US Crop Progress Report: Crop Rating Lower.

Jul 24, 2017

USDA Reports www.USDA.gov

The USDA released the weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

The report noted the national condition ratings for corn and soybeans declined slightly over the past week and are lower than the previous year's ratings.

Weather last week in key U.S. growing areas varied widely, from continued drought conditions in parts of the Plains to flash floods in portions of the Midwest.

As of Sunday, 64% of U.S. corn is in good to excellent condition, down 1% on the week and 12% below this time last year, while 40% of the crop is silking, compared to the five year average of 47%.

61% of soybeans are rated good to excellent, 1% less than a week ago and 10% lower than a year ago. 52% of the crop is blooming and 16% of beans have reached the pod setting stage, both a little bit faster than normal. 75% of the winter wheat crop is harvested, compared to 73% on average.

35% of spring wheat is in good to excellent shape, down 1%, while 41% is called poor to very poor. 91% of spring wheat has headed, slightly ahead of usual.

52% of U.S. pastures and rangelands are rated good to excellent, a 1% week to week decline.

For the full report and the lists by state visit the following link.

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-07-24-2017.pdf

Video: Early Fall Colors | Scenic Ontario Road Trip!

All adventures must come to an end, but not without one more journey! Join The Wandering Shepherds as we say farewell to our cozy Calabogie cottage and take the scenic road trip home to Ewetopia Farms. Our first stop was a breathtaking hydroelectric generating station, framed by cliffs, rushing water, and brilliant fall leaves that seemed to have changed overnight. From there, we meandered along winding backroads through lakes and hills, soaking in the spectacular autumn scenery. This year, the colors seemed to arrive earlier than usual—perhaps due to the summer’s drought? Whatever the reason, it was an unforgettable display of Ontario’s fall beauty. Finally, our holiday drew to a close as we pulled back into Ewetopia Farms, ready to return to the sheep and our daily vlogs. But this trip reminded us how important it is to pause, explore, and appreciate the simple beauty around us.