Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Joe Dierker inspected the First Harvest Farm Management, LLC “Competitive Seed Comparison Plot” on Sunday evening. According to the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS)-Illinois Climate Network (Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring Program. Illinois Climate Network. (2015). Illinois State Water Survey, 2204 Griffith Drive, Champaign, IL 61820-7495) data from the Perry (Pike County) Recording Station we have received 1043 GDU since the plot was planted on April 28th. Average for this date is 610 GDU’s, so the plot is rapidly growing, and the crop is benefitting from recent temperatures well above normal. Moisture is becoming an issue as the plot has missed all the pop-up rainfall and thunderstorm activity from the last few days. The plot has received a total of 3.0″ of rainfall since planting, roughly an inch below the statewide average for the month.
In a June 1 blog posting from The Illinois State Water Survey, the statewide average temperature for Illinois in May was 70.6 degrees, nearly 8 degrees above normal, resulting in the warmest May on record! Statewide average precipitation for May was 3.98″. 6/10’s of an inch below normal.
Photos below show the progress in the crop:
