Frost damage continues to be the main story out of Michigan. Another frost hit fruit crops over the last weekend in April, further damaging tart cherries, the grape crop and apples.

 “The biggest frost of the year hit over the weekend,” said Jay Johnson, director of the Michigan field office of NASS. “The tart cherry crop is struggling and now the apples have taken some damage, too. We’re now getting all the fruit crops affected by the frost.”

 Johnson said before the latest frost, only juice grapes had been damaged, but now wine grape growers are reporting damage as well. According to the NASS Crop Progress and Condition report, a cherry grower in the northwest part of the state has reported 80-90 percent bud kill.

 Johnson said after an early start, corn is now looking more like it has in average years. “With the warm weather, we got off to 3 percent pretty early, but then it cooled off and things slowed down,” he said. “Now we’re at 11 percent. Things are picking up again as you might expect. We’re close to the five-year average.”

 Both wheat and sugar beets are reported to be in very good condition.

Corn planting is moving along rapidly in most areas as Iowa’s farmers took full advantage of dry fields early in the week of April 23-30, advancing at least 25 percent in each district of the state, the April 30 Iowa Crop & Weather report stated.

“Farmers were able to make good progress last week and now half of the corn crop is planted statewide, which is good news,” said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. “Farmers will be anxious to get the rest of the crop in the ground and take advantage of any dry weather this week to get in the fields.”

State Meteorologist Harry Hillaker said Iowa experienced a rather typical week of spring weather, characterized by widely varying temperatures, occasional showers and thunderstorms.

While temperatures climbed to the low 90s in parts of southwestern Iowa, he said “temperatures were well below normal over the weekend, with daytime highs mostly in the 50s.” The report said the weather became much cooler and wetter at the end of the week, halting planting.

Despite receiving rainfall late in the week, corn planting advanced 41 percent and now stands at 50 percent complete, with 5 percent emerging, 10 days ahead of normal, the report said.

The report also said soybean planting is 3 percent complete, with southeastern Iowa leading at 12 percent of the crop planted. Oat planting was 98 percent complete, with 76 percent already emerging.

A below-normal amount of rainfall across the Volunteer State for the week ending April 29 resulted in short to very-short soil moisture levels in almost half of farmland in the state, according to a NASS report.

Crops and pastures remained rated mostly good to excellent condition, even though soil moisture levels were low across 40 percent of the state. Crop development advanced ahead of the normal pace, with cotton and soybean planting under way.

Some growers, however, were waiting to for more moisture before starting planting. The majority of apples, corn, pastures and winter wheat were rated in good condition, with only 3 percent of apples and 1 percent of pastures rating in poor condition, according to the report.

Topsoil moisture levels were rated 5 percent very short, 32 percent short, 62 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 4 percent very short, 25 percent short, 69 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Temperatures across the state averaged 2-6 degrees above normal, according to NASS and the National Weather Service.

“The farmers in Fayette County have finished planting corn and held back from planting cotton due to the cold temperatures early in the week. Many started planting beans and some started cotton later in the week. We are in need for a good rain; getting dry,” reported Jeffery Via, Fayette County extension agent.

“Corn planting has been completed this week, with a few producers having started soybean planting. Topdress nitrogen applications are being made in corn. Forage producers have taken advantage of good drying conditions in harvesting their first cutting of hay crops. Windy conditions have pulled remaining topsoil moisture to low levels and have kept sprayers parked for most of the week,” stated Jeff Lannom, agent for Weakley County.

County Agent Larry Moorehead of Moore County said things are aren’t looking good in some parts. “We have wheat and pastures drying up and actually dying. Pastures and hay are hurting very bad. Cattle are still okay, but pastures are getting short, and our hay situation is critical.”

For the most part, Kentucky has been experiencing dry conditions and mild temperatures in recent days. The average temperature for the last week of April was 60 degrees, which is 1 degree above normal and 4 degrees over the previous week.

Rainfall for the week was 0.42 inch below normal for this date. Topsoil moisture for the period was rated 7 percent very short, 32 percent short, 57 percent adequate and 4 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 5 percent very short, 27 percent short, 64 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus.

Kentucky NASS reported there were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week and the dry conditions allowed farmers to make progress.

Because of mild temperatures so far, Kentucky corn planted was at 86 percent of the total expected. This far outstrips last year’s 17 percent by this date. Percentage of emerged corn is also higher than average.

Soybeans planted are at 18 percent, compared to none last year.

Winter wheat for the state is at 87 percent headed, surpassing last year’s 37 percent and a five-year average of 19 percent. Also, wheat quality was reported 1 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 49 percent good and 12 percent excellent.

Tobacco planting is expected to continue, with 38 percent of tobacco transplants taller than 4 inches. There are 40 percent of plants in the 2-4 inches range, and 22 percent are under two inches.

More rain and warm temperatures would help pasture greatly. Some alfalfa has been cut and hay is being harvested.