September 2015 was one for the record books. The average temperature for Ormstown was 18.4 degrees beating the previous high set in 1971 with 17.8.
We also had a high temperature of 32 degrees on the sixth and seventh which is unusual, and Montreal claimed four consecutive record warm days from the sixteenth through the nineteenth.
Heat units also set a forty year record accumulating 642 for the month, compared to 530 last year and the ten year average of 559. Total heat units since May 9 are 3262, which is 111 above normal.
Total rainfall was 99 mm or 3.09 inches, which is one inch above normal. In spite of the abundant rainfall, there were consecutive dry days permitting curing of the fourth or fifth cutting of hay for the year.
The last two weeks has seen most of the corn silage put into storage and about 20 percent of the soybeans to be combined.
Ormstown had a low temperature on the ground of minus 2.5 degrees on September 25, but I have not observed any damage on plants. The corn and soybeans would benefit from a good frost now. Until that happens, corn combining will be restricted to those trying to catch the $30.00 premium price being offered for grain corn since the crop from last year has been all used up.
By Peter Finlayson
