The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Oct. 20.
Cool, dry weather allowed for a productive week of harvesting. Minimal rainfall kept soil moisture levels well below the five-year average.
The average temperature for the week was 50.7 degrees Fahrenheit, 2.3 degrees below normal.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to .35 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was .13 inches.
There were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork.
Producers were able to make significant progress thanks to the dry weather, with most of the focus on soybean harvest while growers continued to wait for corn to dry down.
The lack of rain did little to help with winter wheat emergence, but winter wheat planting progress caught up to the five-year average.
Livestock were being moved to winter pastures. The dry weather and cool temperatures slowed growth in hay fields and pastures.
Frosts were reported throughout much of the state, with limited damage reported on late planted crops.
The crop moisture content (last week, previous week, 2018 and 5-year average) showed: field corn harvested for grain, 20, 21, 17, 18; soybeans harvested, 13, 13, 13, 13.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2018 and 5-year average) showed: corn, mature 85, 72, 100, 97; corn, harvested for grain 36, 24, 63, 53; soybeans, dropping leaves 92, 84, 100, 98; soybeans, harvested 53, 30, 65, 62; winter wheat, planted 62, 37, 66, 62; winter wheat, emerged 27, 9, 40, 34; alfalfa hay, fourth cutting 72, 66, 86, 86; other hay, third cutting 92, 91, 100, 98; other hay, fourth cutting 52, 44, 72, NA.