State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 6/26/05 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 25, Number 9 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) June 27, 2005 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary Make Hay While The Sun Shines! GENERAL CONDITIONS: For the week ending June 26, 2005, there were 6.6 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 8% short, 65% adequate, and 24% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 6% short, 66% adequate, and 25% surplus. Pasture condition was rated 2% very poor, 1% poor, 11% fair, 59% good, and 27% excellent. The week began with normal temperatures with a mixture of sun and clouds. On Wednesday, throughout the region, cool, light rain arrived with scattered thunder and lightning storms. By week's end, conditions began to warm up with near record high temperatures for the weekend. A strong Bermuda high pressure brought hot and humid air mass into the region. Throughout New England, temperatures were in the 90's on Saturday and Sunday with heat indices around 100 degrees on Saturday. Major farm activities included baling hay, chopping grass silage, finishing planting, and tilling fields, spreading manure and fertilizer on fields, spraying herbicides and fungicides, cultivating weeds, scouting for pests, applying pesticides and herbicides to fruit trees and berries, mowing orchards, removing bees from blueberry fields, harvesting strawberries, brush cutting, planting sweet corn and vegetables, and harvesting lettuce, summer squash, radishes and zucchini. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 3 3 4 Short 8 4 13 Adequate 65 55 80 Surplus 24 38 3 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 3 3 3 Short 6 5 12 Adequate 66 58 78 Surplus 25 34 7 --------------------------------------------- FIELD CROPS: Farmers took advantage of the sunshine. First cutting of hay harvest continued on schedule as farmers baled hay while there was sunshine. Hay condition was rated good to fair though some grass over mature. Some second cut haylage harvested in southern New England, but re-growth of grass limited due to a lack of rainfall. Field corn planting almost completed at week's end. Warm, humid conditions enhanced corn growth and emergence. Some parts of southern New England, limited rain has caused concern of drought stress. Maine potato completed planting at week's end but behind normal. Potato growers in Aroostook County Maine spotted Colorado potato beetles and European corn borer moths. Growers with unprotected potatoes were advised to scout fields. The frequency of application is more critical than the rate or material, which is a low to mid rate of a protectant. Broadleaf tobacco should finish planting by week's end, with only five percent left to plant. Shade tobacco plants have been tied. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Strawberry harvest began behind schedule but berries are ripening fast with the warm, sunny days; conditions varied throughout the region, good to very poor in Massachusetts, good to fair in Connecticut and good to excellent elsewhere. Blueberry growers removed bees from fields as bloom finished and applied fertilizer. Cranberry growers applied fungicides as berries begin to set on warmer beds. Apple growers continued to find trees damaged from the May 13th frost in the southern region on New England. Also, some growers reported scabbing on apple trees from the wet, cold spring. Fruit growers continued to apply fungicides, insecticides, and pesticides in orchards and mowed orchard floor. Apple growers were still pruning some trees and peach growers continued to thinning trees. VEGETABLES: The week's condition allowed vegetable growers to finish planting crops though sweet corn planting should finish shortly. Growers were busy fertilizing, cultivating, spraying pesticides to fields and weeding. The hot, humid weekend enhanced vegetable growth to catch up with the cool, wet spring delay. Growers harvested lettuce, summer squash, radishes and zucchini. Producers continued to scout for European corn borer, cabbage root maggot, cabbageworm, flea beetles and cucumber beetles. Greenhouse sales continued to prosper as the transition from bedding plants to woody ornamentals and perennial sales. Botrytis and other diseases were spotted in nursery crops and perennials. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Emerged -- Barley,ME 100 100 100 Good/Excellent Oats,ME 95 100 100 Good/Excellent Potatoes Maine 85 85 90 Excellent/Fair Mass. 100 100 100 Good Rhode Isl. 100 100 100 Good Silage Corn 80 90 80 Good/Excellent Sweet Corn 80 90 80 Good/Excellent -- Percent Planted -- Barley,ME 100 100 100 Good/Excellent Oats,ME 100 100 100 Good/Excellent Potatoes, ME 100 100 100 Excellent/Fair Silage Corn 99 99 95 Good/Excellent Sweet Corn 90 95 90 Good/Excellent Tobacco Broadleaf 95 70 90 Good -- Percent Harvested -- Dry hay, 60 70 60 Good/Fair 1st cut ---------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- --Percent Harvested-- Crop 2004 2005 5-yr Fruit Condition Avg Size ----------------------------------------------------- Apples - - - Avg Good/Fair Peaches - - - Avg/Below Good/Fair Pears - - - Avg Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush - - - Avg Good Wild, ME - - - Avg Good/Excel Cranberries,MA - - - Good/Fair Strawberries 20 20 35 Avg/Above Good/Excel ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the Period: Monday June 20, 2005 To: Sunday June 26, 2005 AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI -- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 35 96 65 +2 0.00 0.46 NH 32 99 65 +2 0.00 0.90 VT 35 96 65 +1 0.00 0.58 MA 39 95 66 -1 0.00 0.41 RI 47 93 67 -1 0.05 0.36 CT 43 95 68 -1 0.00 0.28 --------------------------------------------- - Copyright 2004: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday June 20, 2005 To: Sunday June 26, 2005 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 40 93 65 -2 408 -16 155 +16 Allagash 35 87 62 -1 310 -14 107 +71 Augusta_State_A 47 94 67 +2 466 -62 180 +62 Bangor_Intl_Arp 43 95 67 +3 486 +28 173 +86 Barnard 42 93 66 +4 391 +16 151 +99 Bath 42 89 62 -3 359 -94 111 +25 Bethel 43 95 65 +1 431 -43 152 +59 Brassua_Dam 38 87 63 +2 313 +27 115 +90 Brunswick_ME 46 90 65 +1 359 -94 116 +30 Caribou_Municip 41 90 65 +4 390 +25 142 +92 Corinna 43 96 66 +2 430 -22 157 +75 Danforth 41 92 65 +1 360 -50 128 +57 Dover-Foxcroft 43 87 65 +3 340 -35 121 +69 Durham 42 93 63 -5 402 -159 145 +7 East_Hiram 42 92 65 +1 434 -38 166 +74 Eustis 37 91 62 +2 332 +44 125 +102 Frenchville 46 89 66 +5 380 +56 141 +105 Gray 44 93 68 +5 484 +47 199 +125 Greenville_ME 43 91 66 +4 374 -12 148 +93 Guilford 41 95 65 +3 354 -21 142 +90 Hollis 41 94 65 +2 426 -2 165 +94 Houlton 35 93 65 +3 388 +15 137 +83 Kennebunkport 44 93 65 -3 384 -224 135 -22 Livermore_Falls 41 96 66 +4 436 +55 172 +117 Moosehead 36 94 62 +2 304 +18 108 +83 New_Sharon 43 95 66 +4 410 +29 160 +105 Patten 43 92 65 +3 337 -36 120 +66 Portage 41 91 64 +2 375 +10 138 +88 Portland_ME 47 94 67 +3 446 +9 165 +91 Rangeley 39 89 62 +2 324 +50 117 +97 Sebec_Lake 40 95 64 +2 378 -8 139 +84 Vanceboro 41 92 65 +2 347 -25 116 +64 Waterville 45 93 66 +0 421 -149 157 +18 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 39 97 66 +1 466 -93 181 +45 Benton 41 90 64 +1 449 -19 159 +75 Berlin_AG 42 92 65 +2 463 +10 175 +92 Bethlehem 38 93 65 +2 473 +5 177 +92 Concord 42 94 68 +2 609 +50 243 +107 Diamond_Pond 37 91 61 +2 320 +64 114 +101 First_Conn_Lake 35 86 61 +3 339 +83 109 +96 Greenville 44 96 70 +6 639 +135 265 +163 Keene_AP 41 91 66 -2 601 -71 228 +30 Lakeport 48 93 68 +4 577 +68 222 +108 Marlow 40 93 64 -2 521 -74 207 +56 Mount_Washingto 32 66 50 +5 77 +77 2 +2 North_Conway 44 92 67 +2 486 -2 180 +66 Otter_Brook_Lk 42 92 65 -3 555 -117 211 +13 Plymouth 40 93 65 +2 462 +31 172 +96 Rochester 45 94 67 +0 504 -109 190 +25 Weare 47 89 67 +2 526 -69 200 +49 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 39 91 64 -1 498 +21 187 +95 Bethel 42 92 65 +2 513 +69 194 +110 Burlington_Intl 45 92 68 +2 698 +70 287 +110 East_Haven 35 91 64 +4 465 +117 172 +120 Island_Pond 38 90 64 +4 448 +98 169 +117 Montpelier 40 91 66 +3 561 +97 216 +125 Morrisville_AG 38 90 62 -2 445 -5 162 +73 Mount_Mansfield 43 78 59 +4 249 +105 55 +52 Northfield 39 93 64 +2 496 +96 181 +112 Pownal 43 88 64 +0 585 +102 211 +114 Rochester 41 91 65 +2 520 +76 195 +111 Rutland_AG 48 93 67 -1 574 -106 222 +19 Sunderland 43 92 66 -2 558 -88 208 +29 Sutton 42 91 64 +3 441 +93 169 +117 Townshend_Lake 44 92 67 -1 576 -24 223 +63 Union_Vill_Dam 40 87 62 -5 489 -126 176 +9 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 48 91 66 +2 582 +93 218 +118 Boston/Logan_In 52 95 70 +1 642 -101 252 +27 Greenfield 46 93 68 -1 651 -78 253 +28 New_Bedford 43 87 65 -5 553 -176 173 -37 Otis_AFB 46 86 68 +2 695 +171 262 +147 Plymouth 43 93 66 -2 538 -27 200 +60 Walpole 45 94 68 +1 653 +34 247 +83 West_Medway 47 90 67 -1 597 -22 218 +54 Chicopee/Westov 48 95 70 -2 796 -69 317 +18 Worcester 49 90 68 +2 646 +87 249 +118 Worthington 40 90 65 +0 538 +50 190 +92 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 49 93 69 -1 711 +25 266 +68 Woonsocket 47 92 67 +0 669 +60 248 +100 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 43 91 66 -5 631 -199 225 -60 Bridgeport/Siko 55 87 69 -1 789 +35 271 +29 Hartford/Bradle 49 94 70 +0 849 +26 347 +65 Norfolk 46 87 66 +2 579 +95 206 +110 Norwich 48 91 67 -2 731 -5 282 +59 Thomaston_Dam 48 91 68 +2 697 +73 261 +99 Willimantic 46 92 66 -2 712 +79 259 +94 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.09 -0.74 2 23.30 +9.81 57 Allagash 0.18 -0.59 2 13.56 +2.95 50 Augusta_State_A 0.14 -0.63 2 20.69 +6.94 54 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.00 -0.77 0 14.49 +1.48 38 Barnard 0.16 -0.69 3 22.21 +8.79 57 Bath 0.14 -0.69 1 24.17 +9.20 49 Bethel 0.10 -0.81 1 26.58 +12.56 47 Brassua_Dam 0.33 -0.59 2 16.92 +4.36 54 Brunswick_ME 0.13 -0.70 2 30.41 +15.44 46 Caribou_Municip 0.01 -0.69 1 14.17 +3.68 52 Corinna 0.00 -0.84 0 21.91 +8.50 43 Danforth 0.16 -0.69 2 19.12 +6.23 58 Dover-Foxcroft 0.00 -0.85 0 15.29 +1.87 41 Durham 0.15 -0.69 1 25.43 +10.37 46 East_Hiram 0.31 -0.56 2 26.26 +11.47 56 Eustis 0.32 -0.46 2 18.01 +5.88 51 Frenchville 0.22 -0.55 2 12.49 +1.88 54 Gray 0.10 -0.67 1 26.93 +12.44 49 Greenville_ME 0.23 -0.62 2 18.09 +4.67 54 Guilford 0.07 -0.78 2 22.02 +8.60 52 Hollis 0.46 -0.38 2 27.78 +12.80 57 Houlton 0.09 -0.68 2 14.80 +3.67 56 Kennebunkport 0.40 -0.44 2 25.35 +10.38 48 Livermore_Falls 0.21 -0.74 1 25.53 +10.74 50 Moosehead 0.12 -0.80 2 16.27 +3.71 54 New_Sharon 0.14 -0.81 2 25.21 +10.42 53 Patten 0.13 -0.64 2 20.53 +9.40 57 Portage 0.03 -0.67 1 15.93 +5.44 53 Portland_ME 0.27 -0.50 2 23.12 +8.63 49 Rangeley 0.13 -0.71 2 18.56 +7.23 61 Sebec_Lake 0.07 -0.78 2 22.63 +9.21 55 Vanceboro 0.15 -0.59 2 18.79 +5.33 57 Waterville 0.04 -0.79 1 21.27 +7.78 47 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.28 -0.46 1 21.80 +10.19 54 Benton 0.21 -0.65 1 16.05 +4.16 50 Berlin_AG 0.15 -0.81 1 17.18 +3.76 45 Bethlehem 0.21 -0.74 1 14.83 +2.59 56 Concord 0.19 -0.55 1 16.78 +5.17 50 Diamond_Pond 0.29 -0.81 2 19.95 +6.11 66 First_Conn_Lake 0.52 -0.58 2 16.90 +3.06 58 Greenville 0.00 -0.84 0 17.88 +3.74 39 Keene_AP 0.00 -0.84 0 17.06 +3.99 47 Lakeport 0.30 -0.47 1 18.97 +5.91 49 Marlow 0.00 -0.84 0 17.24 +2.36 45 Mount_Washingto 0.90 -0.91 1 33.52 +1.73 66 North_Conway 0.20 -0.71 1 21.76 +6.37 54 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.10 -0.74 1 15.49 +2.42 50 Plymouth 0.00 -0.84 0 17.52 +3.73 42 Rochester 0.25 -0.54 1 23.00 +7.80 45 Weare 0.01 -0.83 1 20.52 +5.64 49 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.02 -1.03 1 15.79 -1.07 50 Bethel 0.13 -0.71 1 14.13 -0.46 49 Burlington_Intl 0.21 -0.63 1 10.46 -0.71 45 East_Haven 0.23 -0.77 1 13.65 +0.62 60 Island_Pond 0.58 -0.41 1 15.00 +2.51 58 Montpelier 0.28 -0.49 2 13.06 +1.95 55 Morrisville_AG 0.14 -0.82 1 12.04 -1.25 51 Mount_Mansfield 0.03 -1.55 2 19.17 -2.97 61 Northfield 0.28 -0.42 1 15.30 +3.65 42 Pownal 0.00 -1.05 0 14.43 -2.43 51 Rochester 0.15 -0.69 1 17.82 +3.23 48 Rutland_AG 0.04 -0.80 1 13.29 +1.70 47 Sunderland 0.04 -0.71 1 15.89 +3.88 57 Sutton 0.19 -0.81 1 16.30 +3.27 60 Townshend_Lake 0.31 -0.39 2 15.82 +3.04 54 Union_Vill_Dam 0.26 -0.50 1 15.84 +3.81 53 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.01 -0.83 1 20.21 +6.90 55 Boston/Logan_In 0.03 -0.67 1 11.99 -1.37 43 Greenfield 0.07 -0.79 2 14.42 +0.23 48 New_Bedford 0.07 -0.75 1 16.15 +0.91 45 Otis_AFB 0.06 -0.67 1 15.91 +1.82 42 Plymouth 0.03 -0.74 2 18.36 +3.03 41 Walpole 0.07 -0.80 1 16.78 +2.03 42 West_Medway 0.08 -0.79 1 16.46 +1.71 53 Chicopee/Westov 0.06 -0.85 1 12.12 -3.03 53 Worcester 0.02 -0.89 1 15.17 -0.54 44 Worthington 0.02 -0.88 1 15.99 +0.69 55 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.10 -0.67 1 13.80 -1.15 40 Woonsocket 0.05 -0.86 1 18.09 +2.44 48 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.00 -0.84 0 15.48 +0.47 50 Bridgeport/Siko 0.28 -0.53 1 10.64 -3.88 46 Hartford/Bradle 0.07 -0.77 1 12.10 -2.91 48 Norfolk 0.00 -1.05 0 12.72 -4.63 47 Norwich 0.05 -0.69 1 14.11 -2.37 38 Thomaston_Dam 0.13 -0.78 1 14.27 -2.01 52 Willimantic 0.05 -0.85 2 11.60 -3.94 45 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 2005: 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 at1-888-798-9955. -- Other Agricultural Comments and News CONNECTICUT - Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Another mostly dry week made for good hay drying. With the exception for isolated showers on Wednesday, most crops were hurting for water and irrigation continued. Picking strawberries and summer squash is almost ready. Early sweet corn has tasseled and is in silk. Field corn growing well. Hay fields slow to regrow for 2nd cut with lack of rain. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London: Field Corn- Record Heat and dry weather pushed corn growth along and made up for many growing degree days lost in May. The last of the fields will be planted this week. Dry weather did have adverse effects on pre- emergence weed control with weeds escaping treatments. Hot temperatures above 90 can also have adverse effects with some post- emergence weed control treatments. Need rain badly to promote optimum crop growth. Weeds grow rapidly under such weather conditions and can impact yields if not treated in a timely manner. Some drought stress corn observed in extremely coarse soils. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: No rain again this week. Corn has been replanted in some of the previous wet fields. Spraying for army worms that appeared in some no-till planted fields. First cutting is good quality, 2nd cutting will be light unless we get rain. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Lots of hay to get done, some over mature, first and some second cutting done, round up ready corn being sprayed, corn looks good, apples good fruit set, peaches look good, blueberries have some winter injury, hand thinning peaches, pruning apples still, vegetables all planted, asparagus done, planting potted mums for fall, farmers markets open, strawberries bountiful and flavorful, a bit hot for daytime picking, getting dry, it is summer! Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Extreme heat and close to 100% humidity, no rain in sight making producers irrigate. Isolated thundershowers are hit and miss. Orchards are finding that as time goes on very little fruit remains on the trees due to Friday the 13th of May frost. Strawberries are rotting quickly due to weather conditions. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Strawberry harvest is peaking, corn looks better after some heat, hay being harvested despite humidity and heavy dew. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Good weather during the week helped growers get caught up on field work. Herbicide applications continue. Some growers have begun applying fungicides. Potato fields are being cultivated. Crops look good however potatoes are somewhat behind normal due to late planting. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Still a few cover crops being planted. Potatoes are all planted. Emergence is 95%. Crops are looking good. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Finished applying herbicide for potatoes, oats and barley. Some potato growers have noticed Colorado Potato Beetle, but have not sprayed for them yet. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Equipment was getting stuck in fields the first of the week as farmers were anxiously taking advantage of the good weather. Haying and green chopping are in full swing. Producers were still getting crops planted. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Strawberries grown under remay are starting to be harvested. Farmers are finally able to get some dry hay in the barn. Gleason Gray (Ext), Penobscot: Some hay being cut some folks still trying to finish planting. Kathy Hopkins (Ext), Somerset: A better week at last except for the near record heat over the weekend. Donald Burke (FSA), Waldo: Hayfields are being cut now that summer weather is here. Strawberries and fresh vegetables ready for market. Some hayland still too wet for equipment. Hay quality is going downhill because of the late start. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Haying is underway with temperatures in the 90's. Fertilizer application on blueberry fields going on. Fresh strawberries are in and looking good. Lots of veggies now at farm markets. Appears to be damage from monilinia blight (mummy berry) on blueberry fields after two months of rain. Skips in sweet corn plantings noted. Some pastures and hayfields still too soft for animals or equipment. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Bloom finishing up on the Down East fields. Bees being moved out. Bloom was delayed by two weeks because of the cool wet weather, so crop is also delayed as well. Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Farmers took advantage of the sunny weather to continue planting crops. Some areas of fields are still too wet for planting or harvesting hay. Strawberries have started turning red. It finally feels like summer! Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Some side affects from the cool wet spring are: Insects seem to be hatching later than usual. They will need to be monitored closely for control. Grass seems to be well established in row crops and will be more difficult to control especially for organic farmers. Soil is more compacted than usual and has crusted over in some cases. Good cultivation should produce good crops especially with the heat & moisture. Marcia Hall (FSA), Oxford: Oxford County producers welcomed the sunshine. Producers have been busy trying to catch up on field work and getting crops in the ground. Pastures looking good. Strawberries are beginning to be harvested. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Producers are busy trying to "make hay while the sun shines". The past weeks' weather has provided a break to those trying to gather haylage and finish planting what could not be planted earlier. Apple growers are reporting some scab and potato growers are cultivating MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Hot weather. A full week of field work for those who could stand it. Our rainfall is down by about 3" compared to the average. Reports are that the soil is dry and getting dryer. FAV farmers are busy. Farmer's markets and CSA's are getting lots of press and customers.Carolyn DeMoranville (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: As bloom becomes widespread, growers are applying first fungicide treatments. With consistent warm weather, bloom is advancing and some fruit is beginning to set on warmer beds. Bees have been brought in for pollination. First report of damage attributed to earlier winter moth larvae activity on cranberry was received. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Severe weather, including high winds and heavy rain, affected sections of Franklin County yesterday. Crops look very good and are progressing well at this time. Most farms are making hay, cultivating and top-dressing this week. Aside from local downpours-Franklin County remains very dry. Shade tobacco has been tied, potatoes are flowering and sweet corn is tasseling this week. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: All crop through out the county look good. All summer crops have been planted. Growers are cultivating, hoeing and side-dressing all crops. Harvesting strawberries, lettuce, radishes, zucchini and summer squash. Potatoes are being hilled up and are flowering. Sweet corn that was under plastic is in silk stage. The lighter dryer soils are being irrigated. Vegetable growers are scouting for European Corn Borer, Cabbage Root Maggot, Cabbageworm, flea beetles and cucumber beetles. Gary Guida, Worcester: All summer crops looking real good with this heat. Heavy T'storms ripped through this area on Sunday and fortunately no serious crop damage. Strawberries cooking in field as heat kept many u-pickers away. Tying tomatoes, transplanting new strawberry fields, top dressing corn, transplanting final fall crops and trying to stay cool principal farm activities here. No serious insect problems. Flowers still selling well. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Finally a little haying weather! A lot of the first cut hay going in the barn in the last week. Hazy, hot and humid weather reigns. Pastures and hay fields finally drying out. Warm weather helping vegetable plants to really get growing. Blueberry growers report lots of fruit, few leaves. Strawberries will be ready soon. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Lots of great sunny weather for the first part of the week, with more humid conditions towards the end. Lots of producers out making dry hay. Field corn looks good - some folks out sidedressing. Veggies seem to be doing well. PYO strawberry harvest has started, and blueberries continue to look good. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Haying was the task at hand this week with timothy heading out, time to cut, bale and get it off the field before rain. A couple of unwanted showers making this a bit of a challenge. Generally hot, especially for up here and unusually dry. Corn growing fairly well now although looking a little yellow-green on some fields, time to start nitrate testing. Weed control a concern. Seeing sun scald on vegetable transplants following very hot weather. A touch of frost in colder locations in the county at mid-week. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Haying continued due to good weather. The heat finally got the corn growing and some of the early corn is looking very good. Second cutting will probably begin fairly soon as the regrowth from the rain and heat is finally taking off. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Farmers are making hay while the sun shines! There are still wet fields out there that can't be hayed or planted. The dry weather was much needed. Corn is starting to look a lot better. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: George Hamilton ICCOM: Fruit: Growers harvesting field grown strawberries, week late compared to normal years. With hot weather berries are ripening faster. Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and apply sprays for pest control, along with mowing orchard floor. Field Crops: Farmers making haylage and baled hay, along with finishing planting and weed spraying corn fields. Vegetables: Continuing successive planting of several vegetables. Growers continued harvesting early season vegetables such as lettuce and radishes. Grower's busy side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating weeds, scouting for pests and spraying if needed. Weather: From cold and wet to hot, causing stress problems with plants. Isolated hail storm and extreme heavy rain storms occurred on June 17 caused some damage to fruit and vegetable crops. Sadie Puglisi (Ext), Merrimack: Hot, humid weather produced a lot of GDD for the week, allowing crops to catch up in growth. Growers got a chance to catch up on planting and cutting. PYO strawberries opened this weekend around the county. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Several hot and humid days. Hot weather pushed plant growth. Pick-Your-Own strawberry operations open and busy picking. Very hot and muggy weekend kept some pickers away from the fields. Planting a succession of vegetables. Weeding, cultivating, irrigating and controlling insect pests. Botrytis and other diseases showing on nursery crops and herbaceous perennials. Gusty winds and heavy rain occurred for about an hour on Sunday afternoon damaging some crops. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Second cut of alfalfa haylage is coming along good. Humid days have helped to move along the growth as well as push up the silage corn. Some blueberries were hit by hail and damage could be substantial. Assessing going on. PYO strawberries have begun. Crop looks good. Spot showers are making it difficult to get first cut of dry hay in. Some done but most still standing. Summer vegetables are starting to be harvested with help from the hot humid weather. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: A dry week at last. A very Hot and humid weekend. Some producers continue to make first cut for hay and haylage. Grass in pastures and hay fields continue to do well. Fruit growers continue to apply protective fungicides and insecticides. They also continued to do fruit thinning on peaches and some apple varieties. Fruit set on some apples is very poor due to poor pollination during the cool wet weather. Pick your own Strawberry growers welcomed customers for the first picking last week. Vegetable growers busy weeding, and fertilizing crops. Greenhouse tomatoes growers started harvesting their early crops. Bedding plant season winding down and woody ornamentals and perennial sales picking up strong. Fall mumgrowers busy planting their mum cuttings. RHODE ISLAND - Melissa Turrisi (FSA): Strawberry season is underway and this year's crop looks good. Summer vegetables are soaking up the warm sunny weather but could definitely use some rain. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: It was a fabulous week for cropping. First crop of grass is almost done for most farmers and many were able to put up low moisture bales. Corn has been growing day and night with a few fields about waist high. With continued hot weather some rain will be needed soon. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: This was a great hay making week. Dry weather with a lot of heat. A lot of dry hay went in the barn this week. Corn is looking good. Some is already knee high. Most of the larger farms are done first crop and are spreading manure. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: What a wild week for the weather in southern Vt. A great week to dry hay and for late planted corn. Veggie producers are reporting that their crops are bouncing back to catch up with the season. Field corn is chest high after this past week of hot weather. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Hilling potatoes and spraying for bugs. Cultivating vine crops. Side dressing with nitrogen as crops are ready. Germination has been good on most all crops. 2.02 rain for week. Asparagus about finished for season, picking a great crop of strawberries, first picking of peas. Plenty of early vegetables in the market. Vegetable market in full swing. Have a good week. 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, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statistician: Travis Averill Stat Assistant: Deirdre Davis Deputy Director: Gerald Tillman 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***********************