Field corn has already started to mature on the stalk in fields across the county, a little more than a month prematurely.

After suffering blistering temperatures and no rainfall in the last few weeks, crops and livestock felt some much-needed relief from showers which hit the county over the weekend.
Unfortunately for many of those crops, the rain came too late as field corn and pasture lands began showing signs of distress by the end of June.
“We are very thankful for the rain. In Weakley County we are in a deficit as far as rainfall from April 1 until now, even with the most recent showers,” Weakley County Ag Extension Agent Jeff Lannom said.
According to a USDA crop report, Martin shows an 8-inch rainfall deficit since April 1, compared to yearly averages.
Lannom said this year’s drought brought back memories of 1980 when the county’s crops depended heavily on a July 4th rainfall that never came. After the missed rain, high temperatures moved into the area and farmers suffered significant losses.
In his professional career, Lannom said he had never seen crops in this condition.
Pasture lands have browned and shriveled under the intense heat and the corn crops have moved toward maturity – more than a month ahead of schedule.
Lannom said farmers would have normally harvested their field corn in late August or early September. This year, they will take to the fields about three weeks earlier as plants have twisted and cobs have pointed toward the ground.
Pasture lands have started to show small signs of promise with the recent rainfall as fields will begin to “green.”
Farmers were able to get a “first cutting” of hay this year. By now, farmers would have taken advantage of a “second cutting” of hay, but that was not the case this year.
Lannom said livestock farmers have already dipped into their winter hay reserves. With more than 60 percent of the nation suffering from drought conditions, farmers are having to purchase hay a long distance from home. Lannom said that has prompted some to “liquidate” their livestock.
Grain prices are rising in reaction to the bleak forecast for corn yields.
Soybeans have the potential to bounce back a little, however, as farmers were reportedly in the fields Monday re-planting dead fields and spot planting some acreage.
Lannom said the target date for planted soybeans is June 15, no later than July 4. With so many acres of soybeans planted behind wheat harvests, the ag extension agent said many of those plants did not have a good start due to the dry, hot conditions.
“We take a chance of losing beans to an early frost, especially for those beans going back into the ground right now. But we would rather get something than nothing and some of those fields right now were dead,” Lannom added.
In response to the significant impact of the drought, the University of Tennessee Extension has planned a producer meeting from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. July 28 in Brehm Hall on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Martin. Livestock producers are invited to the meeting to learn about assistance for forage and pasture lands.

WCP 7.12.12