crop report, W SC

Went through an area with serious farming done. Some field corn tasseling. All nice and dark green showing the effect of good rainfall. Probably most silage corn since that area has some big daries. A good target date for planting corn in this area is the last week in March. Most people didn't get it done then due to cool weather and rain. They try to plant 2-3 weeks earlier closer to the coast which is 3-400 feet lower in elevation. I know that dosen't sound like much for some of you in the high plains or near mountains but it makes a big difference here.

Saw one nice field of soybeans about 8 inches high.

Got almost all my hay cut. A couple more hot dry days should see it baled.

KEH

Is this a normal year down there in SC?

When do they normally harvest corn and beans?

There haven't been any normal years recently. BTO corn growers in the eastern part of the state have aquifers that support irrigation wells but they are happy when rainfall makes irrigation unnecessary. The area I referred to above has very few wells, some irrigation from ponds. Last year the dairys I mentioned suffered from small crops.

Full season corn here will wait around for a rain, but not indefinately. For short season corn, generally it will rain for most of June which will make the crop.

Soybeans are planted as early as possible, generally early May. Another option is to no till beans after small grain, which should be combined by now but the rains have slowed harvesting. A good option is to bale oats in mid May then no till beans. Beans can be followed by small grain.

Corn in Eastern part of the state can be combined in early September, especially if it's a early maturing variety. In this area It can be done in October, but it's better to wait for frost. Usually there are no long wet spells in Sept.-Oct. so there is a long period of time for harvest. If necessary, corn can be harvested in December, but it has to be fairly dry, since the ground dosen't freeze often and not hard enough to support machinery.

Soybeans need rain during summer to set blooms, then rain in August and Sept. to fill out beans. Yields don't compare with those in the Eastern part of the state and are nothing compared with those in the Midwest and lower Mississippi river valley. That and the deer are why most people here have quit beans. Beans are combined in late October, preferrably after frost and the harvesting season can last until December, but it's better to do it earlier because of seed loss.

Looks like hot weather is continuing up there. Daughter said last year she kept waiting for summer, but it didn't get there.

KEH