Farmers in Door and Kewaunee counties are playing the waiting game after wrapping up their wheat harvest and looking forward to chopping corn for silage in the coming weeks. According to the USDA Crop Progress and Condition Report, Wisconsin farmers had 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork last week, while rain knocked that average to below five days for operations in Door and Kewaunee counties.

Dry conditions continue to affect the quality of corn and soybeans still maturing in the fields, with both crops taking a hit of a few percentage points. Corn and soybeans are still progressing ahead of the five-year average, with 70% of corn in the dough stage, compared with 67% on average, and 91% of soybeans setting pods, compared with 87% on average.

While crops in the field continue to progress, farmers in Door and Kewaunee counties will pause Wednesday to do a little learning. Deer Run Dairy owner and Peninsula Pride Farms President Duane Ducat says Wednesday’s Summer Field Day and Picnic at Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy in Algoma will help farmers and applicators get on the same page as some crops come off and forages are planted as summer turns into fall.

The UW Extension office has set dates for upcoming corn dry-down events for Sept. 9 at Rio Creek Feed Mill in Luxemburg and Sept. 15 at Door County Cooperative. The USDA report also shows that the oat harvest and third cutting of alfalfa are ahead of the five-year average.