With crops such as wheat, corn and soybeans in the ground, area farmers can now turn their attention to other tasks while they wait for them to grow and mature.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Crop Progress and Condition Report for June 29, Wisconsin farmers had five days suitable for fieldwork last week, up slightly from the previous week. The extra time meant conditions were favorable for oats and wheat to continue maturing and for soybeans to begin blooming.
Eight percent of the state's soybean crop is blooming, which is on par with the five-year average, though its condition dipped to 78% rated good to excellent. Corn moved in the opposite direction, improving to 82% rated good to excellent. Oats were about 2 percentage points behind the five-year average, while winter wheat was slightly ahead of schedule.
Meanwhile, farmers continued making progress on the alfalfa hay harvest, with 97% of the first cutting complete and 29% of the second cutting finished.
Farmers will likely have to dodge raindrops for the rest of the week, with at least a 20% chance of rain through Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.
