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Producers continue row crop harvestSouth Dakota Producers who are trying to finish row crop harvest welcomed a nice first week of December, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, South Dakota Field Office, Dec. 7. There were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork in the past week. Cold temperatures are freezing the ground allowing some producers to harvest soybeans that were previously inaccessible due to wet conditions. Farm activities focused on harvesting row crops, moving livestock to row crop stubble, baling corn stocks, and tending to livestock. The first week of December brought another shift in conditions across the state, according to the State Climate Office of South Dakota. Cooler temperatures overspread the state bringing temperatures closer to average for this time of year and bringing some light snow over most of the state. Temperatures averaged mainly in the 20s for the week. These numbers ranged from slightly above average from north central to southeast to a few degrees below average in the west. Custer came in much colder at 11 F below average for the week. Pickstown had the highest daily temperature at 61 F; Timber Lake had the lowest at -5 F. Some light snow did occur during the week with some places receiving up to a few inches. Sisseton and Webster reported the largest weekly total at 0.11 inch of liquid. Twelve of the reporting stations listed here reported no precipitation. Snow cover ranged from a trace to several inches over most of the state. Soil temperatures at the 4 inch-depth for all stations were in the low to mid 30s for the week. Cottonwood was the coolest at 32 F; Beresford was the warmest at 36 F. Topsoil moisture was rated at 92 percent in the adequate to surplus range last week, compared to 96 percent last year. Subsoil was rated at 78 percent in the adequate to surplus range, compared to 87 percent last year. Corn harvested advanced 15 percentage points in the past week, now estimated at 73 percent complete. This year's corn harvest remains behind last year's pace of 92 percent harvested and 98 percent for the five-year average. The sorghum and sunflower harvest are both near completion. Ninety-eight percent of the sorghum for grain has been harvested, compared to 97 percent last year and 99 percent for the five-year average. The sunflower harvest is 96 percent complete, compared to 89 percent last year and 97 percent for the five-year average. Livestock conditions continue to be remain mostly in the good to excellent range. Cattle are rated 84 percent in the good to excellent condition. Sheep are rated 84 percent in the good to excellent condition. Feed supplies remain very strong in the state, this week rated at 97 percent adequate to surplus. Stock water supplies are also in good shape with 94 percent in the adequate to surplus categories.
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