Tasselin' time

Northwest Iowa's cornfields received some added color during the past week.

Golden tassels and tufts of silk started appearing in fields across the region. According to the latest crop progress and condition report by the Iowa Department of Agriculture, corn silking or beyond reached 35 percent in Iowa, eight days ahead of the previous year and two days ahead of the five-year average. There were also scattered reports of corn reaching the dough stage. Corn condition rated 83 percent good-to-excellent.

Soybean blooming reached 58 percent, two weeks ahead of last year and six days ahead of average. Soybeans setting pods reached 10 percent, two weeks ahead of last year and two days ahead of average. Soybean condition rated 83 percent good-to-excellent.

Oats turning color reached 73 percent, eight days ahead of last year and three days ahead the average. There were reports of some oats being harvested for grain. Oat condition rated 86 percent good-to-excellent.

Alfalfa hay second cutting reached 61 percent, 11 days ahead of last year and four days ahead of the average. Hay condition rated 76 percent good-to-excellent. Pasture condition rated 65 percent good-to-excellent. There were reports of heat stress and increased insect populations affecting livestock.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 5 percent very short, 22 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 3 percent very short, 17 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.