State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 07/04/04 Issue NH-CW2704 Volume 24, Number 11 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) July 06, 2004 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary WARMTH AND SUNSHINE CONTINUES For the week ending July 4, 2004, there were 6.0 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated four percent very short, 14 percent short, 78 percent adequate, four percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated four percent very short, 14 percent short, 78 percent adequate, four percent surplus. Pasture condition was rated five percent poor, 18 percent fair, 62 percent good, 15 percent excellent. Plenty of warmth and sunshine made for a great week in New England for field activities and farmstand sales. The warm temperatures were ideal for hay making, beneficial to crop growth and development, and allowed farmers to make good progress towards final stages of vegetable planting. Major farm activities included: planting vegetables, sweet corn, field corn; transplanting broadleaf tobacco; cutting haylage, making dry hay; harvesting strawberries; spreading manure; mowing; cultivating; hilling potatoes; irrigating; top-dressing, side-dressing fields with fertilizer; monitoring fields; applying herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 4 4 12 Short 14 13 25 Adequate 78 80 59 Surplus 4 3 4 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 4 3 11 Short 14 12 22 Adequate 78 78 65 Surplus 4 7 2 --------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report Farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage at a fast pace during the week as first cut hay reached 70 percent. Second cut hay has begun and the condition of the crop was rated good to excellent. Corn silage planting made good gains and planting was completed by weeks end. Maine potatoes were fully emerged during the week and crop condition was rated excellent to good. Maine oat and barley crops were both rated in good to excellent condition. Broadleaf tobacco transplanting was completed with the condition of the crop rated as good. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Orchardist continue to monitor fields and spray as necessary. Some producers reported this year's apple crop may be a little short due to the unusual cold winter and damp spring conditions. Maine Wild Blueberry growers used fly traps to monitor fields for fruit flies. Cranberries growers applied insecticides and fertilizer as needed and irrigated during the week to relieve dry conditions. Weather conditions have been favorable for pollination. Strawberries harvest advanced to 70 percent and producers say this is one of the best crops ever. VEGETABLES: Sweet corn was available in time for the 4th of July in some locations. Operators took advantage of weather conditions by harvesting beets, beans, greenhouse tomatoes, cabbage, summer squash, peas, spinach, lettuce and radishes. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Emerged -- Barley, ME 100 100 100 Good/Excel Oats, ME 100 100 100 Good/Excel Potatoes Maine 100 100 100 Excel/Good Mass 100 100 100 Good/Fair Rhode Isl 100 100 100 Good/Excel Silage Corn 95 90 95 Good Sweet Corn 95 85 90 Good/Excel -- Percent Planted -- Silage Corn 100 95 99 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 99 95 95 Good/Excel Tobacco Broadleaf 100 95 95 Good -- Percent Harvested -- Dry Hay First Cut 80 75 75 Good/Fair Second Cut 5 5 10 Good/Excel ----------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Fruit Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Size Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples -- -- -- Avg Good/Fair Peaches -- -- -- Avg Fair/Good Pears -- -- -- Avg Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush -- -- -- Avg Good/Fair Wild -- -- -- B.Avg Poor/Fair Cranberries,MA Avg Fair/Good Strawberries 70 60 70 Avg Good/Fair ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, July 04, 2004 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 37 84 62 -5 0.20 2.32 NH 35 90 62 -4 0.29 1.34 VT 42 85 62 -5 0.23 1.44 MA 45 88 67 -2 0.01 1.08 RI 50 86 69 -1 0.01 0.78 CT 44 89 68 -3 0.08 0.73 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004: 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 28, 2004 To: Sunday July 4, 2004 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 43 81 62 -7 537 -198 116 -94 Allagash 37 79 59 -6 301 -144 30 -39 Augusta_State_A 53 80 66 -3 637 -51 167 -19 Bangor_Intl_Arp 48 80 64 -4 577 -29 144 +1 Barnard 43 80 61 -5 461 -46 91 -5 Bath 48 80 63 -5 505 -99 112 -32 Bethel 48 84 64 -4 606 -16 148 -1 Brassua_Dam 43 78 59 -5 350 -49 40 -16 Brunswick_ME 49 82 64 -3 647 +43 170 +26 Caribou_Municip 44 76 60 -5 396 -94 72 -17 Corinna 46 80 63 -4 553 -43 132 -3 Danforth 42 78 60 -6 395 -160 56 -68 Dover-Foxcroft 45 81 61 -5 396 -111 73 -23 Durham 48 80 63 -7 555 -176 135 -81 East_Hiram 45 82 62 -5 557 -63 135 -13 Eustis 42 79 58 -6 352 -47 51 +0 Frenchville 43 74 59 -5 342 -103 47 -22 Gray 53 80 66 -1 684 +98 193 +63 Greenville_ME 50 81 64 -2 599 +81 155 +56 Guilford 41 80 59 -6 341 -166 52 -44 Hollis 45 83 63 -4 595 +23 155 +32 Houlton 37 78 59 -6 400 -103 80 -16 Kennebunkport 44 77 63 -8 480 -303 90 -150 Livermore_Falls 46 84 65 +0 600 +89 162 +66 Moosehead 41 80 58 -6 362 -37 48 -8 New_Sharon 47 80 62 -3 529 +18 102 +6 Patten 43 77 59 -7 381 -122 61 -35 Portage 43 76 60 -5 369 -121 60 -29 Portland_ME 49 78 65 -3 606 +20 161 +31 Rangeley 43 80 59 -3 384 +5 52 +8 Sebec_Lake 42 81 61 -5 463 -55 95 -4 Vanceboro 44 78 61 -6 399 -107 65 -31 Waterville 47 80 63 -6 556 -179 123 -87 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 42 87 64 -4 643 -76 181 -23 Benton 46 79 62 -4 591 -10 141 +14 Berlin_AG 46 83 62 -4 593 +0 149 +17 Bethlehem 42 82 61 -5 512 -89 104 -25 Concord 45 85 66 -3 872 +153 299 +95 Diamond_Pond 43 77 57 -5 341 -12 42 +10 First_Conn_Lake 42 80 59 -3 336 -17 41 +9 Greenville 48 90 67 +1 865 +217 291 +136 Keene_AP 45 82 64 -6 822 -23 247 -32 Lakeport 52 85 66 -2 777 +112 242 +65 Marlow 39 79 59 -10 518 -235 103 -115 Mount_Washingto 35 56 43 -4 26 +21 0 +0 North_Conway 50 84 65 -3 700 +36 211 +36 Otter_Brook_Lk 45 83 64 -6 738 -107 203 -76 Plymouth 43 83 62 -4 575 +6 132 +8 Rochester 46 83 65 -5 716 -63 222 -18 Weare 51 80 65 -4 726 -27 209 -9 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 44 84 62 -5 664 +48 161 +20 Bethel 42 84 63 -3 666 +88 180 +50 Burlington_Intl 52 81 66 -4 865 +69 308 +54 East_Haven 42 82 61 -3 527 +61 121 +35 Island_Pond 44 78 59 -4 487 +23 95 +13 Montpelier 48 80 62 -4 657 +55 180 +39 Morrisville_AG 43 81 61 -5 508 -81 113 -26 Mount_Mansfield 42 72 54 -4 228 +19 21 +9 Northfield 46 83 62 -4 587 +58 138 +28 Pownal 48 76 62 -5 731 +109 185 +38 Rochester 43 81 62 -4 650 +72 166 +36 Rutland_AG 47 80 63 -7 706 -142 175 -105 Sunderland 42 80 61 -8 650 -162 148 -106 Sutton 45 81 61 -3 506 +40 110 +24 Townshend_Lake 45 84 64 -6 741 -26 203 -31 Union_Vill_Dam 42 85 63 -7 665 -117 193 -48 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 50 83 66 -1 796 +158 240 +82 Boston/Logan_In 59 85 71 -2 1005 +68 393 +65 Greenfield 48 83 66 -5 901 -12 301 -17 New_Bedford 51 83 68 -5 861 -60 270 -40 Otis_AFB 57 79 68 -1 787 +98 246 +59 Plymouth 50 82 67 -3 813 +77 269 +51 Walpole 53 85 69 +0 938 +147 327 +83 West_Medway 50 88 68 -2 955 +164 338 +94 Chicopee/Westov 52 84 69 -5 1089 +22 425 +16 Worcester 55 82 68 +0 911 +190 314 +113 Worthington 46 81 63 -4 702 +73 183 +34 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 57 86 71 +0 1023 +149 377 +83 Woonsocket 50 84 68 -2 923 +146 321 +96 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 44 81 63 -10 807 -221 235 -157 Bridgeport/Siko 57 86 71 -1 1084 +136 411 +67 Hartford/Bradle 53 85 70 -3 1117 +96 443 +54 Norfolk 49 78 64 -3 794 +167 240 +91 Norwich 54 86 70 -1 1017 +98 368 +54 Thomaston_Dam 46 89 68 -1 1059 +270 398 +163 Willimantic 48 84 68 -2 989 +190 350 +110 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.44 +0.65 5 2.46 -0.82 9 Allagash 0.85 +0.07 2 4.40 +1.42 13 Augusta_State_A 0.36 -0.39 3 1.65 -1.41 11 Bangor_Intl_Arp 1.26 +0.49 5 2.68 -0.40 10 Barnard 1.46 +0.62 4 2.87 -0.58 11 Bath 0.49 -0.25 4 2.35 -0.93 11 Bethel 0.67 -0.18 3 1.42 -2.22 11 Brassua_Dam 1.47 +0.53 3 2.86 -0.84 11 Brunswick_ME 0.39 -0.35 4 2.04 -1.24 12 Caribou_Municip 1.34 +0.54 5 3.65 +0.82 16 Corinna 0.95 +0.18 3 2.51 -0.78 7 Danforth 1.21 +0.35 4 4.18 +0.77 13 Dover-Foxcroft 1.74 +0.90 4 2.76 -0.69 11 Durham 0.80 -0.03 4 2.33 -1.09 11 East_Hiram 0.56 -0.28 3 1.51 -2.00 10 Eustis 1.25 +0.41 3 2.78 -0.40 9 Frenchville 2.32 +1.54 5 5.68 +2.70 17 Gray 0.36 -0.41 4 1.65 -1.54 11 Greenville_ME 0.98 +0.14 4 1.68 -1.77 10 Guilford 0.88 +0.04 4 2.07 -1.38 13 Hollis 0.38 -0.43 3 1.75 -1.64 12 Houlton 1.02 +0.23 6 2.64 -0.46 16 Kennebunkport 0.51 -0.25 3 1.48 -1.82 10 Livermore_Falls 0.73 -0.12 3 2.32 -1.42 11 Moosehead 1.28 +0.34 4 2.83 -0.87 12 New_Sharon 0.28 -0.57 2 1.13 -2.61 8 Patten 1.20 +0.41 6 3.17 +0.07 17 Portage 2.06 +1.26 6 4.61 +1.78 16 Portland_ME 0.21 -0.56 3 1.19 -2.00 11 Rangeley 1.47 +0.64 3 2.50 -0.92 10 Sebec_Lake 1.00 +0.16 4 2.36 -1.09 12 Vanceboro 1.19 +0.42 4 3.12 +0.12 12 Waterville 0.43 -0.36 3 1.86 -1.42 9 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.33 -0.38 1 1.78 -1.18 11 Benton 0.87 +0.04 3 2.18 -1.31 12 Berlin_AG 0.78 -0.10 2 1.58 -2.20 9 Bethlehem 1.34 +0.43 3 2.49 -1.26 12 Concord 0.41 -0.30 2 1.82 -1.14 12 Diamond_Pond 0.60 -0.45 2 4.07 -0.24 10 First_Conn_Lake 0.29 -0.76 3 2.17 -2.14 11 Greenville 0.42 -0.42 2 1.41 -2.03 5 Keene_AP 0.60 -0.23 2 1.93 -1.42 8 Lakeport 0.44 -0.34 3 1.77 -1.44 9 Marlow 0.81 -0.03 1 2.22 -1.18 7 Mount_Washingto 1.11 -0.56 4 3.87 -3.32 13 North_Conway 0.46 -0.42 3 1.75 -1.93 14 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.73 -0.10 2 2.49 -0.86 10 Plymouth 0.71 -0.13 3 1.32 -2.04 9 Rochester 0.60 -0.19 3 1.54 -1.70 9 Weare 0.45 -0.39 3 2.51 -0.89 13 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.51 -0.47 3 1.91 -2.26 11 Bethel 0.77 -0.07 3 2.35 -1.09 8 Burlington_Intl 1.05 +0.23 4 3.12 -0.17 13 East_Haven 0.39 -0.59 3 2.11 -1.87 12 Island_Pond 0.62 -0.36 2 3.09 -0.89 12 Montpelier 1.17 +0.46 4 2.43 -0.71 12 Morrisville_AG 0.44 -0.47 3 3.00 -0.75 13 Mount_Mansfield 1.26 -0.24 4 5.58 -0.64 15 Northfield 0.90 +0.14 3 2.23 -0.69 10 Pownal 1.44 +0.46 3 2.93 -1.24 11 Rochester 0.83 -0.01 3 3.00 -0.44 10 Rutland_AG 0.98 +0.14 3 3.33 -0.03 10 Sunderland 0.69 -0.01 3 1.56 -1.43 11 Sutton 0.74 -0.24 4 2.19 -1.79 13 Townshend_Lake 0.51 -0.19 4 2.26 -0.61 12 Union_Vill_Dam 0.76 +0.06 3 2.20 -0.78 11 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.68 -0.16 4 2.38 -0.98 13 Boston/Logan_In 1.08 +0.41 3 2.17 -0.66 8 Greenfield 0.30 -0.57 1 1.48 -2.05 9 New_Bedford 0.31 -0.41 3 0.92 -2.32 9 Otis_AFB 0.16 -0.53 2 1.03 -1.91 7 Plymouth 0.65 -0.12 3 1.35 -1.81 10 Walpole 0.51 -0.31 2 1.85 -1.61 8 West_Medway 1.00 +0.18 2 3.08 -0.38 7 Chicopee/Westov 0.51 -0.38 2 1.27 -2.45 10 Worcester 0.50 -0.39 3 1.35 -2.26 10 Worthington 0.71 -0.20 2 2.34 -1.27 11 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.36 -0.36 3 1.07 -1.96 8 Woonsocket 0.78 -0.13 3 1.42 -2.34 8 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.34 -0.43 3 1.27 -2.12 10 Bridgeport/Siko 0.15 -0.69 1 0.62 -2.60 9 Hartford/Bradle 0.58 -0.19 2 2.30 -1.09 10 Norfolk 0.46 -0.53 4 3.14 -1.09 13 Norwich 0.43 -0.34 2 1.33 -1.71 9 Thomaston_Dam 0.25 -0.66 3 0.88 -2.87 11 Willimantic 0.35 -0.56 1 1.69 -1.82 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 2004: 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: Harvesting summer squash, cabbage, strawberries, and limited sweet corn. Broadleaf tobacco planting complete. Irrigating sweet corn. Shade tobacco harvest to begin. Hay made in middle of week, both first and second. Scattered thunder storms Thursday, some with hail. Heavy rain Monday - up to two inches. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Getting dry in some cornfields. Blueberries are tasty and plentiful. Localized hail damage in two towns. Overall, things are looking good. Deer damage in sweet corn fields is being reported. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Hot and heavy action in hay-making. Corn looking good. Fruits and vegetables promising. Scattered thunderstorms causing some problems and damage. Milk production down a bit from 2003 on farms with lower quality forage and cows dealing with hotter weather. First-cut (hay) all in. Farmers commented that corn and hay progress much better than last year at this time. Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: One night of spotty evening thunderstorms with heavy downpours, hail in some areas. One rainy day with intermittent showers. Very humid. Corn was starting to stress, showers helped a bit. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Finally, smaller farms seem to be finishing up first cut hay. Haylage makers are on the second cut. Pre-sidedress nitriate nitrogen tests are coming in higher than normal. No major rainfall events to leach away nitrogen, should mean some money saved on top-dressed nitrogen this season. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Rainy weather has made field work difficult. Sunny weather at the end of the week however, gave growers the opportunity to catch up hilling potato fields. Growers busy side-dressing nitrogen and applying fungicides and potash as required. Crops are growing rapidly thanks to adequate moisture and warmer temperatures. Growers also scouting fields to monitor insect and disease pressure - no real problems yet. Many growers on a five day spray schedule. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Hilling and cultivating are progressing. Fungicides are being applied. Emergence of crops is 100 percent. Crops look excellent. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: No pests at this time. We do need more sunshine to get caught up on cultivating. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Showers came frequently enough to keep mowed hay from drying. Potatoes are starting to blossom. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Haying continues but showers are making it difficult. Some row crops had to be re-planted due to wet, cool conditions. Wet weather a factor in spanworm infestations on newly burned blueberry fields. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Fly traps being placed in the fields to monitor for blueberry fruit fly. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: This week was warm and sunny. Good weather for haying. Silage corn coming up slow. Strawberry season in full swing. Jill Littlefield (FSA), Cumberland/York: Hay crop is good, but it's hard to find three days of dry weather to make hay bales. Corn and vegetables are behind, but are coming along now. A little heat would help the crops. The weeds are growing fine! Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: It looks like June weather wants to hang around for awhile. The corn is starting to take off but we need some sun and heat. There are lots of strawberries for sale. The apple crop will be short because of poor winter and spring conditions. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Haying activities continue. Days have been warm, however, the nights have been cool. Cultivation of potatoes, picking of strawberries, peas, swiss chard, beets, and other assorted vegetables. Reports of winter kill of apple trees. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Haying between light rain showers. Beginning to side-dress/top-dress both corn and hay. Orchardists are checking conditions and spraying as needed. Very little of the county in need of water because of rain patterns here. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Many cranberry and vegetable growers are irrigating on a regular basis. Conditions are dry but crops are not suffering yet. Cranberries are in full bloom and are setting fruit, conditions are excellent. Growers continue to apply insecticides and fertilizer. Vegetables growers have completed planting and are prepared to start picking sweet corn this week. Many other vegetable crops are being harvested with excellent yields. First cutting of hay has been excellent, above average yields and good harvest weather. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Bloom continues, with early cultivars going out of bloom with pinheads and small berries telling us how good the set will be. Pollination weather has been excellent. Many more bumblebees than last year helping out the honeybees. Cooler and drier weather should be good contributing factors for fruit quality. Fruit worm sprays will begin this week. Second and third fungicide applications this week as well. Dodder exploding in some beds, in spite of Kerb application earlier this spring. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Some much needed rain has fallen. Now harvesting cabbage, broccoli, summer squash, zucchini, peas, spinach, kale, collards and finishing up strawberries. Everything looks good after the rain, should be picking sweet corn this week. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Strawberry picking continues to be strong this week but the crop is winding down. The big news is that local sweet corn was ready for the '4th of July.' Roadside stands did a brisk business this past weekend. Farm activities include side-dressing, hilling, thinning and final planting. All crops are doing well now that they've had some rain. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: The week days were warm and sunny with cool nights. Well needed rain showers arrived on the holiday weekend. Late plantings of cabbage, cucumbers and lettuce continued. Harvesting sweet corn, blueberries, summer squash, zucchini, peas, beets, beans, greens, radishes and lettuce. The strawberry harvest is winding down and the crop was excellent. The potato and apple crops look excellent. Growers are scouting for insects and diseases. Due to the cool nights, disease pressure is low. Gary Guida, Worcester: Perfect week for sales and field work. Many growers (including myself) have planted even more sweet corn in hopes of late frost. Plantings here now at 120 percent. Strawberries finished with best year ever. Flower sales still strong. Harvesting summer crops, roto-tilling between plastic aisles, side- dressing pumpkins, spraying for cuke beetle, top-dressing corn. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Plenty of warmth and sun all week, plus a brief shower or two - more rain wouldn't hurt. Great weather for field corn - many fields are chest-high. Lots of opportunities to finish up first cutting hay and start second cutting. First plantings of sweet corn starting to tassel. Farm stands offering peas, broccoli, beets, greens, plus summer squash, cukes, and tomatoes from high tunnels. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Mix of sunny weather and showers with good rainfall (at week's end). Becoming warmer, finally. Seeing some rapid corn growth and regrowth of first cut haylage. Good amount of first cut dry hay now in; decent quality and quantity. Timothy (grass) headed out and the clover is in bloom. Early season veggies now available at farmstands/markets. Followup post-emergence spraying of corn fields and annual grasses (ahead of the game in some corn fields). Corn roughly 12-14 inches high, about ready for soil nitrate testing to start. Crows and geese seen eating the corn in some fields, especially later planted fields. Cucumber beetles and rose chafers now making an appearance. Apple fruit set was poor. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Second cutting continues as weather permits. Spring seeding are being harvested. Yields look good to excellent due to moisture throughout the period. Corn growing well. Showers slowing first cut from finishing up. Difficult to dry hay. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit: Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and apply sprays for pest control, if needed. Also, growers are training young fruit trees along with mowing orchard floor. Strawberry harvest is nearly over (95 percent harvest) and getting to renovate harvested beds. First blueberries harvested during the end of the week. Field Crops: Farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage at a faster rate. Growers are taking soil nitrate test and side-dressing fertilizer to field corn if needed and spreading manure on harvested hayfields. Vegetables: Continuing successive planting. Growers continued harvesting early season vegetables such as lettuce, greens, radishes, summer squash. Growers busy trying to side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating, mowing weeds, scouting for pests and spraying if needed. John Porter (Ext), Merrimack: A good stretch of weather prior to the 'July 4th weekend' provided good conditions for a lot of hay harvesting, but nutrient content is down due to late harvest. Windy conditions and sunny days caused the soil to dry out quickly. Some corn on dry soils was showing stress. Vegetable and berry crops are doing well. Blueberries are starting to turn blue. Netting needs to be put up to keep the birds out. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Renovating asparagus beds. Strawberry picking winding down. Good weather week for farm work. Some blueberries farms getting ready to open in the next few days. Farm stands and farmers' markets busy selling leafy vegetables, greenhouse tomatoes and other vegetables. Weeding and monitoring pests in vegetable fields; also monitoring pests in orchards, spraying accordingly and mowing grass. Some growers are trying to finish planting field corn. Haying continues. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Second cutting of alfalfa haylage is in full swing. PYO Strawberries are winding down and should be done this week. Many reports of a great crop this year. Spot showers have helped the gardens but fields could use more of a steady rain. Farmers markets have reported great turnouts and many vendors selling out of their products. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Strawberry season is hanging on with some great picking left. Some haying done this week, spraying herbicides for corn and pesticides on field crops. Good weather for field work, harvesting early crops. Roadside stands were busy and decked out with red, white and blue. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Harvesting blueberries and strawberries. Spraying corn. Haying. Heavy rain and hail on Friday and heavy rain on Monday. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Another warm week was beneficial for crops after what seemed like a cool month of June. Grass growth has been good with most corn nearly knee high the '4th of July.' Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Warmer weather has helped push the corn crop. It is still a little short for this time of year but has a good green color. Rain showers made it difficult to dry hay this past week. Most of the first crop has been harvested. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: 2004 corn growing season has been excellent in Windham County. We are looking for some hot humid weather. Most early planted corn is well over five feet high. Second cut alfalfa is just about ready for harvest. Veggie growers are reporting that the bug population around cucumber and squash are becoming a problem. Having to spray ever other day for control. Sweet corn needs hotter weather to ripen. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Dry hay harvest nearly complete. Grass and alfalfa regrowth vigorous. Side-dress corn with nitrogen. Cultivation of corn. Pasture regrowth slower. Good soil moisture for the most part. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: Week of warm weather was welcomed by the corn crop. Some fields waist high; others just emerging. Many acres planted during early season rains were replanted. Grass and alfalfa regrowth coming along nicely. Rain showers during week helped to replenish soil moisture. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Cultivating and fertilizing all vine crops. Still putting nitrogen on later varieties of sweet corn. Sprayed potatoes a second time for blight and potato bugs. Lots of haying being done with the spell of good weather. Rain showers (0.726 inches) helped a lot. Early sweet corn well above knee high by the "4th of July." Corn color is better and lots of tassels. Picking a good crop of early peas. Lots of early crops in the markets now. Have a good "4th of July!" June 2004 Crop Weather Summary: The cool, wet conditions that were prevalent in May, continued into June; hindered planting in most locations. By mid-June, dry, sunny weather allowed New England farmers the opportunity to complete the planting of most major crops. First cut hay moved into high gear with the warmer temperatures as farmers anticipated good crop yields. Second cutting was underway by the end of the month and was reported in better condition than the first cutting. Potato were fully emerged in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and was nearly all emerged in Maine by the end of June. The condition of the potato crop ranged from good to excellent in all states. By late June, Maine oat and barley crops were fully emerged and were in good or excellent condition. The transplanting of shade tobacco was completed by the end of the first week in June; growers throughout the region were still active setting out the last of the broadleaf tobacco plants at the end of the month. Orchardists scouted for disease and insect pests and applied protective fungicides and insecticides as needed. The conditions of tree fruit crops remained in good or fair condition. Winter damage was seen in some apple and peach orchards due to the extremely cold temperatures over the winter. Forty-five percent of New England's strawberry crop had been harvested as of late June, with the crop rated as good to fair in most areas. Massachusetts' cranberry crop had reached petal fall by month's end and was reported in fair to good condition. Maine's wild blueberry crop was rated in poor to fair condition as of late June. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext), Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), or other knowledgeable individuals. -- 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 Statistician: Dianne Johnson Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt Deputy Director: Joe Samson 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 ***********************