State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 09/05/04 Issue NH-CW3604 Volume 24, Number 20 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) September 7, 2004 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary COOLER TEMPERATURES ARRIVE For the week ending September 5, 2004, there were 6.1 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 1 percent very short, 11 percent short, 69 percent adequate, 19 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 7 percent short, 78 percent adequate, 15 percent surplus. Pasture condition was rated 13 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 42 percent good, 15 percent excellent. Hot, humid temperatures and thunderstorms began the week. Storms caused flooding of fields in lowlands areas. Dry weather, lower humidity, and cooler temperatures arrived by mid week helping to provide ideal weather for fall harvest. Major farm activities included: desiccating potato vines; spreading manure; monitoring fields; applying pesticides; cutting and baling hay; harvesting barley, oats, apples, peaches, pears, highbush and wild blueberries, broadleaf and shade tobacco, potatoes, sweet corn and other vegetables. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 1 0 1 Short 11 9 17 Adequate 69 71 76 Surplus 19 20 6 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 0 0 0 Short 7 8 21 Adequate 78 77 77 Surplus 15 15 2 --------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report Haying continued during the week as weather permitted, but the quality of the crop has diminished in some areas. It has been difficult for many growers to put up a good crop of first cut hay; though the second and third cut of hay has progressed steadily. Silage corn is ripening quickly and chopping has begun in some locations; growers are hoping for good yields. Maine potato growers continued spraying fungicides to control late blight. Vine dessication continued as well. Oat and barley harvest made good gains last week and crop conditions were rated fair to good. Harvest of shade tobacco is nearing completion while broadleaf harvest is slightly behind last year and normal. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Apple, peach and pear harvest was ongoing last week. Peach harvest advanced rapidly as 90 percent of the crop has been picked. Pear conditions in Connecticut and Massachusetts continue to range from very poor to good in the two-state region. Pick-your-own apples has begun in many locations and sales have been brisk. Some orchardist applied apple maggot spray on late harvested varieties. Massachusetts cranberry growers are hoping to begin harvest next week. Cranberry specialist reported there will be no white berries harvested this year. Harvest of Maine Wild blueberries finished up last week and highbush blueberry harvest is nearing completion. VEGETABLES: Sweet corn growers continue to scout for ear worm damage in fields. Harvest of fall crops was steady as producers harvested peppers, pumpkins, Indian corn, winter squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, squash, garlic, and melons are in good supply at farm stands and markets. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Barley, ME 60 60 65 Fair/Good Oats, ME 30 40 50 Fair/Good Potatoes: Maine 5 5 5 Fair/Good Mass 40 35 40 Good Rhode Isl 50 55 55 Good/Excel Silage Corn -- -- 10 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 80 80 80 Good/Excel Tobacco: Shade 95 90 95 Good Broadleaf 85 90 95 Good Dry Hay: First Cut 99 100 100 Second Cut 85 90 90 Good/Fair Third Cut 40 40 45 Good/Excel ----------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples 20 20 20 Good/Fair Peaches 90 70 75 Good/Fair Pears 30 15 20 Good Blueberries Highbush 95 95 95 Wild 100 100 99 Cranberries,MA -- -- -- Good/Fair ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, September 5, 2004 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 33 88 62 +2 0.06 4.24 NH 34 89 65 +4 0.00 3.44 VT 36 89 64 +4 0.29 3.32 MA 44 90 70 +5 0.01 3.69 RI 53 87 71 +5 0.42 1.07 CT 50 90 71 +6 0.04 1.36 ---------------------------------------------- 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 August 30, 2004 To: Sunday September 5, 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 41 84 64 +0 1569 -322 536 -211 Allagash 33 71 54 -4 1054 -195 256 -63 Augusta_State_A 49 82 66 +3 1761 -71 661 -48 Bangor_Intl_Arp 45 82 65 +4 1681 +8 627 +32 Barnard 38 80 60 +1 1406 -46 436 -7 Bath 45 82 65 +2 1565 -148 545 -89 Bethel 41 83 64 +3 1621 -36 543 -31 Brassua_Dam 37 75 59 +1 1170 -38 292 -13 Brunswick_ME 47 80 66 +3 1755 +42 652 +18 Caribou_Municip 36 73 57 -2 1304 -41 413 +40 Corinna 41 83 63 +3 1585 -7 553 +27 Danforth 39 77 60 +0 1305 -245 376 -140 Dover-Foxcroft 37 83 61 +1 1314 -138 392 -51 Durham 45 82 64 +0 1577 -367 533 -269 East_Hiram 42 83 64 +3 1522 -127 486 -82 Eustis 35 75 58 +2 1097 -76 251 -26 Frenchville 35 68 55 -3 1202 -47 350 +31 Gray 49 84 67 +5 1823 +135 703 +92 Greenville_ME 43 80 64 +4 1690 +227 633 +180 Guilford 41 78 61 +1 1133 -319 278 -165 Hollis 43 85 65 +4 1631 +50 570 +49 Houlton 33 80 60 +2 1338 -67 446 +28 Kennebunkport 47 80 65 -2 1462 -591 453 -427 Livermore_Falls 40 88 65 +6 1687 +260 631 +210 Moosehead 37 77 59 +2 1168 -40 283 -22 New_Sharon 42 85 63 +5 1535 +108 492 +71 Patten 37 75 59 +2 1255 -150 352 -66 Portage 37 75 58 -1 1277 -68 389 +16 Portland_ME 49 82 67 +5 1732 +44 659 +48 Rangeley 38 76 60 +3 1200 +62 297 +38 Sebec_Lake 39 80 61 +2 1415 -48 445 -8 Vanceboro 40 76 60 -1 1332 -145 398 -67 Waterville 43 82 65 +2 1667 -224 611 -136 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 43 88 66 +3 1696 -145 619 -90 Benton 42 82 64 +5 1539 +14 494 +31 Berlin_AG 41 81 63 +4 1564 +28 517 +31 Bethlehem 39 84 62 +3 1423 -101 437 -27 Concord 45 89 69 +7 2102 +261 900 +191 Diamond_Pond 37 74 57 +2 1010 -25 197 -6 First_Conn_Lake 35 80 58 +3 1057 +22 231 +28 Greenville 48 89 69 +8 2090 +424 887 +325 Keene_AP 46 88 68 +4 1982 -71 783 -81 Lakeport 49 88 68 +8 1988 +263 824 +198 Marlow 40 84 63 -1 1392 -472 391 -320 Mount_Washingto 34 58 47 +4 134 +73 2 +2 North_Conway 44 85 65 +4 1798 +83 690 +75 Otter_Brook_Lk 45 88 67 +3 1862 -191 700 -164 Plymouth 41 85 65 +5 1556 +44 496 +28 Rochester 47 87 68 +4 1863 -103 739 -66 Weare 47 84 67 +4 1829 -35 688 -23 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 41 86 65 +4 1636 +30 526 -1 Bethel 40 88 65 +5 1698 +172 608 +129 Burlington_Intl 46 87 65 +3 2052 +85 877 +72 East_Haven 36 86 62 +4 1456 +180 470 +142 Island_Pond 40 82 61 +4 1403 +142 428 +113 Montpelier 42 87 65 +5 1697 +148 614 +123 Morrisville_AG 41 87 63 +4 1499 -46 514 +18 Mount_Mansfield 38 70 54 +2 693 +24 74 +8 Northfield 41 88 64 +6 1600 +189 548 +140 Pownal 48 85 67 +6 1790 +178 618 +90 Rochester 43 87 66 +6 1691 +165 594 +115 Rutland_AG 43 89 65 +2 1779 -252 645 -196 Sunderland 43 87 66 +3 1644 -303 537 -231 Sutton 40 83 62 +4 1400 +124 412 +84 Townshend_Lake 46 86 67 +4 1824 -104 661 -116 Union_Vill_Dam 44 89 66 +3 1753 -191 663 -122 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 49 86 69 +8 1968 +296 784 +205 Boston/Logan_In 59 88 73 +5 2376 +33 1134 +32 Greenfield 51 88 70 +5 2120 -75 891 -80 New_Bedford 49 85 70 +2 2142 -223 924 -198 Otis_AFB 50 88 71 +6 2065 +139 899 +105 Plymouth 49 86 70 +5 2070 +84 900 +61 Walpole 54 87 71 +7 2243 +231 1002 +165 West_Medway 52 90 72 +7 2251 +239 1004 +167 Chicopee/Westov 52 88 71 +2 2384 -128 1093 -130 Worcester 55 85 70 +6 2120 +243 893 +157 Worthington 46 87 67 +5 1730 +91 593 +47 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 56 87 73 +6 2400 +165 1124 +100 Woonsocket 53 86 71 +7 2202 +222 970 +171 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 50 86 68 +2 1897 -522 699 -453 Bridgeport/Siko 62 86 75 +6 2567 +164 1264 +95 Hartford/Bradle 54 89 73 +6 2519 +107 1215 +66 Norfolk 52 83 68 +7 1875 +232 694 +145 Norwich 54 88 73 +6 2395 +148 1116 +105 Thomaston_Dam 50 90 71 +7 2377 +419 1086 +308 Willimantic 51 86 71 +6 2268 +272 1000 +189 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.02 +0.24 1 6.04 +2.73 13 Allagash 0.95 +0.04 3 4.28 +0.56 11 Augusta_State_A 1.31 +0.60 3 6.54 +3.58 14 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.72 -0.06 3 4.10 +1.01 13 Barnard 0.28 -0.63 3 4.88 +1.43 14 Bath 0.16 -0.54 1 4.98 +1.99 10 Bethel 0.23 -0.61 2 5.19 +1.62 13 Brassua_Dam 1.17 +0.33 3 4.84 +1.48 13 Brunswick_ME 0.28 -0.42 1 4.43 +1.44 10 Caribou_Municip 1.89 +1.04 4 4.83 +1.25 13 Corinna 0.75 -0.16 1 4.81 +1.30 10 Danforth 1.75 +0.84 4 4.51 +0.80 12 Dover-Foxcroft 0.18 -0.73 1 3.43 -0.02 9 Durham 0.48 -0.22 1 5.65 +2.85 12 East_Hiram 0.09 -0.68 1 3.17 -0.15 12 Eustis 0.95 +0.19 4 3.80 +0.73 11 Frenchville 1.61 +0.70 5 6.12 +2.40 13 Gray 0.35 -0.35 1 5.62 +2.96 13 Greenville_ME 4.24 +3.33 4 7.25 +3.80 16 Guilford 0.69 -0.22 4 6.48 +3.03 14 Hollis 0.32 -0.40 1 4.88 +2.04 11 Houlton 2.57 +1.66 5 5.25 +1.56 15 Kennebunkport 0.73 +0.03 2 7.81 +4.99 13 Livermore_Falls 0.22 -0.68 2 5.03 +1.31 12 Moosehead 0.75 -0.09 4 3.43 +0.07 13 New_Sharon 0.14 -0.76 2 4.41 +0.69 13 Patten 2.43 +1.52 6 6.66 +2.97 15 Portage 1.61 +0.76 5 5.20 +1.62 15 Portland_ME 0.32 -0.38 1 5.80 +3.14 10 Rangeley 1.00 +0.19 3 4.72 +1.16 14 Sebec_Lake 0.25 -0.66 2 4.90 +1.45 11 Vanceboro 1.74 +0.85 4 5.68 +2.51 15 Waterville 1.58 +0.80 1 5.72 +2.41 13 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.67 -0.03 2 6.53 +3.60 14 Benton 1.31 +0.49 2 5.21 +1.67 15 Berlin_AG 0.94 +0.08 2 4.87 +1.09 13 Bethlehem 2.17 +1.30 3 6.78 +2.85 15 Concord 0.72 +0.02 2 4.21 +1.28 11 Diamond_Pond 1.52 +0.47 3 6.10 +1.57 13 First_Conn_Lake 1.94 +0.89 3 8.44 +3.91 15 Greenville 0.00 -0.80 0 2.84 -0.70 7 Keene_AP 0.01 -0.76 1 2.11 -1.28 10 Lakeport 0.31 -0.42 2 3.46 +0.24 11 Marlow 0.18 -0.64 2 4.82 +1.50 11 Mount_Washingto 2.22 +0.36 3 9.22 +1.69 16 North_Conway 0.28 -0.56 3 4.43 +0.87 14 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.29 -0.48 3 4.19 +0.80 13 Plymouth 0.60 -0.17 3 3.20 -0.18 12 Rochester 0.42 -0.35 2 6.10 +2.94 10 Weare 0.43 -0.39 1 4.93 +1.61 13 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.61 -0.31 2 3.15 -0.71 13 Bethel 1.18 +0.21 2 4.50 +0.40 13 Burlington_Intl 3.22 +2.37 2 6.58 +2.97 14 East_Haven 1.75 +0.82 2 6.12 +1.99 15 Island_Pond 1.88 +0.95 3 6.15 +1.96 15 Montpelier 0.98 +0.22 3 5.52 +2.11 17 Morrisville_AG 1.30 +0.35 2 5.82 +1.60 13 Mount_Mansfield 3.32 +1.72 2 9.98 +3.26 14 Northfield 1.32 +0.52 2 7.30 +3.93 13 Pownal 1.31 +0.39 2 5.81 +1.95 13 Rochester 1.25 +0.28 2 6.13 +2.03 13 Rutland_AG 0.61 -0.30 2 6.07 +2.29 14 Sunderland 0.81 -0.09 3 5.00 +1.39 13 Sutton 2.14 +1.21 4 5.56 +1.43 16 Townshend_Lake 2.04 +1.20 3 5.54 +1.99 16 Union_Vill_Dam 0.76 -0.01 3 4.11 +0.83 12 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.58 -0.12 3 5.65 +2.62 15 Boston/Logan_In 0.35 -0.41 1 4.04 +1.04 8 Greenfield 0.30 -0.53 1 3.22 -0.09 12 New_Bedford 0.70 -0.18 1 5.05 +1.25 7 Otis_AFB 2.27 +1.50 2 5.11 +2.01 8 Plymouth 0.38 -0.60 2 4.67 +0.90 8 Walpole 0.72 -0.19 2 4.81 +1.18 9 West_Medway 0.31 -0.60 2 6.32 +2.69 7 Chicopee/Westov 0.10 -0.74 2 3.08 -0.18 11 Worcester 0.31 -0.60 2 4.20 +0.68 10 Worthington 0.31 -0.60 3 6.41 +2.73 13 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.42 -0.42 2 4.14 +0.78 8 Woonsocket 0.69 -0.22 3 6.19 +2.55 9 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.06 -0.85 2 4.11 +0.67 12 Bridgeport/Siko 0.04 -0.66 2 3.62 +0.77 8 Hartford/Bradle 0.10 -0.81 3 2.97 -0.47 12 Norfolk 0.08 -0.94 2 6.74 +2.58 12 Norwich 0.36 -0.55 2 4.20 +0.57 10 Thomaston_Dam 0.06 -0.92 2 4.20 +0.28 12 Willimantic 0.12 -0.79 2 2.73 -0.84 11 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: A nice dry holiday weekend made for a great way to celebrate the unofficial end of summer. Shipping product for the holiday weekend was a high priority for sweet corn and other summer veggies. A very nice week to put up second (and some third) cutting of hay. Some opening up of silage fields, but most growers are waiting for silage to dry down more. Some virus problems noticed in pumpkins. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Corn chopping has begun! A great week for fieldwork. PYO apples starting and they are tasty. Squash, gourds, pumpkins coming in. Farm stands and markets busy. Fall mums popular. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Growers getting ready to harvest. Continuing to spray potatoes to control the spread of late blight. Also continuing to apply vine desiccants. A few more acres of potatoes harvested for delivery to processor. Difficult week to harvest small grains with rain and high humidity. Grain yields are good and potatoes appear good in both size and quality. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Grains are about 40 percent harvested. Growers are continuing to apply fungicides to potatoes on a 5-day spray cycle. Potato vine dessication continues. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Looking for aphids. Still some vine dessication occurring in the potato fields. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Over a half inch of rain fell. Landowners are taking time to get construction projects done before cold weather. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Better weather allowed for more hay and silage to be harvested without rainfall interruption. Many fields are still wet and ruts are prevalent when trying to spread manure. Apple harvest has started. Colder weather, but no frost. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Blueberry harvest is done and fall pruning and weed control is underway. Haying continues but quality is diminished on some fields because of late harvest. Plenty of sweet corn at road side stands. More rain on the way from Hurricane Frances! Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: Another good week for crop growth and field work. It's a little late but the farmers will take it. Silage corn is looking fairly good, even though most of it is not as tall as producers like it to be. Sweet corn is still going strong, along with other market garden crops that consumers want. Some silage producers are talking about harvesting soon. They are running out of feed and some fields don't look like they will improve much. It's beginning, corn harvest and apple picking signal the ending of the season. Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Good weather conditions for harvesting continued this week. Apple orchards are open for pick your own sales. Nights and days have started getting cool, fall is in the air! Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: A big pile of hay went in last week. Third cut got started with a bang. Some fields and wet areas probably will not get cut at all this summer. Good week for corn growth and maturity. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Cool nights and warm, dry days. Great for harvesting hay. Farm stands are displaying potatoes, cabbages, broccoli and mums. Farmers are starting potato harvest. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: A good weather week. Farmers catching up on the end of first cutting as well as second and third crops. There was not much rain but several cloudy days. Sweet corn crop exceeds demand at this time of the summer as usual. Tomatoes are very slow to turn red but in good supply. Some silage corn is beginning to dent, but only a few fields. The rest need more time. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Good cool nights this week helped color the berries. The combination of the remnants of Gaston and Hermine gave most beds some rain on Tuesday; higher amounts occurred on the Cape. Growers are getting everything ready for harvest, which will begin next week. No white berries being harvested in Massachusetts this year; normally that would have begun last week. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Great week for field work. Good weather for making hay. Second cut hay just about finished. Apples and peaches are looking good. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: What a beautiful week of weather! Tobacco harvest concluded this week and fall vine crops took center stage. Silage corn is ripening quickly and the crop looks great with excellent yields. Second and third cut hay looks equally impressive with high yields and excellent quality. Farm stands were very busy over the Labor Day weekend. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Another sunny, warm and dry week for harvesting fall crops. Harvesting an array of fall crops such as potatoes, apples, cabbage, peppers, hay, pumpkins, Indian corn and winter squash. Overall, crops look good and sales are steady. A few growers are irrigating their fall crops due to this short spell of dry weather. Gary Guida, Worcester: What a week and weekend! People came to us regardless of the famous "bridge" in record numbers to show there support for local agriculture. Sold out of everything including mums! Harvesting all summer crops and beginning fall harvest this week between rain. Third planting of beans ready. Fall crops are just great, size, yield and condition. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Harvesting tomatoes, sweet corn and all warm season vegetables (finally!). The early apple harvest is here. Pastures are in great shape - grazing animals are happy. New pastures and hay fields are being seeded. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Lots of dry sunny weather. Producers took advantage of good drying conditions to finish up second cutting of dry hay and work on third. Third cutting alfalfa/grass for haylage continues. Pastures continue to look great. Most field corn still in late milk/early dough but some is denting and a couple of folks will be chopping early planted short-day corn with the first stretch of good weather. Some veggies starting to wind down, but there's still plenty of corn & tomatoes in farm stands. PYO apples continues with early varieties. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Substantial rain at beginning of week resulted in flooding of fields in lowlands along rivers. Hay and corn fields affected. Most receded towards the end of the week with ponding visible in low areas of some fields. Recently cut hay in these areas is of questionable value. Standing hay possibly affected by sediment and deposited debris. Field corn is beginning to show signs of increasing maturity, some at milk to early starch stages. However, some still a bit behind depending on location and planting time. Sweet corn and veggies fairly abundant at farm stands. Pumpkins beginning to show up. Blueberries approaching end of harvest. Ear worms in sweet corn. A difficult year to put up a good crop of dry hay. Second cut being taken before first by some farms or second cut growing up through first cut depending on how you look at it. Although drier weather at week's end, many areas are still saturated. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Haying operations continuing as weather permits. Corn continues to grow slowly. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: We received nearly 3.8 inches of rain during the last two days of August. Top soil conditions were soaked. Field corn still needs more warm weather to help the ears mature. Some of the farms who planted early have some very nice looking corn. Those who planted a little later in May, still need more warm temperatures. If the frost holds off, and we get an indian summer, things could still do well. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Vegetables: Harvesting an array of vegetables: beans, beets, cole crops, cucumbers, greens, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, winter squash, zucchini, and other vegetables. Mildew can be found on pumpkins and winter squash, farmers need to cut and pick up pumpkins and winter squash to help stop fruit from rotting. Some farmers are starting to cleaning up harvested fields and planting cover crops. Fruit: Orchardists harvesting apples (Marshall McIntosh, Ginger Gold, Gala), final peaches, and raspberry. Orchardists busy applying apple maggot sprays on late harvested apple varieties. Field Crops: Hay cutting continued during the week with the second and third cuttings being made. Some spreading manure on hay fields. Farmers making new forage seedings and some new seedings have germinated. Silage corn looking good, most fields are in late milk stage and some are starting to dent. Some farmers are starting to chop corn silage. John Porter (Ext), Merrimack: Apple picking has started and many of the stands are busy with pick your own customers. Squash, garlic, and melons in good supply at farmers markets. Good weather for harvesting all around. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Overall, was a nice week and good weather for Labor Day ended with a lot of Pick- Your-Own activities in apple orchards, blueberries and raspberries. Picking peaches, pears, summer and winter squash, and whole array of vegetables. Tomato horn worms feeding heavily on tomato plants. Hay making. Field corn growing on target and chopping to start in 10 days or so. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Another great haying week. Lots of baled hay being done followed by top-dressing of manure. Harvest of silage corn to begin soon. Vegetable stands still very busy at this time of year. PYO apple producers are reporting a good turnout with an above average crop. Blueberry picking has come to an end for this year. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: Pastures are lush and green. It's been a good season for pastures and hay fields. However the wet conditions have continued to make it difficult for farmers to cut and dry the hay. Hay making continued through the week with second cut being made. Blueberry season is over. Fruit growers harvesting apples and fall raspberries. Spur blight infection on raspberries for some growers. Growers pruning off the infected canes and removing from the orchard. Vegetable growers harvesting an array of vegetables. Wet conditions have caused slow ripening of many vegetable crops and a lot of disease problems. Mildew outbreak on pumpkins and other cucurbits. There is also high numbers of corn ear worm and European Corn Borer. Growers monitoring and spraying as needed. Fall mums and asters now on farm stands. Some varieties of asters seriously affected by powdery mildew. Growers spraying as needed. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Harvesting potatoes, sweet corn, cukes and all summer vegetables. Some third cut hay being done. Hard squash and pumpkin vines going down even with constant spraying. Field corn looks great and the roadside stands are filling up with corn stalks and fall mums. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Last week started off with flash flooding in parts of the county. Many acres of crop land were flooded with minimal damage to crops. Weather improved as waters receded allowing fieldwork to continue with a Labor Day weekend stretch of dry weather. Many still playing catchup on grass harvest due to wet conditions. Saw first field of corn silage being chopped over the weekend. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Dry weather this past week has made it possible for farmers to catch up on their field work. The land is still very wet and farmers need to pick their places that they can harvest. The corn looks better this week as well with the dry weather. Some fields look like the yields should be very good. The big question is will the corn mature in time for the harvest. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Another week of dry weather with only one or two showers. Farmers are starting to gear up for corn silage harvest. The harvest looks like it will be one of the best yields ever. Corn is starting to dry-down on some varieties and other are still growing. Apple producers are still happy with this years production and the cooler nights have helped the color. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Starting to test corn for dry matter. some ears at half milk stage. Test chopping a few corn fields. Finish second cut dry hay harvest. Third cut haylage starting. Soils still very wet. Pasture regrowth slow but steady. First year seeded alfalfa strong. Soybeans starting to fill pods. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Heavy rain at beginning of week, river banks were full. Then some of the best weather of the summer. Lots of second and third cut hay put in, a bit of fourth cut on some farms. Now they are predicting two to four inches of rain this week, that does not sound good for corn silage harvest. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext), Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), or other knowledgeable individuals. August 2004 Crop Weather Summary: Warm, humid and rainy weather dominated the month, with conditions turning cooler and drier toward month's end. Shower activity and lack of sunshine provided unfavorable growing conditions for many field crops, and harvest progress lagged behind last year and normal by month's end at many locations. Maine small grain harvest was initially delayed due to wet conditions, but dry weather the last week of August moved harvest into high gear. Oats advanced to 20 percent harvested and barley was 40 percent harvested by the end of the month; both crops were about a week behind schedule. Massachusetts and Rhode Island potato harvest kept pace with the five-year average, and crop conditions were good to excellent as the month drew to a close. Late blight was discovered in Aroostook County, Maine at the end of July, and growers intensified their spraying efforts during August to combat the disease. Potato crop conditions were rated good to fair as of August 29, with growers readying machinery and desiccating vines in preparation for harvest. The prolonged lack of sunshine with cooler than normal evening temperatures in August slowed field corn maturity, and harvest was expected to be delayed at some locations. Crop condition ratings were mostly good to fair by month's end. Both shade and broadleaf tobacco harvest trailed last year and the five- year average. Blue mold was identified in the Connecticut River Valley on August 3, 2004, and growers were on a tight protective spray schedule all month. The bulk of the tobacco crop was harvested by the end of August, with condition generally good across the two states. Rain and a lack of consecutive dry days hampered dry hay harvest in New England this summer. By the end of the month, first and second crop hay harvest was winding down, and third crop harvest was just getting underway. Orchardists harvested peaches in August, and had just begun early apple and pear harvest the last week of the month. Maine wild blueberry harvest was near completion by the end of August. Summer rains promoted above average fruit size, however, wild blueberry production was expected to fall short of 2003 due to poor fruit set. Massachusetts cranberry crop condition continued to improve throughout August, with cool temperatures enhancing fruit color by month's end. Hot, humid conditions with plenty of moisture provided favorable growing conditions for sweet corn, with crop ratings at good or excellent at most locations. Summer vegetable harvest was active, with some pumpkins and winter squash picked by month's end. -- Contact Information To receive this report, 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 ***********************