Oct. 4, 2007

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COLLEGE STATION – In much of the United States this autumn, a turnip may have to be used as a jack-o'-lantern, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates lower national yields.

But not so in Texas. Bountiful rain at the right time this summer has netted an excellent pumpkin crop, especially in the large production area near Lubbock, according to a Texas Cooperative Extension official.

"The 2007 crop is ample – yields are up and quality is good," said J.D. Ragland, Extension agriculture agent in Floyd County, the state's No. 1 pumpkin-producing county. "We're harvesting from about 900 acres this year. Timely rains and a cooler-than-normal growing season have pushed yields to 25,000 to 27,000 pounds per acre, up a bit from the 20,000-pound average we normally see."

That means some 1 million pumpkins from Floyd County, officials there note, and each one harvested, loaded and packed for shipment by hand.

Along with pumpkins, the benefits of the summer rains are being felt in the harvest of many other crops this fall, as these reports from Extension districts indicate:

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were near normal. Soil moisture ranged from very short to adequate. Corn harvesting continued. Cotton was mostly good. Peanuts were fair to good as harvest began. Sorghum harvest began with the crop mostly fair. Soybeans were in good condition, and wheat was mostly fair. Rangeland, pastures and cattle were in mostly good condition.

SOUTH PLAINS: Warm days and cooler nights dominated the week. Heavy rain, hail and high winds caused significant cotton and grain sorghum damage northwest of Lubbock. Cotton was in fair to good condition as producers prepared for harvest. Corn harvest continued with reports of good yields. A high-yielding grain sorghum harvest was in full swing. Valencia peanut fields were being harvested. Early planted wheat, pastures, rangeland and cattle were in good condition.

ROLLING PLAINS: The wheat crop needs cool wet weather, but the cotton crop needs hot, dry weather. Cotton continued to progress well, and winter wheat planting slowed. Greenbugs and armyworms were present but not in high numbers. Pecans continued to grow well, but weevils and pecan scab are lowering yields. Pasture grasses began to go dormant. Livestock are in good condition. The peanut harvest started and looks good.

NORTH: Soil moisture was adequate. The corn, grain sorghum and soybean harvests were just about complete with mostly above average yields and quality. With an overabundance of hay, producers were reluctant to spend money on fuel to harvest more. Some wheat, ryegrass and oats were planted for winter and spring grazing. Livestock were in good condition. The sweet potato harvest was under way with varied yields.

EAST: Hot, dry weather conditions continued. Hay harvest continued with improving quality. Livestock were in good condition, and calf weaning continued. Preparation and planting of winter pastures is under way in some areas. In Anderson County, the corn crop has been damaged by feral hogs. Pecan producers in Henderson County noted that tree limbs have broken because of the heavy nut and foliage load.

FAR WEST: Soil moisture ranges from very short to adequate, and crops and pastures are in very poor to excellent condition. Cotton is in very poor to excellent condition. Peanuts are in poor to excellent condition. Oats are in fair condition. Widely scattered showers dropped up to 2 inches of rain.

WEST CENTRAL: Mild temperatures continued. Soil moisture was good in most areas. Field preparation for fall planting continued. Some small grain planting was under way. Cotton was maturing well. Cutting and baling of hay continued with high yields and good quality. Rangeland and pastures remained in great condition. Some supplemental feeding began. Livestock were in good to excellent condition. Goats and sheep were having problems with internal parasites. Pecan shuck split started, and harvest began of early maturing varieties.

CENTRAL: Top soil moisture declined with higher temperatures and no rainfall. Corn growers were wrapping up harvest and beginning to shred and plow fields. Wheat planting preparation began. Wildlife and livestock were in good condition.

SOUTHEAST: Coastal grass pastures yields were excellent, but the quality has not been excellent. Producers prepared to plant winter annuals, but the weather is still too hot. Livestock were faring well. Conditions were favorable for hay baling.

SOUTHWEST: A dry September allowed the cotton harvest to gain momentum. Yields and quality were good, but lower than last year's record yields. Peanuts, green beans and cabbage continued to make good progress under irrigation. Forage availability remained above average. The pecan harvest continued, and the cucumber harvest began. Ranchers prepared for the dove and deer hunting seasons.

COASTAL BEND: Temperatures were above normal. The cotton harvest was in full swing. Cotton stalk destruction was under way. Some grain sorghum was being shredded or plowed under because weather damage made it unworthy for harvest. Livestock were in good condition.

SOUTH: There was no report for the southern district.