State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 06/29/03 Issue NH-CW2603 Volume 23, Number 10 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) June 30, 2003 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary -- SUN AND HEAT FINALLY ARRIVE IN NEW ENGLAND For the week ending June 29, 2003, there were 6.5 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 2% very short, 19% short, 68% adequate, 11% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 14% short, 76% adequate, 7% surplus. Pasture condition was rated as 0% very poor, 2% poor, 14% fair, 72% good, 12% excellent. Last week consisted of mostly hot, sunny days, a relief for farmers who had seen clouds and rain since the start of the season. Crops showed faster growth and general improvement with the long-awaited heat and sunshine. Major farm activities included: planting vegetables, sweet corn, field corn; transplanting broadleaf tobacco; cutting haylage and making dry hay; harvesting strawberries; spreading manure; mowing; cultivating; hilling potatoes; irrigating; side-dressing fields with fertilizer; monitoring fields; applying herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ----------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 2 1 4 Short 19 8 12 Adequate 68 67 59 Surplus 11 24 25 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 3 2 2 Short 14 9 17 Adequate 76 70 73 Surplus 7 19 8 ----------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report -- With the arrival of hot, dry weather last week, farmers were able to make good progress on field work that had been previously impossible due to muddy conditions. The cutting of dry hay jumped from 30 to 60 percent, as weather was favorable for drying at last. Field corn growth sped up in last week's above average temperatures; planting was right on schedule at 95 percent complete. Maine potato fields were nearly all emerged last week. Potato crops across New England were in at least good condition and in some areas were rated excellent. Oats and barley in Maine were completely emerged by week's end. Broadleaf tobacco transplanting, at 80 percent complete, remained behind normal schedules. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report -- FRUIT: Tree fruit crops responded well to last week's sunshine and hot temperatures. Fungicides were applied to orchards and floors were mowed. Pick-your-own strawberry operations experienced increased berry size and good business thanks to favorable weather. Some Maine wild blueberry fields showed symptoms of blight. Massachusetts cranberries were in Early to Full Bloom Stage last week and the beds were looking good. VEGETABLES: Pumpkins, squash, sweet corn and other vegetables were planted. Greens, peas and radishes were harvested last week and asparagus harvest was winding down. Irrigation was needed in some fields where the hot sun dried up some vegetable plants. The long overdue sunshine and warmth sped up crop growth. Sweet corn growth and condition improved with last week's favorable weather, and emergence was three-quarters complete by June 29. -- Crop Progress Tables -- FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ------------------------------------------------------- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition ------------------------------------------------------- -- % Emerged -- Barley, ME 100 100 100 Good/Excellent Oats, ME 100 100 99 Good/Excellent Potatoes Maine 99 90 95 Excellent/Good Mass 100 100 100 Good Rhode Isl 100 100 100 Good/Excellent Silage Corn 75 85 90 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 75 90 90 Good/Fair -- % Planted -- Silage Corn 95 95 95 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 90 95 95 Good/Fair Tobacco Broadleaf 80 99 95 Good/Fair -- % Harvested -- Dry Hay First Cut 60 65 70 Good/Fair Second Cut <5 10 5 Good --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------- -- % Harvested -- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Size Condition ---------------------------------------------------------- Apples -- -- -- Avg/B.Avg Good/Fair Peaches -- -- -- Avg/B.Avg Fair/Good Pears -- -- -- Avg Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush -- -- -- Avg Good/Fair Wild, ME -- -- -- Avg Good Cranberries,MA -- -- -- -- Good Strawberries 25 50 65 Avg/A.Avg Good/Fair ---------------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary -- For the week ending Sunday, June 29, 2003 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 48 100 72 +8 0.00 0.68 NH 41 100 72 +8 0.00 1.13 VT 48 99 72 +8 0.00 0.24 MA 50 95 72 +5 0.11 3.23 RI 55 93 72 +4 0.45 1.55 CT 51 97 72 +5 0.20 1.94 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table -- Weather Summary For New England Agricultural Statistics Service Prepared By AWIS, Inc. For the Period: Monday June 23, 2003 To: Sunday June 29, 2003 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 52 92 71 +4 481 -142 119 -41 Allagash 48 95 72 +10 333 -30 105 +60 Augusta_State_A 57 93 73 +7 561 -18 165 +27 Bangor_Intl_Arp 52 93 72 +7 551 +45 164 +60 Barnard 53 94 71 +8 444 +27 117 +53 Bath 54 92 71 +6 447 -54 102 -2 Bethel 54 100 73 +8 501 -21 142 +32 Brassua_Dam 51 94 71 +10 361 +39 105 +71 Brunswick_ME 53 89 70 +5 493 -8 128 +24 Caribou_Municip 54 92 74 +12 468 +63 159 +98 Corinna 55 93 72 +8 505 +7 145 +48 Danforth 50 95 73 +9 443 -13 133 +47 Dover-Foxcroft 51 90 70 +7 367 -50 94 +30 Durham 54 94 71 +5 417 -198 127 -35 East_Hiram 54 92 71 +7 470 -50 122 +13 Eustis 50 92 70 +9 343 +20 88 +57 Frenchville 53 92 74 +12 440 +77 156 +111 Gray 55 92 72 +8 571 +86 174 +84 Greenville_ME 57 92 72 +9 432 +4 127 +60 Guilford 49 96 70 +7 332 -85 88 +24 Hollis 55 94 72 +7 499 +25 130 +44 Houlton 49 91 73 +10 466 +51 137 +71 Kennebunkport 57 87 69 +1 483 -182 114 -68 Livermore_Falls 53 96 73 +10 507 +84 154 +87 Moosehead 49 92 70 +9 347 +25 93 +59 New_Sharon 55 96 73 +10 487 +64 146 +79 Patten 53 93 73 +10 433 +18 125 +59 Portage 52 94 75 +12 487 +82 168 +107 Portland_ME 55 89 71 +6 527 +42 138 +48 Rangeley 51 92 70 +10 344 +37 83 +57 Sebec_Lake 52 95 72 +9 428 +0 113 +46 Vanceboro 53 91 72 +9 433 +19 123 +59 Waterville 55 92 72 +5 508 -115 135 -25 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 54 100 73 +7 563 -47 161 +4 Benton 53 92 72 +9 489 -22 129 +32 Berlin_AG 53 92 72 +8 513 +15 138 +40 Bethlehem 51 92 70 +7 453 -58 105 +7 Concord 58 95 75 +9 654 +44 203 +46 Diamond_Pond 50 87 70 +10 324 +38 83 +64 First_Conn_Lake 45 88 69 +10 339 +53 82 +63 Greenville 50 98 71 +7 424 -126 110 -7 Keene_AP 57 93 74 +6 653 -75 185 -38 Lakeport 57 95 75 +9 639 +80 200 +68 Marlow 51 95 71 +5 423 -223 109 -63 Mount_Washingto 41 72 57 +12 59 +59 6 +6 North_Conway 54 97 75 +10 589 +28 187 +55 Otter_Brook_Lk 51 93 72 +4 563 -165 149 -74 Plymouth 50 94 72 +8 479 +4 133 +43 Rochester 57 92 72 +5 555 -112 156 -33 Weare 54 89 72 +6 573 -73 144 -28 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 51 94 71 +8 495 -27 128 +21 Bethel 49 96 74 +10 608 +121 172 +74 Burlington_Intl 56 96 76 +9 757 +75 231 +30 East_Haven 49 93 71 +10 474 +88 111 +50 Island_Pond 50 91 71 +9 460 +74 109 +48 Montpelier 51 92 71 +8 502 -6 123 +17 Morrisville_AG 49 99 73 +9 537 +42 135 +31 Mount_Mansfield 52 86 69 +13 234 +70 67 +61 Northfield 49 94 72 +10 523 +82 132 +51 Pownal 52 88 70 +6 542 +14 111 -1 Rochester 50 95 71 +8 517 +30 130 +32 Rutland_AG 50 91 72 +4 580 -154 156 -71 Sunderland 48 89 69 +2 510 -190 107 -95 Sutton 52 91 71 +10 465 +79 109 +48 Townshend_Lake 55 94 72 +5 567 -87 147 -36 Union_Vill_Dam 53 97 74 +7 557 -112 163 -27 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 56 93 73 +8 597 +60 158 +40 Boston/Logan_In 57 93 73 +3 736 -70 229 -28 Greenfield 58 94 73 +4 697 -92 195 -59 New_Bedford 55 90 71 +2 604 -187 146 -95 Otis_AFB 55 90 70 +3 564 -13 135 -1 Plymouth 54 90 70 +3 582 -38 137 -27 Walpole 55 93 73 +5 678 +4 197 +9 West_Medway 56 95 74 +6 700 +26 205 +17 Chicopee/Westov 55 93 72 +2 724 -207 202 -132 Worcester 54 89 73 +8 647 +36 178 +26 Worthington 50 92 70 +6 513 -20 115 +2 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 57 92 73 +4 716 -30 196 -32 Woonsocket 55 93 73 +6 652 -11 176 +4 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 52 91 70 -2 577 -317 135 -183 Bridgeport/Siko 57 93 75 +5 752 -65 224 -50 Hartford/Bradle 56 94 75 +5 842 -45 266 -49 Norfolk 51 87 71 +7 541 +11 121 +9 Norwich 57 95 73 +4 724 -72 210 -41 Thomaston_Dam 55 97 72 +6 737 +60 212 +28 Willimantic 56 93 74 +7 717 +30 205 +16 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.05 -0.75 2 3.32 +0.00 13 Allagash 0.10 -0.67 1 1.97 -0.94 10 Augusta_State_A 0.05 -0.71 1 1.50 -1.59 12 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.00 -0.77 0 3.04 -0.07 8 Barnard 0.24 -0.60 3 3.61 +0.16 13 Bath 0.59 -0.21 1 2.53 -0.84 10 Bethel 0.00 -0.91 0 2.27 -1.43 8 Brassua_Dam 0.20 -0.75 2 4.02 +0.37 10 Brunswick_ME 0.68 -0.12 2 2.88 -0.49 13 Caribou_Municip 0.38 -0.35 2 2.73 +0.03 13 Corinna 0.24 -0.59 2 3.36 +0.01 9 Danforth 0.08 -0.80 1 3.16 -0.24 13 Dover-Foxcroft 0.33 -0.51 2 2.17 -1.28 9 Durham 0.25 -0.59 1 2.52 -0.91 13 East_Hiram 0.20 -0.64 2 2.35 -1.19 13 Eustis 0.24 -0.57 2 2.75 -0.37 9 Frenchville 0.54 -0.23 2 1.76 -1.15 8 Gray 0.57 -0.20 1 2.47 -0.75 12 Greenville_ME 0.07 -0.77 1 2.03 -1.42 10 Guilford 0.31 -0.53 3 3.52 +0.07 11 Hollis 0.56 -0.28 3 2.17 -1.25 14 Houlton 0.06 -0.71 1 2.78 -0.30 13 Kennebunkport 0.52 -0.30 2 3.71 +0.29 14 Livermore_Falls 0.01 -0.91 1 2.02 -1.83 10 Moosehead 0.18 -0.77 2 3.92 +0.27 10 New_Sharon 0.64 -0.28 3 3.59 -0.26 11 Patten 0.11 -0.66 2 3.44 +0.36 11 Portage 0.38 -0.35 1 3.50 +0.80 10 Portland_ME 0.50 -0.27 2 1.97 -1.25 11 Rangeley 0.05 -0.79 1 2.52 -0.91 5 Sebec_Lake 0.37 -0.47 2 3.57 +0.12 11 Vanceboro 0.18 -0.59 2 3.17 +0.17 13 Waterville 0.06 -0.74 3 3.21 -0.11 12 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.36 -0.35 3 1.97 -0.98 15 Benton 0.65 -0.19 2 2.99 -0.54 13 Berlin_AG 0.00 -0.93 0 2.49 -1.33 6 Bethlehem 0.04 -0.88 1 2.09 -1.65 11 Concord 0.13 -0.58 1 1.57 -1.38 13 Diamond_Pond 0.14 -0.93 2 3.40 -0.91 11 First_Conn_Lake 0.04 -1.03 1 3.08 -1.23 9 Greenville 0.46 -0.38 2 3.14 -0.32 14 Keene_AP 0.56 -0.28 2 2.75 -0.61 11 Lakeport 0.20 -0.57 2 1.67 -1.59 10 Marlow 0.12 -0.72 2 1.82 -1.64 13 Mount_Washingto 0.08 -1.70 1 6.14 -1.19 12 North_Conway 0.17 -0.74 1 2.84 -0.87 12 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.14 -0.70 2 2.27 -1.09 15 Plymouth 0.05 -0.79 2 1.47 -1.89 11 Rochester 1.13 +0.36 3 3.21 -0.07 13 Weare 0.21 -0.63 2 2.43 -1.03 15 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.14 -0.89 2 2.71 -1.54 15 Bethel 0.05 -0.79 2 1.95 -1.55 11 Burlington_Intl 0.21 -0.63 1 2.41 -0.84 12 East_Haven 0.06 -0.92 1 2.83 -1.15 10 Island_Pond 0.07 -0.91 1 2.95 -1.03 10 Montpelier 0.09 -0.68 3 1.65 -1.61 14 Morrisville_AG 0.01 -0.92 1 2.72 -1.03 11 Mount_Mansfield 0.15 -1.40 1 6.47 +0.25 13 Northfield 0.12 -0.60 3 1.90 -1.03 10 Pownal 0.24 -0.79 2 2.05 -2.20 14 Rochester 0.00 -0.84 0 2.16 -1.34 10 Rutland_AG 0.05 -0.79 1 1.51 -1.83 11 Sunderland 0.13 -0.59 2 2.30 -0.81 12 Sutton 0.12 -0.86 3 3.15 -0.83 14 Townshend_Lake 0.15 -0.55 2 2.25 -0.68 11 Union_Vill_Dam 0.10 -0.63 2 1.33 -1.71 10 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.95 +0.11 3 4.25 +0.91 16 Boston/Logan_In 1.78 +1.08 2 4.63 +1.74 11 Greenfield 0.77 -0.07 2 3.70 +0.14 14 New_Bedford 0.54 -0.25 1 5.41 +2.06 13 Otis_AFB 0.71 +0.01 1 4.69 +1.68 11 Plymouth 2.11 +1.34 2 6.17 +2.95 14 Walpole 1.57 +0.73 2 5.70 +2.22 11 West_Medway 2.49 +1.65 1 7.12 +3.64 10 Chicopee/Westov 3.23 +2.32 2 7.03 +3.23 14 Worcester 1.77 +0.88 1 5.97 +2.35 13 Worthington 0.84 -0.07 2 3.41 -0.21 14 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 1.01 +0.24 2 5.13 +2.02 13 Woonsocket 1.55 +0.64 2 6.30 +2.54 13 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 1.34 +0.51 2 5.69 +2.18 16 Bridgeport/Siko 0.33 -0.51 2 6.30 +3.08 12 Hartford/Bradle 1.35 +0.52 2 5.67 +2.16 15 Norfolk 1.02 -0.03 2 6.02 +1.71 15 Norwich 0.98 +0.21 2 5.83 +2.75 13 Thomaston_Dam 0.95 +0.04 2 4.54 +0.73 15 Willimantic 1.02 +0.11 2 5.67 +2.16 14 Summary based on NWS data. DFN = Departure From Normal (Using 1961-90 Normals Period). Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precip of 0.01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright 2003: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For detailed ag weather forecasts and data visit the AWIS home page at www.awis.com or call toll free at 1-888-798-9955. -- Other Agricultural Comments and News -- CONNECTICUT - Howard Rood (FSA), Fairfield/Litchfield: Farmers took advantage of nearly a week of dry weather to plant short season field corn, sweet corn and pumpkins. Hot, humid weather this past week made field corn start to grow. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Heavy thunder showers Monday PM just made wet soils worse. High heat and dry conditions allowed for dry hay to be made. Veggie producers got to the point where they could work up soils to get more acres ready to plant. Sweet corn producers are concerned about missed plantings for labor day harvest. Field corn looks like it is suffering from the wet soils and leaching of Nitrogen. More broadleaf tobacco gets planted each day, however several will miss the June 30 planting deadline for insurance. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Sun a welcome sight and helped immensely. Still some fields are muddy and are not plantable. Crops are running 10 days to two weeks late. Trying to get first cutting hay - fields still very wet. Fruit looks good. Strawberries continue to be harvested. Flavor has improved. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Finally this bright hot light will get the crops going! Still tough to get in wet fields to plant or hay. Farmers putting duals on and even using unconventional equipment to harrow the fields to get them to dry out. First cutting gone by with little in the barn or bunker. Concern about feed for the winter has cut off selling what used to be considered extra feed. Running short on getting mature corn on time. Strawberries look great but depending on variety, flavor is off a bit. Many fields of corn would be waist high by the 4th and right now are ankle high with surface water in places. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: What a difference some sunshine makes! Farmers were all making hay while the sun shined! Top-dressing corn fields, getting in some pumpkins, squash, and late corn were other top priorities for area farmers. With temperatures in the 90's, concerns for keeping cows cool also took center stage on some farms. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Growers busy hilling up their potatoes. Spraying herbicides in grains. No insect problems because nearly all growers are using some form of in-furrow insecticide. Potato plants are showing signs of heat stress during the afternoons when temperatures are approaching 100. Adequate soil moisture for the time being but some rain would be welcome. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Crop emergence is looking very good due to high temperatures and adequate moisture. Still some herbicides being applied. Recent thundershowers have added some extra moisture for our crops. Cultivation is continuing. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: Small grains and potatoes are growing well, farmers are busy cultivating. A few fungicide sprays have been applied on the early planted potatoes. Crops are under some heat stress due to the hot temperatures, we could use a little rain. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: A great week for making hay. Corn shot up several inches. Temperatures in the 90's much of the week. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Farmers finally got a few days of haying weather. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Hot, warm for growing corn. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: A week of dry weather and things are actually looking like we could use some rain! Strawberry harvest in full swing as of this morning in most places. Lots of hay and haylage harvested this past week. Second crop of grass is coming well. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Strawberry harvest is underway in the mid-coast area, and the crop is looking good. Haying is in progress now that we are getting some warm, dry weather. Pumpkins and squash are still being planted is some areas. Harvest of blueberry crop may be a week later than normal. Fruit set on apple crop is about 50 percent lighter than normal due to cold, wet spring. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Crop set looks good despite wet and windy spring weather. Blight symptoms noticeable on many fields. The remainder of the bees were removed from the Downeast fields this week. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: We have suspicions that producers that have air conditioned tractors are doing more field work than necessary. What a change! This week has been hot and humid. Crops seem to grow before our eyes. As strange as it sounds, we still have drought concerns. Potatoes are being cultivated and some corn needs spraying. Hay is being chopped and baled. Pest and weed control are ongoing. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Needed showers and heat have crops growing well once again. Lots of hay was harvested last week. A minor amount got wet with showers. Fresh strawberries are for sale. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Lots of hay and silage was made this week. Some cultivating of the corn crop was done. Also, repairing of some equipment. Haven't gotten any reports of problem with disease other than beetle damage over the winter to some strawberry patches which were totaled. The strawberries have been very slow to ripen otherwise due to lack of sunshine! Hay crop for first cutting looks very heavy. No rain last week helped to dry out some ground and seasonably warm 80's helped things along quite a bit. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: The nice weather is finally here. Some fields still too wet to get into. Many farmers did not get to plant their field corn on time, so the fields remain fallow up until now. Much of the first cutting of hay will be going for mulch. Strawberries continue to be harvested. Everything is growing fine but about a week or so late (per some farmers). Treating corn for corn borers and putting side dressing of fertilizer on corn and other crops. Some corn may be ready mid to late July. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Blossoms are everywhere. Weather has been ideal for the bees to work the blossoms. First fruit rot fungicides were applied. No rain this past week, so things have been able to dry out. Irrigation will be necessary this upcoming week. All beds look very good. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Finally a few good days; high temperatures, lots of sun, and everyone busy trying to work the fields. Crop growth still way behind. Strawberry harvest in full swing. It will be another week before squash harvest begins. Corn still a couple of weeks away. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Heat and humidity finally arrived in the Valley this week! Temperatures well into the 90's gave all crops (and weeds) the kick-start they've been waiting for. All farms are trying to catch up with final plantings and cultivation. Scattered thundershowers over the week made haying a gamble. Southern sections of the county were effected by a micro-burst on Monday afternoon. Paul Fischer (FSA), Essex/Middlesex: The much needed extended period of hot and dry weather dried out many fields, allowed farmers to harvest their first cutting of hay, and helped many warm weather crops (sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers). Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Only rained one day, which was very heavy rains and included some light hail. The rest of the week was very hot and humid with temperatures in the upper 90's. This heat and moisture really caused the crops to grow. All growers were hoeing, cultivating, top-dressing and spraying for striped cucumber beetles, Colorado potato beetle, flee beetle and European corn borer. Growers are harvesting strawberries, lettuce and other early greens. Sweet corn on plastic has reached silk stage. Due to the wet fields, dairy farmers are having a hard time finishing planting corn and harvesting hay. Gary Guida, Worcester: Finally a great weekend! And what timing! U-Pickers for strawberries out in force. We have a bumper crop of fruit (finally) with exceptional size. Low insect pressure in fields and heat kicked corn into overdrive. Plant sales still strong despite hot weather. Zucchini, summer squash, and cukes nearly ready for picking. Perhaps we got a good year in the making after all. All us growers really need a good one this year. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: From one extreme to the other! Scrambling to put in first cut hay, first cut of grass silage is mostly done. Strawberries are ripening, blueberries are filling out. Farm stands and farmers' markets have radishes, kale, lettuce, herbs and I personally sampled a fresh tomato and cucumber this week. It doesn't get any better! Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Lots of hot, humid weather, with a cooler, drier break Saturday. Many producers harvesting hay, but there's still a lot standing. First cutting for haylage all done, some fields will be ready for second cut soon. Field corn is doing really well, much of it knee-high or better. Producers are starting to side-dress corn, taking PSNTs, spreading manure on harvested hay ground. Strawberry harvest in full swing. Tomatoes, squashes, corn all benefitting from heat. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Yet another hot, dry week making for excellent conditions for putting up dry baled hay and haylage. Probably the best year we've seen for first cut hay in a number of years. Now we could use some rain! Field and sweet corn visibly showing rapid growth. Also earlier cut haylage fields. Early season veggies starting to show up at farm stands. Hi-tunnel tomatoes and squash coming along well. Ticks seem more abundant this year. Calls coming in on results of past winter damage on fruit trees and high bush blueberries. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Extremely hot and dry weather causing stress on crops. Soil very dry, and no rain this past week. Spotty thunder showers in southern areas. Early planted corn looks better than late planted, mostly due to root system development. Some corn curling due to dryness. Regrowth on alfalfa grass mixes is good to excellent. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Last week was HOT and DRY. So far since the 14th of June we have received less than one tenth of an inch of rain. For the entire month of June we have received 1.08 inches of rain. Most of that came on the 13th and 14th. Top soil is getting dry and things are dusty in this area. Crops are still growing, but the grass on the sandy soils is slowing down. Areas south of us (Lebanon and further south) have had significantly higher rain fall. In fact the St. Johnsbury area has also had higher rain fall. We have had 2 farms run out of water for their dairy / beef operations. This begins to raise concerns over the lower subsoil moisture levels, and ground water levels in this area. We received our first rain fall in ten days this morning: 0.076 inches, just enough to cut the dust for a couple of hours. More rain is needed. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit: Growers are starting to harvest strawberries. Great weekend for Pick-Your-Own operation. Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and applying sprays for pest control, along with mowing orchard floor. Apple scab is seen in some orchards. Field Crops: Farmers are making haylage and baled hay, trying to finish planting and weed spraying corn fields. Vegetables: Continuing successive planting. Growers continued harvesting early season vegetables such as lettuce and radishes. Asparagus harvest winding down. Growers busy side-dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating weeds, scouting for pests and spraying if needed. Bacterial diseases seen on tomato plants. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Strawberry harvest has begun. Orchardists are mowing and spraying post emergence herbicides. Farmers are cutting hay and making haylage as well. Apples and blueberries are sizing well. Fungicides being applied to all crops during humid weather. More apple scab than normal. Warm weather and ample moisture has pushed growth on corn, tomatoes and other warm season vegetables. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: A very hot and humid week that ended with a pleasant weekend where conditions were great for Pick-Your-Own strawberries. Strawberry crop good to excellent. Some spots had gray mold. Picking greenhouse tomatoes and cukes and harvesting leafy greens and herbs. Weeding, cultivating, fertilizing and irrigating vegetable fields. Cutting hay. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Excellent week for crops and fieldwork. Hot weather gave a much needed boost to the corn and vegetable crops. Dry weather allowed most farmers to wrap up first cut and spread manure on first cut fields. Pastures were the only losers in last week's conditions as grass growth slowed considerably. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Very hot and humid this week. Lack of rain is causing some dry conditions. I can see some burnt areas in hayfields with sandy soils. Corn is about 12-18" high. The corn crop could use some rain. Almost all of first cut hay has been harvested. Second cut hay is growing but may be a little stunted from the dry conditions. Lynette Hamilton/Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Cool, wet to hot and humid - this was the weather this past week in Windham County. Haying was the order of the week. Field corn is waist deep and heading skyward. Strawberry picking is in full swing with heavy production. Blueberries on early varieties show some signs of poor pollination, but on the later varieties is very high. Sweet corn is still on for first picking around the 12th of July. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Corn planting continues in wetter fields. Some fields still fallow, too wet for tillage. Most fields are planted, tallest corn is 24 inches in height. Corn that is up looks good. Some cutworm damage. There are wet areas where corn is pale color and poor condition. First crop haylage complete, now dry hay harvest started and one-half finished with dry week. Some little manure being spread on hayland broadcast. Pasture regrowth and hay regrowth is excellent. Good soil moisture and higher temperatures. Eric Winchester (FSA) Orange/Windsor: This past week was hot and dry. Most operations were taking advantage of the dry weather to chop fields for haylage and to make dry hay, as well. Late Sunday night and early Monday morning brought rain to close out reporting period. The hot weather is causing the strawberries to ripen but has reduced the size of the berries appreciably. The heat has been good for the growth of many vegetable crops, such as squash. Corn looks very good. The crop is still short in many places: If you planted a couple of weeks ago, it is about three inches high. But corn planted early on the Connecticut's bottom land is knee high. Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: Hot, humid temperatures with periods of rain provided for fair weather conditions for fruit growth this past week. Fire blight symptoms are showing up throughout the state. A forecast of more seasonable conditions this coming week offers a positive outlook. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: There was a tremendous amount of work done this week. The last fields of corn were planted. Most of first cut was finished. There were both haylage and dry bales made this week. Manure is being spread on first cut fields. Some new seedings still being planted. The corn is anywhere from not out of the ground to the 8th leaf stage. A few corn fields on sandy or shallow soils looked water stressed over the weekend. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Side-dressing with Nitrogen of fields as they get ready. Potatoes hilled. Looking good. Applied fertilizer to all vine crops, also tomatoes and peppers. 0.212 inches of rain - light, but helped a lot. The sun and warm weather finally came and all crops responded in great shape. Market filling fast with all early vegetables. Picking peas. Folks can have peas and salmon for 4th of July. Have a good week. -- Contact Information -- To receive this report every Monday evening, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statisticians: Emily McAllister, Robin Helrich Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt Deputy Director: Joe Sampson New England Agricultural Statistics Service National Agricultural Statistics Service United States Department of Agriculture Aubrey R. Davis, Director 22 Bridge St, 3rd Floor PO Box 1444 Concord, NH 03302-1444 Phone: (603) 224-9639 Fax: (603) 225-1434 Internet: http://www.usda.gov/nass/ E-Mail: nass.nh@nass.usda.gov ****************** end of report ***********************