with their spring seeding but more than not are stuck in the middle of this exercise. The grass is coming big guns with the rain and a few fields are starting to row out for the guys who were ahead of the rain. Haven't seen or heard of any peas breaking ground yet. A lot of spring wheat going in as the local seed dealer became a little overwhelmed with demand. But it sounds like he was getting the demand covered. Will be a few soybeans, canola, lentils, chickpeas in the area as well. Will be a diversified bench this year for sure. Snow pack is holding well, still around 112% of average. Have a safe one and get out of the mud puddle Ryan.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: .75 for the last two weeks
Winter Wheat: Good; 4-leaf
Spring Wheat: Not Seeded
Barley: Good; Germinating
Other Crops: Canola-not seeded
Lochiel Edwards - Chouteau County
Though snow and rain amounts since November have not been great, saturated soils going into winter have been maintained by frequent light showers this spring. Seeding windows have been small, and there is still a good deal of spring crop to be seeded on Lonesome Prairie. Our HRW is beginning to tiller, HRS is emerging, and safflower emergence is being aided by the occasional shower. Looking good!
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: .2
Winter Wheat: Excellent; 5-leaf; 70 (bu/A)
Spring Wheat: Excellent; 1-leaf; 60 (bu/A)
Other Crops: Safflower
Problems in the Field: Cheat and mustard
When will you begin harvest? July 17, 11am
Todd Hansen - Hill County
First seeding emerging. Most spring crops planted in a long time. Seeded the sand first. Time to play in the mud. So far sprayer stuck twice. Don't think they'll qualify for Lock's game.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: So far .30
Winter Wheat: 3-leaf
Barley: Germinating
Other Crops: Chickpeas, Lentils, Canola
When will you begin harvest? July 25
Tryg Koch - Flathead County
Soggy!!!! That pretty much sums it up. Few guys seeding but not very fast. We have our chick peas in the ground and that's it. Calling for rain all this next week so morale is not good for the guys over here.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: 1 inch
Winter Wheat: Excellent; 4-leaf
Greg Mathews - Judith Basin County
Friday morning woke up to a mist coming down, only got .10 and quit by 11:00, The Moore area got a lot more rain. 80 south of Geyser and very little to the North of there. Extremely wet in the Denton area as well as Geraldine area. The grass and alfalfa are coming along nicely, looks like a good hay crop. Top dressing progressing slowly but should bust loose this week.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: .10
Winter Wheat: Excellent; 3-leaf; 70 (bu/A)
Barley: Good
Other Crops: The crops seeded three weeks ago are just coming up.
Boyd Heilig - Fergus County
Winter wheat looks excellent. Have had adequate moisture the last 2 weeks. Spring wheat is about 60% seeded. Very slow to come up.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: .65
Winter Wheat: Excellent; 4-leaf; 50 (bu/A)
Spring Wheat: Good; 1-leaf; 40 (bu/A)
Terry Angvick - Sheridan County
Some early field activity. Limited amount of dry peas and durum seeds across county. Most waiting for more favorable conditions. Soil temperatures are rising and fields are still a little wet. Recent scattered rain and snow combined with lower temps will further delay plantings. End of week should see increased planting activity.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: Varied across county. Anywhere from a few tenths to over an inch.
Josh Stentoft - Roosevelt County
Farmers around Froid Culbertson Medicine Lake have been in the field for about two weeks
Moisture Conditions: Excellent
Precipitation the Past Week: 1/2 inch
Winter Wheat: Good; Germinating; 50 (bu/A)
Spring Wheat: Not seeded; 50 (bu/A)
Barley: Excellent; Not seeded; 70 (bu/A)
Other Crops: Peas and lentils being seeded, conditions are very good
Problems in the Field: Tansy mustard volunteer wheat
Alex Smith - Big Horn County
Can't get much done. Seeded 420 acres so far and 650 to go. Just a trace of moisture is enough to stop seeding with such wet ground. Need sunshine. Seeding through heavy WW stubble or trying to with wet ground and tough straw keeps plugging the seeder and doing a lousy job. Rain overnight this Monday .8 to 1. and now snowing. Wet. Wet. Wet.
Moisture Conditions: Excellent