State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 04/25/04 Issue NH-CW1804 Volume 24, Number 1 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) April 26, 2004 - 4 pm --Agricultural Summary PLANTING OFF TO A SLOW START For the week ending April 25, 2004, there were 4.9 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 2% short, 70% adequate, 28% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 4% short, 71% adequate, 25% surplus. Pasture condition was rated as 18% very poor, 25% poor, 31% fair, 19% good, 7% excellent. Temperatures were slightly above average last week but turned to more seasonable conditions towards weekend. Precipitation levels are adequate. Major farm activities included: planting early vegetables, sweet corn, and potatoes; spreading manure; prepping seed beds for planting; applying fertilizer; pruning and plowing. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ----------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 0 -- 2 Short 2 -- 6 Adequate 70 -- 72 Surplus 28 -- 20 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 0 -- 4 Short 4 -- 9 Adequate 71 -- 76 Surplus 25 -- 11 ----------------------------------------------- --Field Crops Report Fields are starting to green in many areas around the six - State region. Potato planting in Rhode Island has not begun, placing it behind last year's early start but only slightly behind normal. Massachusetts potato farmers were slightly behind last year and normal. Potato growers in Maine were waiting for warmer temperatures and drier conditions to begin their planting season. Tobacco farmers spread fertilizer on fields last week. --Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Most fruit crops were in dormant to bud stage last week. Growers were busy fertilizing orchards and applying protective fungicide sprays when possible. Apples and strawberry growers were worried about possible damage from winter weather. Maine wild blueberry fields were burned for pruning as weather permitted. Cranberry vines seem to have wintered very well. Growers in Massachusetts stayed busy with applying pre-emergent herbicides and cleaning ditches. VEGETABLES: Early season vegetables, such as cabbage, carrots, peas, lettuce and greens, were planted last week. Growers also planted early sweet corn under plastic. Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- % Planted -- Barley, ME 0 0 0 -- Oats, ME 0 0 0 -- Potatoes Maine 0 0 0 -- Mass 15 20 21 Good Rhode Isl 0 0 5 -- Silage Corn 0 0 0 -- Sweet Corn 4 5 <4 Fair/God Tobacco Shade 0 0 0 -- -- % Harvested -- Dry Hay First Cut 0 0 0 Poor/Fair ----------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples Dormant/Bud Fair/Good Peaches Dormant/Bud Fair/Good Pears Bud Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush Dormant/Bud Good/Fair Wild, ME Bud Good Cranberries,MA Dormant Good Strawberries Dormant/Bud Fair/Good ----------------------------------------------------- --Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, April 25, 2004 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 15 88 45 +3 0.00 0.29 NH 5 90 50 +6 0.02 0.93 VT 15 89 50 +6 0.17 0.88 MA 26 91 54 +7 0.24 1.04 RI 36 86 54 +6 0.02 0.86 CT 31 88 57 +8 0.31 0.96 ---------------------------------------------- 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 April 19, 2004 To: Sunday April 25, 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 25 74 48 +2 18 +12 0 +0 Allagash 16 72 40 +2 4 +4 0 +0 Augusta_State_A 27 72 49 +4 23 +18 0 +0 Bangor_Intl_Arp 23 68 47 +3 12 +10 0 +0 Barnard 21 70 44 +3 6 +6 0 +0 Bath 26 68 46 +1 10 +9 0 +0 Bethel 25 84 49 +5 26 +24 3 +3 Brassua_Dam 19 69 41 +3 3 +3 0 +0 Brunswick_ME 27 67 48 +3 15 +14 0 +0 Caribou_Municip 17 69 42 +1 1 +1 0 +0 Corinna 25 74 47 +4 17 +15 0 +0 Danforth 20 62 42 +0 2 +2 0 +0 Dover-Foxcroft 20 69 43 +1 4 +4 0 +0 Durham 26 76 49 +4 22 +17 0 +0 East_Hiram 27 88 49 +5 24 +22 4 +4 Eustis 20 76 43 +4 6 +6 0 +0 Frenchville 15 67 40 +2 1 +1 0 +0 Gray 29 79 51 +6 27 +26 3 +3 Greenville_ME 20 74 46 +4 9 +8 0 +0 Guilford 21 73 42 +0 7 +7 0 +0 Hollis 26 87 49 +5 25 +24 3 +3 Houlton 18 63 42 +1 2 +2 0 +0 Kennebunkport 28 71 48 +0 12 +6 0 +0 Livermore_Falls 25 83 49 +7 26 +26 3 +3 Moosehead 18 74 43 +4 7 +7 0 +0 New_Sharon 25 78 48 +6 19 +19 0 +0 Patten 17 67 43 +2 3 +3 0 +0 Portage 16 69 41 +0 2 +2 0 +0 Portland_ME 29 72 51 +6 22 +21 2 +2 Rangeley 20 75 44 +6 7 +7 0 +0 Sebec_Lake 22 72 45 +3 7 +6 0 +0 Vanceboro 21 63 43 +1 2 +2 0 +0 Waterville 27 73 48 +1 16 +10 0 +0 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 27 85 51 +5 31 +23 4 +4 Benton 25 83 49 +6 22 +14 1 +1 Berlin_AG 26 84 49 +6 21 +15 2 +2 Bethlehem 22 82 48 +4 17 +10 0 +0 Concord 30 90 55 +9 74 +66 18 +18 Diamond_Pond 23 78 47 +9 11 +11 0 +0 First_Conn_Lake 18 74 42 +4 3 +3 0 +0 Greenville 32 88 54 +9 56 +49 16 +16 Keene_AP 28 88 54 +6 63 +48 10 +10 Lakeport 30 85 51 +7 27 +22 3 +3 Marlow 28 85 51 +4 32 +22 5 +5 Mount_Washingto 5 54 31 +7 0 +0 0 +0 North_Conway 26 87 51 +7 30 +25 7 +7 Otter_Brook_Lk 31 88 53 +5 40 +25 6 +6 Plymouth 27 88 49 +6 26 +24 4 +4 Rochester 25 88 52 +5 35 +24 6 +6 Weare 31 86 52 +5 37 +27 6 +6 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 28 86 51 +7 37 +30 4 +4 Bethel 22 82 51 +8 32 +26 1 +1 Burlington_Intl 28 82 51 +5 40 +25 1 +1 East_Haven 24 80 48 +8 15 +15 0 +0 Island_Pond 23 76 47 +6 8 +5 0 +0 Montpelier 26 81 50 +7 33 +26 0 +0 Morrisville_AG 22 79 47 +3 13 +7 0 +0 Mount_Mansfield 15 61 39 +4 0 +0 0 +0 Northfield 25 83 50 +8 27 +22 2 +2 Pownal 31 86 55 +10 57 +48 7 +7 Rochester 28 84 51 +8 31 +25 3 +3 Rutland_AG 29 85 52 +4 49 +25 4 +4 Sunderland 28 86 54 +6 52 +25 5 +5 Sutton 21 77 45 +5 7 +7 0 +0 Townshend_Lake 30 89 53 +6 43 +30 6 +6 Union_Vill_Dam 27 88 50 +4 28 +15 5 +5 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 32 82 53 +8 42 +36 4 +4 Boston/Logan_In 38 86 56 +7 83 +58 22 +22 Greenfield 33 89 55 +6 60 +38 11 +11 New_Bedford 33 70 53 +3 41 +13 1 +1 Otis_AFB 34 68 51 +5 23 +16 0 +0 Plymouth 32 75 52 +6 40 +33 3 +3 Walpole 34 86 55 +7 66 +52 10 +10 West_Medway 33 87 56 +8 68 +54 13 +13 Chicopee/Westov 36 91 58 +6 96 +48 20 +20 Worcester 33 86 55 +8 69 +60 16 +16 Worthington 26 87 52 +7 43 +35 5 +5 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 39 81 56 +7 69 +50 11 +11 Woonsocket 36 86 56 +9 67 +56 15 +15 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 31 88 54 +4 58 +16 9 +9 Bridgeport/Siko 44 74 57 +7 70 +41 9 +9 Hartford/Bradle 36 86 58 +8 96 +60 20 +20 Norfolk 32 85 53 +8 56 +50 8 +8 Norwich 40 76 56 +7 67 +36 2 +2 Thomaston_Dam 37 88 58 +10 84 +66 15 +15 Willimantic 35 83 57 +9 84 +69 15 +15 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.06 -0.78 3 3.51 +0.32 11 Allagash 0.70 +0.07 4 2.21 -0.13 10 Augusta_State_A 0.13 -0.78 4 3.28 -0.14 12 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.07 -0.70 3 2.65 -0.43 12 Barnard 0.07 -0.77 2 2.94 -0.31 8 Bath 0.01 -0.94 1 3.76 -0.07 10 Bethel 0.05 -0.79 1 4.39 +1.05 9 Brassua_Dam 0.33 -0.43 3 2.87 +0.05 12 Brunswick_ME 0.03 -0.92 3 5.22 +1.39 11 Caribou_Municip 0.61 +0.04 3 1.85 -0.40 10 Corinna 0.00 -0.84 0 3.19 -0.09 6 Danforth 0.40 -0.38 2 3.66 +0.68 8 Dover-Foxcroft 0.05 -0.79 2 2.33 -0.92 10 Durham 0.07 -0.84 1 4.22 +0.42 9 East_Hiram 0.01 -0.90 1 6.04 +2.40 11 Eustis 0.09 -0.64 1 2.83 +0.00 9 Frenchville 0.61 -0.02 4 2.06 -0.28 11 Gray 0.02 -0.94 1 5.09 +1.27 9 Greenville_ME 0.24 -0.60 3 2.12 -1.13 10 Guilford 0.11 -0.73 3 3.25 +0.00 8 Hollis 0.19 -0.79 2 6.98 +3.08 10 Houlton 0.69 +0.06 3 2.35 -0.01 10 Kennebunkport 0.38 -0.60 4 6.47 +2.65 13 Livermore_Falls 0.01 -0.90 1 4.58 +0.97 9 Moosehead 0.36 -0.40 3 2.99 +0.17 12 New_Sharon 0.02 -0.89 1 4.32 +0.71 9 Patten 0.26 -0.37 1 2.64 +0.28 10 Portage 0.55 -0.02 2 2.32 +0.07 10 Portland_ME 0.10 -0.86 2 6.00 +2.18 9 Rangeley 0.11 -0.51 2 2.35 +0.05 11 Sebec_Lake 0.05 -0.79 2 3.00 -0.25 9 Vanceboro 0.38 -0.46 2 2.54 -0.79 10 Waterville 0.17 -0.67 4 3.75 +0.56 14 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.41 -0.29 4 6.66 +3.97 12 Benton 0.21 -0.47 2 2.61 +0.11 9 Berlin_AG 0.28 -0.56 4 3.19 +0.06 12 Bethlehem 0.26 -0.44 5 2.36 -0.34 15 Concord 0.46 -0.24 2 6.51 +3.82 10 Diamond_Pond 0.42 -0.33 4 3.07 +0.27 15 First_Conn_Lake 0.50 -0.25 5 2.43 -0.37 14 Greenville 0.39 -0.45 2 9.32 +6.00 9 Keene_AP 0.50 -0.27 2 4.05 +1.14 8 Lakeport 0.34 -0.43 3 5.19 +2.16 10 Marlow 0.51 -0.40 3 4.92 +1.41 10 Mount_Washingto 0.93 -0.93 5 5.02 -2.68 16 North_Conway 0.21 -0.77 3 4.57 +0.75 10 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.48 -0.29 3 5.90 +2.99 11 Plymouth 0.02 -0.79 1 3.32 +0.23 6 Rochester 0.43 -0.56 2 7.32 +3.38 11 Weare 0.58 -0.33 2 8.07 +4.56 9 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.44 -0.61 3 5.13 +1.14 10 Bethel 0.17 -0.74 3 2.54 -0.86 11 Burlington_Intl 0.30 -0.37 3 2.14 -0.38 12 East_Haven 0.49 -0.21 5 2.23 -0.44 12 Island_Pond 0.39 -0.27 5 2.02 -0.42 16 Montpelier 0.17 -0.41 4 2.13 -0.09 15 Morrisville_AG 0.67 -0.10 5 2.58 -0.40 13 Mount_Mansfield 0.88 -0.42 4 4.59 -0.63 15 Northfield 0.27 -0.43 4 1.75 -0.87 10 Pownal 0.66 -0.39 4 4.10 +0.11 12 Rochester 0.33 -0.58 4 2.91 -0.49 14 Rutland_AG 0.29 -0.37 4 2.04 -0.38 14 Sunderland 0.62 -0.08 5 3.14 +0.51 15 Sutton 0.78 +0.08 5 2.66 -0.01 15 Townshend_Lake 0.48 -0.29 4 4.47 +1.42 13 Union_Vill_Dam 0.30 -0.40 4 2.54 -0.09 13 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.78 -0.05 2 6.96 +3.82 10 Boston/Logan_In 1.01 +0.17 2 9.68 +6.32 8 Greenfield 0.61 -0.26 2 6.42 +3.08 9 New_Bedford 0.44 -0.50 2 5.45 +1.57 9 Otis_AFB 0.42 -0.49 1 4.12 +0.54 7 Plymouth 0.61 -0.37 3 5.83 +1.90 11 Walpole 0.98 +0.00 2 8.30 +4.35 9 West_Medway 1.04 +0.06 2 8.84 +4.89 11 Chicopee/Westov 0.33 -0.58 2 4.72 +1.15 11 Worcester 0.83 -0.08 2 6.85 +3.21 11 Worthington 0.78 -0.20 4 6.48 +2.87 12 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.50 -0.44 2 7.10 +3.23 9 Woonsocket 0.86 -0.12 2 8.02 +4.18 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.78 -0.13 2 6.81 +3.24 11 Bridgeport/Siko 0.31 -0.60 2 6.96 +3.48 12 Hartford/Bradle 0.64 -0.27 2 5.77 +2.20 11 Norfolk 0.90 -0.15 3 4.76 +0.63 10 Norwich 0.68 -0.39 2 11.03 +6.81 10 Thomaston_Dam 0.39 -0.61 2 5.93 +2.03 10 Willimantic 0.53 -0.45 2 7.34 +3.47 12 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: Planting peas, snap beans and sweet corn in the valley. Spreading manure where possible. Tillage on tobacco ground. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Manure spreading evident on the green landscape. Field preparations slowed by four to six inches of rain the previous week. Pastures beginning to respond to rain and the sun's heat. Winter damage to peaches a concern. Optimism over rising milk prices. Heifer prices high. Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: New Haven County received over six inches of rain in the past two weeks. Producers tilling fields and fixing equipment. Farm stands are selling perennials quickly and annuals are ready for market. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Corn growers getting equipment ready. Could be planting this weekend. Evaluated fertilizer sources for far off fields. Biosolids offered at a cheap rate. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Some plowing and manure spreading getting done in the valley. Rest of the area waiting for fields to dry out. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: No field activities in northern Maine. Most of the snow has melted, however, there is still a lot of frost left in the ground. Field conditions are very wet. Growers bringing seed home and getting planting and tillage equipment ready so they will be able to go when the fields are ready. 15 degrees early Saturday morning with light snow in the evening. Some warm weather is needed. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Frost is still coming out. Haven't seen any field work yet. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Cold wet weather moved into the area this weekend. Farmers are mostly working on equipment. Some folks tried spreading manure on their driest fields. Strawberry, apple and Christmas tree growers report significant damage from deer in the past few months. This will result in lower yields this summer. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Not much happening yet. Soil is dry on top as we have not had much rain. Some small grains planted. Some winter injury on alfalfa in low areas that had standing water in December. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Blueberry fields are being burned on days when weather permits. Greenhouses growing seedlings, flowers, and tomatoes, but not open for business yet. We had a full week of cool, damp spring weather. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: Field work has begun. Several farmers have spread manure; they have done some plowing and harrowing to get the ground ready for planting. Many farmers have concerns about the legumes. The winter weather may have killed the crop. Everything is beginning to green except for the legumes. Apple and strawberry growers are worried about possible winter weather problems. The deep frost may cause poor production and small fruit. It's just another growing season for the Maine farmer. Let's see how it goes. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: It has been a cool spring. Trees leaves are just starting to bud and grass is just starting to green. Franklin County got from 10 to 12 inches of rain in both October & December 2003. Flooding and ice cakes caused severe damage. Farmers are currently working on debris removal and fencing. Manure is being spread on well drained fields. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Cold and wet conditions are hanging on in Oxford County. Many crop fields along the Androscoggin and Saco Rivers have flood debris and large formations of ice left from last December's flooding. Field conditions are too wet to attempt clean up just yet. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Some plowing and tilling. Some sweet corn was planted. Orchardists are trying to spray between showers. No word on any winter kill yet, still early. Uncovering strawberry beds of straw cover. Ground is mostly dry with wet spots. Starting to mend fences. Can't wait to get out to the pastures. Frank Caruso/Debbie Cannon (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: There is plenty of water going into this season. Water levels in most reservoirs are normal or above normal levels. Growers are busy with pre-emergent herbicides, ditch cleaning and frost protection. Cranberry vine appeared to have wintered very well. Cultivars have broken dormancy and early cultivars are greening nicely. There was one frost on Saturday night. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Sweet corn under plastic has emerged and peas are up. Fruit trees are just beginning to show life. Farmers busy plowing and preparing land. Plenty of rain right now and colder than it needs to be, a little ice mixed in rain yesterday. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Field conditions remain very cool and wet. Most farms are spreading manure and starting to till where possible. Several farmers have contacted our office this week about winter-kill on their alfalfa. One farmer said that he had at least 40% damage on all alfalfa stands! Orchardists have also called to say that this year's peach and plum crop suffered severe freeze damage during this past winter. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Vegetable farmers were planting sweet corn under plastic, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, spinach and parsnips. Some sweet corn up already under plastic. Dairy farmers spreading manure, repairing fences, and seeding new hay fields. Wild blueberry fields are being burned for pruning and pre-emergence herbicides are being applied. Lime is being applied to many fields. Orchadists were applying fertilizer and a protective fungicide spray. Gary Guida, Worcester: Another busy week in the greenhouses. Retail sales of perennials starting to pick up. Many people window shopping. Fields getting plowed but rain will slow harrowing and planting. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Growers worked on field preparation and seeding transplants this week. Peas are planted. Apple and blueberry IPM is underway. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Pastures and hayfields greening up slowly. Winter kill may have claimed most all alfalfa, a little early to tell, but it doesn't look promising. Peach blossom buds appear to have suffered extreme damage. Recent rains are welcome to compensate for the lack of moisture this winter. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: So far, looks like a decent spring. Winter injury seems to be minimal in apples and blueberries. Little or no winter injury in alfalfa; hay fields and pastures are greening up nicely. Farmers are spreading manure, putting in forage seedings, top-dressing fertilizer on grass and getting ready for planting corn. Early vegetable crops are going in, with some sweet corn planted under plastic. Greenhouses are full of bedding plants, and sales are starting to pick up. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Aroma of manure in the air, it must be spring as farms begin spreading and discing in manure on cornfields. Preparing fields for planting. Just lighter soils along Connecticut River for now. Hay fields beginning to green up, orchard grass several inches tall now, alfalfa also starting to waken. Armyworm traps in fields in various locations throughout county, picking up some moths in Lancaster area. Generally cold, wet weather, yet seems a drier start so far. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Some plowing and planting on a limited basis. Soils are dry, temperatures are still a little cool. Total rainfall less than two inches. Topsoil adequate. Subsoil lower than expected. Precipitation from beginning of year to now is below normal. Expect to see planting in full swing shortly. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Field Crops: Liming and fertilizing hayfields; spreading manure, plowing, discing, fertilizing and getting ready to plant corn. Fixing pasture fences. Also, getting ready to make new pasture and hayfield seeds. Vegetables: Transplanting tomatoes into high tunnels. Early season vegetables (peas, lettuce, greens) are being planted, along with early plastic sweet corn. Liming, fertilizing, plowing, discing and getting ready plant fields. Fruits: Pruning continues in young apple and pear trees, along with pruning blueberry bushes and raspberry patches. Orchardists are chopping brush in orchard or push pruning out of the orchards. Fertilizing orchards. Protective fungicide sprays applied on fruit trees. Hot weather over the weekend forced apple buds from silver and green tip to tight cluster. Peach buds that are still alive, are starting to swell. Strawberry plants starting to grow. Planting fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Some weather-kill on blueberry and raspberries, and major peach and sweet cherry bud damage due to extreme cold winter temperatures. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Field preparations are trying to be completed in between rain showers. Many fields have been top-dressed with manure, plowed and harrowed in preparation of corn silage seeding. Grasses and legumes are coming up very green this spring and are also being top-dressed. This years' maple syrup season turned out to be a good year, above average. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Spreading manure, digging nursery stock and planting Christmas trees, cleaning up hedge rows. Some fields still to wet to work, peas, onions, etc. are all in. Garlic is coming up. Lettuce in row cover and high tunnels looks good. Marila Soileau (FSA), All Counties: The fields are pretty soggy from the previous weeks rain, but temperatures warmed up nicely, over 80 degrees early in the week, then chilling again. The gradual increase to warmer weather has been good so far, for the fruit trees. Most fields are too wet to start tilling and planting. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Last weeks main activities centered around manure spreading and harrowing. Fields in grass and pastures are starting to green up and could use some sunshine. Temperatures have been generally cool and rainfall moderate. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Field conditions are wet around the county with spring runoff and recent rain. There is still frost in the ground in the higher elevations. Manure is being spread on the drier fields. Some corn fields have had manure applied and have been tilled. Pastures are starting to get green. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Manure spreading in full swing some seeding of alfalfa and grass. Fence repair for pasture and fertilizing fields hoping for warmer weather. Some early sweet corn is planted under plastic. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Fertilizing grass hay fields, some manure spreading on corn fields, no tillage yet. Pasture and hayfield grass starting to green up, alfalfa starting to elongate shoots. Alfalfa survival good through winter, good snow cover. Most fields saturated but drying quickly. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Spring coming along. Kind of dry. Some farmers working on fencing, some are getting a start on spreading manure. Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: With some green tissue present and solid wetting periods, first of the season disease concerns have become common place. With an outlook of warmer temperatures this week, further bud development should proceed. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: Dry and pleasant weather has stirred much spring activity on the farm. Liquid and solid manure being spread on lighter textured soils. Manure being spread on both corn and hay ground. Some corn fields being plowed and disced. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Farmers spreading manure. Market gardeners plowing early fields, plowed under a nice crop of winter rye. First planting of early sweet corn, peas, carrots and onion sets. Spring has sprung. Sugaring done, time to start a new season. 0.931 inches of rain for week. Ground in good shape for this time of year. 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 Statisticians: Dianne Johnson Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt Deputy: 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 ***********************