Fall harvest is underway with some areas fighting lots of rain…and some parts of the state needing more showers. Southern Illinois has received some precipitation recently, but Central Illinois is still pretty dry. 80 percent of corn is now mature and 22 percent has been harvested. Corn is maturing a little slower up north. Chief State Crop Statistician Brad Schwab says 61 percent of soybeans are now shedding leaves. "Four-percent of the crop was reported harvested compared to 20-percent one year ago, and 12-percent for the five-year-average. Overall the soybean crop is rated in 46-percent good or excellent condition, down one-percentage-point from last week", said Schwab. Nine-percent of sorghum has now been harvested and seven percent of winter wheat has been seeded. Statewide topsoil moisture is rated at 18 percent very short, 36 percent short, 42 percent adequate and four percent surplus. - http://goo.gl/nhRnf
