State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 07/20/03 Issue NH-CW2903 Volume 23, Number 13 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) July 21, 2003 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary -- STILL AWAITING SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL For the week ending July 20, 2003, there were 6.2 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 11% very short, 31% short, 55% adequate, 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 8% very short, 25% short, 67% adequate, 0% surplus. Pasture condition was rated as 0% very poor, 12% poor, 42% fair, 39% good, 7% excellent. Another week of mostly sunny days, mixed with a little rain, with lower levels of humidity near week's end. Crops continue to need rain as the ground is relatively dry. Major farm activities included: cutting haylage and making dry hay; topping off broadleaf tobacco; harvesting shade tobacco, highbush blueberries, strawberries and vegetables; renovating strawberry beds; spreading manure; mowing; cultivating; hilling potatoes; irrigating; top-dressing and side- dressing fields with fertilizer; monitoring fields; applying insecticides and fungicides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ----------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 11 9 11 Short 31 25 32 Adequate 55 62 47 Surplus 3 4 10 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 8 9 10 Short 25 23 28 Adequate 67 67 60 Surplus 0 1 2 ----------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report -- Hay making continued between scattered showers last week. First crop hay cutting progressed to 90 percent, in line with the five-year average. Second crop hay remained ten percent behind average, rated in good to fair condition. Fertilizer applications were made to corn fields. Areas that received rain last week noticed an improvement in field corn growth and condition. Maine potato farmers continued to scout for European corn borers and sprayed where necessary. Potato condition ranged from good to excellent across New England. Tobacco growers in the Connecticut River Valley began harvesting shade tobacco last week. Growers also started topping off broadleaf tobacco. Conditions for both shade and broadleaf tobacco crops ranged from fair in Connecticut to good in Massachusetts. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report -- FRUIT: Tree fruit growth and condition improved in those areas that received some moisture last week. However, most areas were dry with below average temperatures, causing peach and pear condition to make a slight decline overall. Strawberry harvest was nearly complete, with only five percent left to go by week's end. Those finished with strawberry harvest began renovating beds. Highbush blueberry harvest was ten percent complete by July 20. Raspberry harvest was also underway last week. Maine wild blueberry growers continued to monitor fields for fruit flies and make necessary applications; growers expect this year's crop to be average at best. Cranberries in Massachusetts remained in good condition as they reached petal fall stage last week. VEGETABLES: The harvest of beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peas, radishes, snap beans, summer squash, hothouse tomatoes and zucchini continued. Irrigation was active throughout most of the region to provide relief from dry conditions. Sweet corn planting was wrapped up and harvest began last week. -- Crop Progress Tables -- FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ------------------------------------------------------- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition ------------------------------------------------------- -- % Harvested -- Barley, ME -- -- -- Excellent/Good Oats, ME -- -- -- Excellent/Good Potatoes Maine -- -- -- Excellent/Good Mass -- -- <5 Good Rhode Isl -- -- -- Good/Excellent Silage Corn -- -- -- Good/Fair Sweet Corn 5 5 10 Good/Fair Tobacco Shade 5 10 10 Fair/Good Broadleaf -- -- <5 Fair/Good Dry Hay First Cut 90 95 90 Good/Fair Second Cut 25 45 35 Good/Fair -- % Emerged -- Silage Corn 95 100 100 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 100 99 99 Good/Fair --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- -- % Harvested -- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition -------------------------------------------------------- Apples -- -- -- Good/Fair Peaches -- <5 <5 Fair/Good Pears -- -- -- Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush 10 10 15 Good/Fair Wild, ME -- -- -- Fair Cranberries,MA -- -- -- Good Strawberries 95 99 99 Good/Fair -------------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary -- For the week ending Sunday, July 20, 2003 -------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 45 88 66 -2 0.00 1.10 NH 39 90 65 -3 0.27 1.86 VT 46 93 66 -2 0.11 1.38 MA 48 89 69 -2 0.07 1.28 RI 56 85 70 -2 0.24 0.74 CT 51 88 69 -3 0.13 1.39 -------------------------------------------- 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 July 14, 2003 To: Sunday July 20, 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 50 84 67 -3 856 -176 288 -68 Allagash 45 85 64 -2 612 -55 186 +37 Augusta_State_A 54 82 68 -3 977 -6 374 +43 Bangor_Intl_Arp 54 84 68 +0 956 +79 360 +95 Barnard 49 81 65 -2 789 +32 257 +60 Bath 52 85 68 -2 835 -48 282 +9 Bethel 50 88 65 -4 865 -26 303 +34 Brassua_Dam 46 82 63 -3 667 +53 209 +80 Brunswick_ME 55 82 67 -2 903 +20 330 +57 Caribou_Municip 54 81 67 +2 803 +79 288 +109 Corinna 53 83 68 -1 888 +26 321 +70 Danforth 51 84 68 +0 818 -4 300 +59 Dover-Foxcroft 48 80 64 -4 690 -67 214 +17 Durham 53 83 67 -5 812 -230 315 -61 East_Hiram 51 82 65 -4 845 -45 291 +22 Eustis 45 80 62 -3 634 +27 183 +64 Frenchville 50 79 65 -1 738 +71 248 +99 Gray 55 83 68 -2 983 +118 379 +121 Greenville_ME 51 79 65 -3 754 -14 246 +46 Guilford 49 80 64 -4 654 -103 213 +16 Hollis 50 84 66 -3 883 +47 307 +69 Houlton 49 84 67 +1 826 +79 291 +96 Kennebunkport 55 79 66 -6 849 -255 271 -140 Livermore_Falls 48 87 67 +1 894 +141 338 +147 Moosehead 46 85 64 -2 645 +31 190 +61 New_Sharon 50 84 66 -1 870 +117 323 +132 Patten 50 82 66 -2 768 +21 254 +59 Portage 48 81 66 +0 823 +99 297 +118 Portland_ME 58 81 68 -2 938 +73 339 +81 Rangeley 45 81 62 -2 641 +62 180 +75 Sebec_Lake 49 84 66 -2 776 +8 255 +55 Vanceboro 52 81 67 -1 789 +33 271 +74 Waterville 55 84 68 -2 906 -126 326 -30 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 54 86 67 -3 976 -35 365 +18 Benton 52 83 65 -2 853 +7 286 +62 Berlin_AG 50 84 66 -2 883 +38 303 +67 Bethlehem 48 85 64 -3 795 -51 242 +17 Concord 53 86 68 -2 1097 +86 437 +90 Diamond_Pond 51 80 63 +0 609 +68 173 +94 First_Conn_Lake 50 80 64 +2 612 +71 166 +87 Greenville 46 90 66 -3 799 -115 280 +9 Keene_AP 48 86 67 -5 1069 -86 391 -49 Lakeport 56 85 68 -1 1090 +143 442 +133 Marlow 47 81 62 -8 748 -291 229 -125 Mount_Washingto 39 59 48 -1 102 +82 6 +6 North_Conway 53 85 67 -3 1005 +62 396 +92 Otter_Brook_Lk 51 87 67 -5 973 -182 349 -91 Plymouth 50 84 64 -4 839 +17 287 +60 Rochester 50 82 67 -4 973 -106 366 -25 Weare 55 81 67 -3 981 -58 344 -10 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 49 84 65 -3 867 -7 291 +42 Bethel 51 86 68 +2 1003 +178 359 +129 Burlington_Intl 56 87 71 -1 1228 +124 492 +80 East_Haven 47 85 65 -1 819 +132 248 +87 Island_Pond 51 82 65 +0 803 +126 247 +97 Montpelier 47 82 65 -3 862 +7 274 +28 Morrisville_AG 51 93 70 +4 952 +110 342 +97 Mount_Mansfield 46 71 58 -2 434 +94 100 +70 Northfield 47 85 66 +0 891 +125 292 +92 Pownal 50 82 65 -3 909 +29 268 +13 Rochester 52 85 66 -1 882 +57 289 +59 Rutland_AG 51 83 67 -5 973 -179 340 -94 Sunderland 48 80 65 -6 855 -254 242 -159 Sutton 51 84 65 +0 818 +131 256 +95 Townshend_Lake 52 83 67 -4 967 -101 337 -49 Union_Vill_Dam 50 89 67 -4 963 -118 359 -32 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 56 82 68 +0 1036 +127 387 +106 Boston/Logan_In 62 85 72 -3 1246 -44 529 -2 Greenfield 55 85 68 -5 1134 -107 422 -74 New_Bedford 56 85 71 -4 1075 -198 407 -103 Otis_AFB 59 86 72 +1 1040 +44 401 +59 Plymouth 55 85 70 -3 1040 -7 385 +6 Walpole 56 85 70 -2 1160 +57 469 +64 West_Medway 55 86 71 +0 1175 +72 470 +65 Chicopee/Westov 55 82 69 -6 1192 -235 460 -160 Worcester 57 80 68 -3 1082 +65 403 +56 Worthington 48 81 65 -3 877 -10 270 +12 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 59 85 71 -2 1216 +1 486 +2 Woonsocket 56 83 70 -2 1126 +41 440 +57 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 51 81 66 -8 951 -433 300 -298 Bridgeport/Siko 60 83 72 -3 1250 -51 512 -34 Hartford/Bradle 55 86 70 -4 1325 -52 539 -56 Norfolk 53 80 66 -3 909 +18 280 +17 Norwich 58 87 72 -1 1219 -32 495 -1 Thomaston_Dam 52 86 70 +1 1194 +108 459 +77 Willimantic 55 84 70 -1 1189 +90 467 +76 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.07 +0.30 2 2.37 -0.76 9 Allagash 0.03 -0.82 1 1.71 -1.54 10 Augusta_State_A 0.27 -0.43 2 0.71 -2.20 6 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.35 -0.42 1 0.69 -2.39 4 Barnard 0.10 -0.71 1 1.74 -1.59 12 Bath 0.54 -0.09 1 1.46 -1.39 6 Bethel 1.10 +0.33 2 2.27 -1.05 7 Brassua_Dam 0.07 -0.84 2 1.84 -1.86 13 Brunswick_ME 0.84 +0.21 1 2.08 -0.77 7 Caribou_Municip 0.23 -0.68 2 3.59 +0.26 14 Corinna 0.11 -0.66 1 1.35 -1.79 8 Danforth 0.01 -0.90 1 2.17 -1.34 10 Dover-Foxcroft 0.08 -0.73 2 1.94 -1.39 11 Durham 0.27 -0.50 1 1.30 -1.90 6 East_Hiram 0.50 -0.28 2 1.67 -1.63 7 Eustis 0.01 -0.83 1 2.15 -1.18 11 Frenchville 0.03 -0.82 1 2.62 -0.63 12 Gray 0.35 -0.35 1 1.44 -1.50 5 Greenville_ME 0.04 -0.77 1 2.18 -1.15 9 Guilford 0.26 -0.55 2 2.35 -0.98 16 Hollis 1.07 +0.34 2 1.94 -1.20 6 Houlton 0.33 -0.51 2 1.75 -1.50 13 Kennebunkport 0.75 +0.05 3 1.99 -0.98 9 Livermore_Falls 0.77 +0.00 2 1.72 -1.57 10 Moosehead 0.04 -0.87 1 3.20 -0.50 12 New_Sharon 1.10 +0.33 2 3.51 +0.22 12 Patten 0.00 -0.84 0 1.66 -1.59 13 Portage 0.07 -0.84 3 3.45 +0.12 13 Portland_ME 0.59 -0.11 1 1.56 -1.38 6 Rangeley 0.06 -0.71 1 1.75 -1.45 10 Sebec_Lake 0.00 -0.81 0 2.28 -1.05 9 Vanceboro 0.17 -0.60 2 2.16 -0.92 15 Waterville 0.16 -0.61 2 1.60 -1.53 10 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 1.86 +1.15 2 3.34 +0.51 12 Benton 0.98 +0.21 2 2.91 -0.29 8 Berlin_AG 0.79 -0.05 2 3.01 -0.47 8 Bethlehem 0.79 -0.08 4 2.47 -1.08 13 Concord 1.30 +0.59 3 2.02 -0.81 10 Diamond_Pond 0.43 -0.62 3 3.34 -0.85 13 First_Conn_Lake 0.28 -0.77 2 2.61 -1.58 12 Greenville 0.40 -0.44 1 1.41 -1.95 6 Keene_AP 0.52 -0.32 3 1.51 -1.76 9 Lakeport 0.74 -0.09 2 1.93 -1.22 8 Marlow 1.11 +0.34 2 2.05 -1.16 9 Mount_Washingto 1.69 +0.15 3 4.16 -2.39 12 North_Conway 0.42 -0.42 3 1.26 -2.20 10 Otter_Brook_Lk 1.08 +0.24 2 2.06 -1.21 9 Plymouth 0.83 -0.06 2 2.38 -1.03 9 Rochester 0.98 +0.21 2 2.83 -0.27 8 Weare 0.96 +0.19 2 2.11 -1.10 10 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.93 +0.02 3 2.53 -1.29 10 Bethel 1.34 +0.50 4 3.89 +0.53 10 Burlington_Intl 0.12 -0.72 3 1.32 -1.95 8 East_Haven 0.40 -0.55 4 1.68 -2.15 12 Island_Pond 0.22 -0.74 3 1.97 -1.87 14 Montpelier 0.38 -0.31 3 1.68 -1.18 12 Morrisville_AG 0.11 -0.81 3 1.63 -2.04 11 Mount_Mansfield 0.49 -0.95 4 2.79 -3.14 11 Northfield 0.56 -0.21 3 2.06 -0.96 11 Pownal 0.56 -0.35 3 2.94 -0.88 11 Rochester 1.01 +0.17 4 4.81 +1.45 9 Rutland_AG 1.38 +0.50 3 3.25 -0.15 9 Sunderland 1.36 +0.69 3 2.44 -0.29 11 Sutton 0.62 -0.33 4 2.36 -1.47 14 Townshend_Lake 0.90 +0.13 3 2.34 -0.56 10 Union_Vill_Dam 1.24 +0.47 2 2.64 -0.26 11 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.43 -0.41 2 2.08 -1.28 11 Boston/Logan_In 0.63 +0.00 2 2.71 +0.09 6 Greenfield 0.76 -0.08 3 2.19 -1.20 10 New_Bedford 0.14 -0.53 2 2.64 -0.19 6 Otis_AFB 0.09 -0.54 1 1.30 -1.34 5 Plymouth 0.11 -0.66 1 4.04 +0.96 7 Walpole 1.27 +0.50 2 3.32 +0.13 8 West_Medway 0.87 +0.10 2 3.51 +0.32 5 Chicopee/Westov 0.38 -0.44 3 4.82 +1.37 13 Worcester 1.07 +0.23 2 3.94 +0.40 7 Worthington 0.17 -0.81 2 1.54 -2.25 7 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.31 -0.39 2 2.83 -0.05 9 Woonsocket 0.74 -0.13 2 3.53 -0.07 9 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.25 -0.45 2 3.04 +0.03 10 Bridgeport/Siko 0.13 -0.74 2 1.59 -1.83 10 Hartford/Bradle 0.59 -0.11 3 3.17 +0.16 11 Norfolk 0.41 -0.50 3 2.93 -0.97 11 Norwich 0.86 +0.02 2 3.17 -0.05 9 Thomaston_Dam 0.18 -0.75 3 1.95 -1.71 9 Willimantic 0.74 -0.24 3 2.58 -1.14 9 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 - Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Trying to make dry hay, some second cut made. Topping broadleaf tobacco and spraying for blue mold. Picking shade tobacco. Field corn has taken off, will have to wait until harvest to see how wet spots faired. More sweet corn coming in, picking cukes, zucchini, some yellow squash and cabbage. Most pumpkin acreage is planted and looking good. Showers on Friday, let's see if we can put a few dry days together. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Corn has shot up in the last 7 days, but a lot of bare spots. Producers are reporting the majority of the first cutting of hay is of poor quality. Many fields have become second cutting. Surprisingly, strawberries produced were plentiful and very sweet. Sweet corn running 7-10 days late for first harvest. Silage corn is very spacey due to cold wet spring. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Busy, busy with haying, blueberry picking and harvesting early vegetables. Cooler nights are not conducive to prompting corn to grow. Some very poor hay. Nancy Welsh/Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Weather conditions have been warm and sunny. Vegetables are enjoying that. Corn looks good. Talking rain for good part of the week. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Final hilling of potatoes is complete. Growers and industry people monitoring fields for European corn borer egg masses. Growers spraying insecticides whenever necessary along with fungicides. Last year's crop continues to be moved to processors from refrigerated storages. We don't mean to complain but it is starting to get a little dry. Potatoes are setting tubers now and we do need the moisture. But all in all, both potato and grain crops continue to look good. Small grains have headed out very heavily. Barley starting to turn color. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Still have hot spots of corn borers. Moisture is adequate in this area. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Farmers were finishing up their first crop haying. Some are grazing second crop hay fields. Strawberrying is winding down its late season. Raspberries are coming on. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Beet greens, peas, strawberries and some cucumbers are being harvested now. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Things are drying out in many parts of the region. Pastures are showing signs of summer slump. Strawberry harvest ending soon. Some strong winds and thundershowers on Friday may have caused crop damage in places as many trees and some buildings were damaged or destroyed. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Fly traps are out in blueberry fields. Harvesting is two weeks away. The first sweet corn of the season is ready. A variety of vegetables are for sale at roadside stands. Crops need rain, hopefully we'll get it this week. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Fly traps are catching fruit flies and applications are being made for control. Most growers expecting a less than average crop. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: Last week was a great week to be in the fields. Lots of hay was made and the crops got a taste of water to help the growth cycle. We are still quite dry, but the showers helped. The strawberry growers are preparing the beds for the next season. Market gardeners are attracting the public with all that fresh produce. Cucumbers are showing up, beans are at a few places, peas have been around for a while and sweet corn is available in limited supply. Let's eat! Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: Japanese beetles are out in full force. Corn growers are thankful for the rain last week. Strawberries are still being picked. Some farm stands are selling sweet corn to consumers. Blueberries look excellent and should be ready for pick in the next week. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Things are growing like crazy. Vegetable look great so far. Lots of hay came in this weekend. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Hay is still being harvested between very spotted showers. Conditions are getting to be very dry throughout most of Oxford County. Sweet corn is beginning to tassel. Both yellow corn and sweet corn in much need of rain. Pastures are getting brown and dry. Producers starting to harvest cucumbers, beet greens, summer squash and raspberries. All crops in Oxford County are in need of rain. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Lots of vegetable harvesting going on. Sweet corn is still at least a week from ready. Strawberry harvest is finishing. Grains are heading out. Hay still being made but slowly due to sporadic rain. There will be plenty of mulch this year. No word yet on disease or pests in orchards. Blueberry season is near. Humid week although temperatures were moderate. Up to 2.5 in. rain this week. Landscaping and nursery stock are big business in Berkshire County. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: Most crops picking up. Could use a little more rain. This week coming may be the week. Strawberry season ended, into raspberries and blueberries. Been a good week overall. Most corn fields looking better. Sweet corn will be much appreciated. Sweet corn is very late this year. Side-dressing corn crop (sweet and silage). First cutting of hay completed. Some farmers cutting second crop. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Field conditions continue to be very dry this week. Scattered showers have provided temporary relief but most farms are continuing to irrigate. Tobacco growers have started to "top" their crop by removing the primary flower buds. Field tobacco harvest should begin in about two weeks. Shade tobacco growers started their first pickings this week. All farms are monitoring their crops for disease and insect problems. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: This week we received a little rain, a lot of heat and the crops are growing. Started harvesting blueberries, raspberries, sweet corn, pickling cukes, cabbage, summer and zucchini squash. The early planted broadleaf tobacco is being topped and shade tobacco is being harvested. More rain is needed or the irrigation pumps will start running again. Gary Guida, Worcester: Another great week! Plant sales still strong as consumers fill in "blank" spots in their gardens. Picking early summer crops. No tomatoes or corn picking here yet. Where is all this "native" corn coming from? Mine still about two weeks away! Cuke beetles still in force. Rototilling aisles between plastic for weed control. Prepping equipment for strawberry field renovation. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Very late first cut finally being wrapped up. Tomatoes, cukes and summer squash coming in. Mummy berry, Botrytis and winter damage taking a toll on blueberry crop. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Generally sunny conditions with some nice rain on Wednesday and Friday. Field corn looks great - much of it is nearly head-high. Second cutting continues - there have been a couple good stretches for making dry hay. Strawberries are done. PYO raspberries continues and PYO blueberries has begun. Cooler nights have slowed down fruit ripening. Farm stands offering summer squash, beans, greens, high-tunnel tomatoes and cukes. Hopefully sweet corn will be ready next week. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Some showers this week but could use more rain to help crops along. Nitrogen top-dressing finishing up on field corn. Few remaining remote, late cut hay fields now have first cut taken. Hayfields growing back OK. Field corn also growing well. Second cut haylage coming in. Sweet corn starting to silk, summer veggies showing up at markets. Blueberries ripening, as well as early raspberries. Light on blueberries this year as result of winter damage mentioned in earlier report. Japanese beetles becoming more abundant. Farms well pleased with good dry baled hay crop this year. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Some much needed rain was received last week. Some corn that was looking really bad has started to recover. The rain came just in time. Last week was a good week for making hay/haylage. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruits: Strawberry harvest is over and renovating harvested beds has started. Raspberries and blueberries being harvested. Orchardists busy monitoring for pests, spraying and mowing orchard floor. Japanese beetles have appeared in great numbers in some locations. Vegetables: Growers are irrigating fields! Harvesting an array of vegetables: beets, broccoli, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, snap beans, summer squash and other vegetables. First sweet corn to be harvested soon. With dry, hot weather, lettuce and other crops are bolting. Growers busy side-dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating, mowing weeds around edges of fields, scouting for pests and spraying accordingly. Asiatic garden beetle has appeared. Field Crops: Farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Farmers making second cut hay. Some early sweet corn harvested. Summer squash, cukes, and greens harvested. Blueberry growers and orchardists are hanging maggot traps. Post emergence weed control spraying continues in fruits and vegetables. Strawberry harvest winding down. Raspberries being harvested. Needed rainfall and warm weather accelerated growth of corn and other warm season vegetables. Mummy berry disease severe in some blueberry fields. Growing degree days in Boscawen as of July 21 totaled 939. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Reports of a poor blueberry crop in this county due to damaging weather 22 of 31 days in May. Rain again this past week is helping forage growth and summer vegetables. Dry hay and haylage cutting is being done daily. PYO raspberries and sweet corn should be ready very soon. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: There was mixed weather between sunny, cloudy and light rain. The pastures and forages continue to do well. Farmers are getting ready for the second cut. Fruit growers continue to monitor their crops for pests. Blueberry growers have started to notice mummy berry symptoms. Strawberry harvesting is over and raspberry harvesting has just started. Vegetable growers continue to harvest different kinds of vegetables. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: The last strawberries were harvested the beginning of last week, the end of a season that started very late. Spraying potatoes. Summer vegetables doing well, sweet corn looks great. Roadside stands are full of local produce. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Favorable weather helped move second cut forward as well as provide great growing conditions for corn. Little or no rain is keeping things dry but this week may provide some relief. Many pastures were clipped last week. Lynette Hamilton/Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Apple producers are concerned about this year's crop maybe being a little on the light side. The blueberry producers are reporting that this year's crop is only average. Second cut alfalfa yields are good to excellent with grass hay light in quantity. Sweet corn is ready to harvest. Field corn is almost ready to tassel with great color and height. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Corn planting finished, 15% of fields not planted this year. Variable corn fields with wet areas poor, very little excellent corn. Most corn still less than knee-high. Newly seeded alfalfa fields very weedy, slow growth on clay soil. Many new seedings being planted now. Alfalfa second crop in full bloom with some potato leafhopper damage. Clay soil cracked wide open. Grass hay fields slow to regrow. Pasture regrowth good in managed pastures, continuous use pastures look bad with little regrowth and excessive weeds. Some manure spreading on cut hay fields, lots of ruts and compaction with wet soils. Very localized pockets of drought and wet holes in Addison county. Eric Winchester (FSA) Orange/Windsor: Strawberries just about done for the season. Peas, potatoes, blueberries and second crop of lettuce being harvested. Some sweet corn and green beans will be ready in a week. Most second cutting has been harvested except for fields that were late first cut. Field corn is doing quite well as most of it is head-high or better. Some field corn is starting to tassel. Recent rains have helped crops a great deal as some second cuttings were quite light due to dry conditions and some corn was curling. With only about a day and a half of rainy weather, farmers had 5 to 6 days that they could do any field work necessary. Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: Mild temperatures last week made for great working conditions. We had adequate amounts of moisture for good fruit growth throughout last week. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: Nice weather last week along with a few rain showers helped push the corn along in development. Some corn fields being side dressed with Nitrogen. I have seen a few fields at tassel. A lot of second crop hay being cut as well as manure spread. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Sprayed potatoes for bugs and blight. Cultivated cole crops and tomatoes. Also sprayed for bugs on cole crops, squash and vine crops. 1.725 inches of rain. A great week for rain and sun. Rain came good, most at night and no wind. All crops just took off and grew. Lots of peas, beans and summer vegetables in the market. Starting to pick squash and early potatoes. Seven days to go before sweet corn. Have a nice 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 ***********************