New web database for monitoring corn growth

How do farmers know when their crops are ready to harvest? A number of them watch a statistic called "Growing Degree Days," which is used to calculate the projected growth rate of corn over a given season.

Now the Iowa State extension program is offering a personalized version of this statistic. The website www.mygeohub.org/groups/u2u/gdd allows Winneshiek County farmers to access a map which gives a 30-year historical perspective on harvest dates and growing projections. The reports will help farmers identify the likelihood of early or late frosts and projected growing days.

However, Extension officials warn, "this tool is not meant to be a crystal ball, but data and information derived from the tool can be used to make helpful inferences about current conditions, especially when combined with personal experience and localized knowledge."