Warm weather has affected the harvest and storage of cabbage, one of western New York's major fall crops. Cabbage can be difficult to store and manage when warm weather prevails during November and December. Many types of cabbage storage systems rely on cool/cold outside air temperatures to be used to achieve ideal storage temperatures (32-34°F), and remove field heat from the cabbage heads. Besides losses due to spoilage, increased costs will likely be incurred in order to achieve ideal storage temperatures, according to Agricultural Specialist Bob King.

The mild and warm weather also allowed wheat crops to be planted at an optimum time. However, due to a mild November classic fall phase of a plant disease called powdery mildew has developed on many varieties of wheat. Damage due to this disease will depend on the degree to which it will thin the wheat stand and severity of the oncoming winter.

Some farm operations continue to cut hay, as warm temperatures have encouraged the growth of legumes and grasses through November.

New York state cabbage statistics:

• Ranks first in the nation for fresh market cabbage: 225,000 tons
• Ranks second in the nation for kraut cabbage: 68,000 tons
• 389 farms accounting for 13,678 acres
• Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, and Orleans counties account for 80 percent (10,986 acres) of the cabbage acreage in New York state. Genesee County ranks first with over 2,950 acres in production on 11 farms.
• Monroe County ranks second in the state for cabbage production with 23 farms accounting for 2,199 acres.

New York state wheat statistics:

• 1,887 farms harvest wheat on 120,927 acres accounting for 6.34 million bushels.
• The top five counties are Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans and Monroe, producing 67 percent of the crop (4.28 million bushels).