Crop progress report 0519: Rainy week for Washington reported

From NASS There were 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, down from 7.0 the previous week. Producers in Grays Harbor, Lewis and Pacific counties cut haylage and drier hay. Pastures were drier than average with livestock on fields that were usually too wet to graze. There were several reports of fires in Lewis County. The first cutting of haylage wrapped up around the Puget Sound. Most producers finished planting corn. Irrigation started. Planting was interrupted by rain, with most areas receiving more than an inch of precipitation. Field tillage stopped for a couple days. Corn was three or four inches tall. A few producers in Thurston County harvested dry bales. San Juan County was cool and wet. Livestock were on pasture and the first few cuttings of haylage were completed. CSA growers continued to transition vegetable starts to open air plantings and high tunnels. Apples were done blooming. Skagit County dried out. Chelan and Douglas counties had a few days of rain. Klickitat County had wet and cool weather. Spring planting wrapped up. There were overcast conditions in Yakima County for the week. Asparagus harvest continued. Orchard crews started fruit thinning in apricot and peach orchards. Grapes were settling flower clusters. Sweet corn plants were about a foot tall. Crews were training hop plants to trellis on strings. Cool conditions interrupted alfalfa hay cuttings. Cucumbers, peppers and summer squash were transplanted into rows with black plastic. Franklin County had a couple rain showers. Sweet corn and field corn were planted. Triticale for silage was harvested along with asparagus. Douglas County had significant rainfall. The Palouse also received rain. Spring crops were emerging.

Washington crop conditions:

Winter wheat: 0% very poor 1% poor 27% fair 64% good 8% excellent Spring wheat: 0% very poor 0% poor 24% fair 65% good 11% excellent Barley: 0% very poor 0% poor 18% fair 68% good 14% excellent

Washington crop progress:

Spring wheat planted: 87% this week 81% last week 96% last year 97% 5-year average Spring wheat emerged: 69% this week 63% last week 74% last year 85% 5-year average Winter wheat headed: 10% this week 3% last week 31% last year 29% 5-year average Barley planted: 77% this week 71% last week 83% last year 91% 5-year average Barley emerged: 55% this week 43% last week 71% last year 76% 5-year average Oats planted: 65% this week 44% last week 70% last year NA 5-year average Oats emerged: 34% this week 28% last week 26% last year NA 5-year average Dry peas planted: 78% this week 67% last week 79% last year 85% 5-year average Dry peas emerged: 54% this week 11% last week 60% last year NA 5-year average Alfalfa hay 1st cutting: 30% this week 15% last week 26% last year 29% 5-year average