Michigan farmers have started harvesting the state’s corn, and work on the soybean crop should start soon, according to a Michigan State University extension educator in Van Buren County, in the southwestern part of the state.

Fields along the northern fringe of the state’s production area have corn that looks pretty good, but those in the southern tier have a drought-stressed crop unless it was irrigated, Bruce Mackellar said.

As harvest continues, “the picture probably won’t get better, it’ll probably get worse,” he said, adding there is some concern that weather-related damage to corn ears will cause them to drop off while they’re being combined.

While soybeans are comparatively better off than the state’s corn, they were hurt by a period of dry weather that followed some much-needed rain, Mackellar noted. “Our biggest disappointment with the soybeans is we returned to dry conditions as they were putting on their final pods,” he said. “Spider mites and the return to dry weather really hurt us.”

Crops continue to progress at above-average levels, according to last week’s report from the Michigan field office of NASS. Three percent of the corn was harvested, up from none this time last year. The five-year average is 1 percent. Twenty-two percent of the crop had matured, up from 4 percent last year. The five-year average is 18 percent.

For soybeans, 21 percent were dropping leaves, up from 4 percent last year. The five-year average is 11 percent. Nearly a quarter of the fourth cutting of hay was done, as 24 percent was complete, up from 6 percent last year. The five-year average is 13 percent.

The harvest of peaches and blueberries was winding down, while the apple harvest was two weeks ahead of normal, NASS said. Pumpkin harvest had started in the southeastern part of the state, but virus symptoms were found in many pumpkin fields in the southwest.

Corn harvest continued the week of Sept. 3-9, with many farmers focusing on fields with weaker stalks and those damaged by wind, according to the Sept. 10 Iowa Crop & Weather report, which stated a few producers were starting to harvest soybeans.

“Harvest is getting under way and 10 percent of the corn crop has been harvested,” said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. “It has certainly been a challenging year for all farmers, but I think many are excited to get into the field and see exactly what yields will be.”

The report said 97 percent of corn has reached the dent stage, 72 percent is now mature and 10 percent have been harvested for grain or seed. The report said 77 percent of soybeans are turning color and 26 percent are dropping leaves, adding that some farmers are getting a fourth – and even a fifth – cutting of alfalfa hay.

Clarke McGrath, Iowa State University extension field agronomist, said many farmers are asking what they could have done differently to stave off the severe affects of this summer’s drought.

“Reducing or shifting inputs for future crops based on this year’s drought (i.e., dramatically cutting plant pops, lowering fertilizer rates below recommended levels, changing tillage patterns and the like) could limit yield potential in subsequent years,” he said.

“Look at inputs and decisions (such as hybrids, crop protection chemicals, fertility, planter operation, tillage) over a multi-year period and evaluate successes based on several seasons, rather than one exceptionally poor season.”