Much of Michigan is finally drying out after all the rain the state experienced in June. Five days were suitable for fieldwork, according to the latest crop weather report from the Great Lakes office of NASS.

“The counties in the southern part of the state are still drying out, but what struck me was we’ve been getting reports from the Thumb area that there’s not enough rain,” said Ty Kalaus, an agricultural statistician at NASS.

People from the northern part of the state were telling the agency the same thing. According to the report, a few cornfields began showing tassels, but cooler temperatures have kept crop development behind schedule. Soybeans were showing rapid growth with blossoms starting to appear.

Replanted dry beans have emerged, with replanted fields doing better than the first plantings. Sugar beet fields were generally looking good, but some were showing signs of nutrient deficiencies, the report said.

Wheat was ripening quickly. Oat and barley stands continued to look good. First-cut hay was nearly done in the north. Second cutting was happening in some areas as well.

For fruit, the strawberry harvest was complete in the south and was wrapping up in the north. Growers in the southeast were waiting for drier soils to begin renovation of strawberry beds. Harvest of early maturing blueberry varieties such as Duke and Bluejay was under way.

Also, the tart cherry harvest was under way in the south, while the crop continued to ripen in the north.

For vegetables, potatoes were in various growth stages, with early-planted fields covering rows and filling tubers. Carrots in the west were mostly showing good progress, though some fields were showing signs of leaf blight. Snap bean and cabbage harvest had begun in the southwest, while plans were under way to start picking early planted sweet corn.

Pickling cucumber planting was nearly complete in the eastern region, while early-planted fields were reportedly ready to be picked soon. Disease pressure continued to concern growers.

Crop progress and condition reports from NASS are based on eyeball reports from county extension agents, Farm Service Agency employees, farmers and others whom NASS believes are reliable, Kalaus said.