State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 7/17/05 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 25, Number 12 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) July 18, 2005 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary-- Hot and Humid Week GENERAL CONDITIONS: For the week ending July 17, 2005, there were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture: 3% very short, 22% short, 70% adequate, 5% surplus. Subsoil moisture: 2% very short, 13% short, 78% adequate, 7% surplus. Pasture condition: 2% very poor, 1% poor, 10% fair, 65% good, and 22% excellent. An abundance of sunshine early in the week gave way to scattered showers and windy conditions by mid-week. Heavy dew and fog created unfavorable drying conditions for farmers to bale hay throughout New England. By Friday, hazy, hot, and humid conditions arrived and lasted through the weekend. Some crops are showing signs of stress due to an extended period of time without moisture. Major farm activities included harvesting strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, sweet corn, and early vegetables, renovating strawberry beds, mowing orchard floors, baling hay and chopping haylage, cultivating and hilling tobacco, appling fertilizer, fungicides, nitrogen and pesticides to crops, and monitoring pests and disease. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 3 3 0 Short 22 9 24 Adequate 70 77 65 Surplus 5 11 11 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 2 3 0 Short 13 9 23 Adequate 78 78 71 Surplus 7 10 6 --------------------------------------------- -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Strawberry harvest has wound down for most growers, and most operations are working to renovate strawberry beds. High bush blueberry and raspberry harvest has begun at pink-you-own operations. High bush blueberry condition was generally good to excellent regionwide, however some areas in New Hampshire and Massachusetts now showing signs of stress from lack of moisture. Maine's wild blueberry crop development remained up to two weeks behind normal as of mid-July, with the crop now stressed due to lack of moisture. Fruit set ranged from average to above average in most area. Some areas showing below average fruit set: a high percentage of wild blueberry blossoms were not pollinated during the wet spring. Most cranberry beds have advanced to the petal fall stage. Cranberry growers applied final fungicides to control fruit rot and had begun to apply herbicides for weed control. Orchardists report apples sizing up in response to recent moisture. Growers also active thinning peaches and monitoring pests. VEGETABLES: Season turning around for growers as lots of hot and humid weather contributed to very good, rapid growth. Growers harvested early sweet corn, green beans, cabbage, early lettuce, cucumbers, peas, and summer squash. Pepper plants in Connecticut dying from disease due to heavy rains and humidity. Elsewhere squash plants said to nearly triple in size and blossom overnight. A few Massachusetts growers reported phtytothora in their vine crops. Pumpkins and winter squash all planted. Growers sprayed fungicides and insecticides as necessary. Cuke beetle no longer an apparent problem. Growers kept busy cultivating, weeding, monitoring for pests and spraying pesticides for insects and diseases when needed. Very good demand for produce at most local farmer's markets and farm stands. FIELD CROPS: Harvesting dry hay was tricky due to humidity and sporadic showers, a result of the remnants of Hurricane Dennis passing through the region. First cut hay nearly finished save those fields that are not dry enough to avoid creating ruts. It was a successful weekend for haying because of hot sunny conditions despite humidity. Trying to make up for lost time, a lot of hay has been made. Manure was spread on harvested fields. Second cutting for haylage underway, poor drying conditions hindered second cutting of dry hay. Re-growth after cut is doing well. Field corn is growing well in various stages with uneven growth throughout the area due to scattered showers. Tobacco growers identified blue mold on shade tobacco in Southwick, Massachusetts on July 15. While only a few lesions were found, indicating the pathogen may have only been introduced last week, all growers in the Valley region should consider their fields potentially exposed. Growers busy cultivating, hilling and topping tobacco. Fungicide applications were necessary due to rain during the previous week. In Aroostook country growers sprayed for European Corn Borer and Colorado Potato Beetle. Most potatoes are set and some started blossoming. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Emerged -- Silage Corn 95 100 99 Good/Excellent Sweet Corn 95 100 99 Good/Excellent -- Percent Harvested -- Barley, ME Excellent/Good Oats, ME - - - ExcellentFair Potatoes Maine - - - Excellent/Good Mass. - - - Good/Fair Rhode Isl. - - - Good/Fair Sweet Corn 5 0 5 Good/Excellent Tobacco Broadleaf - - - Good/Fair Shade 10 5 5 Good Dry hay, 85 90 90 Good/Fair 1st cut Dry hay, 20 20 30 Good/Excellent 2nd cut ---------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- --Percent Harvested-- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Fruit Condition Avg Size ----------------------------------------------------- Apples - - - Avg Good Peaches - - - Avg Good/Fair Pears - - - Avg Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush 10 15 15 Avg/Above Good/Excel Wild, ME - - - Avg Fair/Poor Cranberries,MA - - - Avg Good Strawberries 95 95 95 Avg/Below Good ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the Period: Monday July 11, 2005 To: Sunday July 17, 2005 AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI -- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 45 90 69 +3 0.00 2.21 NH 44 96 72 +6 0.01 3.18 VT 48 91 73 +7 0.01 0.76 MA 55 97 74 +4 0.00 3.19 RI 48 93 73 +3 0.00 0.00 CT 57 92 75 +3 0.00 3.33 ------------------------------------------- Copyright 2005: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday July 11, 2005 To: Sunday July 17, 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 55 89 70 +0 788 -184 327 +1 Allagash 48 85 66 +2 649 +27 242 +111 Augusta_State_A 58 88 72 +3 872 -51 376 +75 Bangor_Intl_Arp 55 88 71 +4 890 +70 367 +129 Barnard 53 84 69 +3 761 +55 311 +135 Bath 54 89 69 +0 719 -107 263 +17 Bethel 56 86 71 +3 827 -9 338 +95 Brassua_Dam 52 85 68 +5 667 +98 261 +147 Brunswick_ME 57 90 70 +2 741 -85 290 +44 Caribou_Municip 50 84 68 +2 772 +96 314 +154 Corinna 48 88 70 +2 821 +13 338 +111 Danforth 52 84 68 +0 717 -51 277 +60 Dover-Foxcroft 53 82 68 +2 697 -9 275 +99 Durham 56 87 71 +0 788 -191 321 -22 East_Hiram 55 85 70 +3 816 -18 339 +97 Eustis 48 82 67 +3 666 +101 257 +153 Frenchville 52 81 68 +4 760 +138 312 +181 Gray 56 87 72 +4 878 +70 385 +154 Greenville_ME 55 82 69 +2 739 +22 304 +125 Guilford 53 86 69 +3 729 +23 307 +131 Hollis 53 88 71 +4 815 +33 344 +130 Houlton 45 83 67 +1 747 +51 295 +121 Kennebunkport 55 90 69 -3 732 -306 277 -98 Livermore_Falls 54 89 72 +6 846 +144 372 +202 Moosehead 49 83 67 +4 650 +81 246 +132 New_Sharon 54 87 71 +5 805 +103 345 +175 Patten 52 84 68 +2 681 -15 257 +83 Portage 53 86 69 +4 755 +79 309 +149 Portland_ME 57 89 71 +3 833 +25 345 +114 Rangeley 50 85 68 +6 681 +144 269 +178 Sebec_Lake 52 86 69 +2 745 +28 297 +118 Vanceboro 51 84 67 +1 696 -9 257 +81 Waterville 58 88 71 +3 824 -148 350 +24 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 51 91 72 +3 889 -62 394 +77 Benton 55 85 72 +6 858 +63 360 +157 Berlin_AG 53 86 71 +5 874 +80 376 +162 Bethlehem 52 89 71 +6 870 +75 368 +164 Concord 57 90 74 +5 1071 +120 496 +179 Diamond_Pond 51 81 67 +5 662 +160 253 +185 First_Conn_Lake 47 83 68 +6 695 +193 265 +197 Greenville 59 89 75 +8 1112 +252 530 +283 Keene_AP 55 88 75 +5 1076 -16 493 +86 Lakeport 59 89 75 +7 1049 +159 484 +202 Marlow 55 88 73 +5 964 -16 441 +117 Mount_Washingto 44 66 56 +8 186 +169 14 +14 North_Conway 57 88 73 +5 919 +33 403 +126 Otter_Brook_Lk 56 89 74 +3 998 -94 444 +37 Plymouth 54 87 72 +6 875 +104 375 +169 Rochester 57 87 72 +3 916 -101 392 +34 Weare 58 88 73 +5 966 -14 430 +106 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 57 88 73 +7 923 +103 403 +178 Bethel 55 89 73 +7 950 +176 421 +212 Burlington_Intl 60 90 77 +7 1221 +180 600 +221 East_Haven 48 87 71 +7 877 +235 375 +229 Island_Pond 51 86 71 +8 862 +230 376 +241 Montpelier 54 87 74 +8 1009 +205 455 +231 Morrisville_AG 51 87 70 +4 857 +66 367 +145 Mount_Mansfield 55 75 66 +8 538 +225 153 +129 Northfield 53 88 73 +7 931 +213 407 +225 Pownal 60 87 74 +7 1016 +190 432 +201 Rochester 57 88 73 +8 969 +195 434 +225 Rutland_AG 59 90 76 +6 1046 -43 484 +83 Sunderland 60 88 74 +5 1017 -32 457 +86 Sutton 54 86 71 +7 847 +205 366 +220 Townshend_Lake 57 88 73 +4 1026 +20 463 +110 Union_Vill_Dam 55 86 71 +1 899 -121 377 +18 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 60 86 74 +7 1030 +177 456 +202 Boston/Logan_In 62 92 76 +3 1116 -102 518 +29 Greenfield 61 90 75 +4 1129 -46 521 +61 New_Bedford 59 91 74 +0 984 -217 394 -74 Otis_AFB 61 97 78 +8 1199 +266 556 +247 Plymouth 59 91 73 +3 980 -4 435 +90 Walpole 61 90 75 +5 1122 +82 508 +136 West_Medway 60 89 74 +4 1049 +9 460 +88 Chicopee/Westov 63 95 78 +4 1309 -44 620 +45 Worcester 61 88 75 +6 1098 +141 495 +178 Worthington 58 86 73 +6 960 +127 404 +170 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 62 93 76 +4 1198 +52 543 +98 Woonsocket 60 91 75 +5 1138 +116 508 +158 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 58 88 74 +0 1066 -246 452 -104 Bridgeport/Siko 66 92 77 +4 1287 +58 559 +55 Hartford/Bradle 63 92 77 +4 1368 +63 656 +103 Norfolk 57 83 72 +4 990 +153 409 +170 Norwich 58 92 75 +3 1206 +24 547 +90 Thomaston_Dam 62 89 75 +6 1175 +149 529 +177 Willimantic 61 90 75 +5 1185 +148 522 +164 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.35 -0.42 4 1.49 -1.67 12 Allagash 1.40 +0.56 2 3.18 -0.03 7 Augusta_State_A 0.08 -0.62 1 2.05 -0.89 11 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.31 -0.46 2 0.88 -2.20 7 Barnard 2.21 +1.37 2 5.15 +1.78 13 Bath 0.25 -0.40 2 1.37 -1.57 8 Bethel 0.64 -0.13 2 2.67 -0.71 10 Brassua_Dam 0.31 -0.60 2 2.85 -0.85 10 Brunswick_ME 0.03 -0.62 1 2.04 -0.90 11 Caribou_Municip 2.07 +1.16 4 3.60 +0.36 7 Corinna 1.32 +0.55 4 3.06 -0.11 9 Danforth 1.31 +0.40 4 3.47 -0.01 12 Dover-Foxcroft 0.46 -0.38 4 3.40 +0.03 9 Durham 0.47 -0.30 3 3.19 -0.04 11 East_Hiram 0.25 -0.55 2 2.81 -0.54 13 Eustis 0.31 -0.53 2 5.71 +2.41 9 Frenchville 0.44 -0.40 2 2.60 -0.61 7 Gray 0.04 -0.66 2 2.58 -0.39 11 Greenville_ME 1.25 +0.41 3 5.30 +1.93 11 Guilford 0.71 -0.13 3 3.19 -0.18 12 Hollis 0.24 -0.52 2 4.25 +1.05 13 Houlton 2.15 +1.31 5 3.18 -0.04 13 Kennebunkport 0.10 -0.60 1 2.94 -0.09 12 Livermore_Falls 0.29 -0.48 1 2.10 -1.28 7 Moosehead 0.59 -0.32 2 2.46 -1.24 10 New_Sharon 0.03 -0.74 1 2.23 -1.15 10 Patten 1.38 +0.54 5 3.98 +0.76 14 Portage 1.52 +0.61 4 3.54 +0.30 8 Portland_ME 0.15 -0.55 1 3.54 +0.57 12 Rangeley 0.30 -0.47 2 2.64 -0.59 10 Sebec_Lake 1.97 +1.13 3 6.18 +2.81 12 Vanceboro 1.34 +0.57 4 3.27 +0.22 11 Waterville 0.54 -0.23 3 2.22 -0.94 9 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.13 -0.57 2 2.09 -0.76 10 Benton 0.24 -0.53 1 2.36 -0.89 9 Berlin_AG 0.97 +0.13 1 3.19 -0.35 8 Bethlehem 0.72 -0.12 1 3.40 -0.18 9 Concord 0.37 -0.33 1 3.37 +0.52 9 Diamond_Pond 1.99 +0.97 2 5.69 +1.47 11 First_Conn_Lake 1.03 +0.01 2 5.08 +0.86 9 Greenville 0.05 -0.79 1 2.88 -0.48 7 Keene_AP 0.52 -0.29 1 5.02 +1.75 8 Lakeport 0.05 -0.75 1 2.73 -0.39 8 Marlow 0.59 -0.18 1 3.76 +0.52 9 Mount_Washingto 3.18 +1.64 2 7.36 +0.69 12 North_Conway 0.07 -0.77 1 2.13 -1.36 9 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.47 -0.34 1 3.43 +0.16 10 Plymouth 0.01 -0.85 1 4.42 +1.04 9 Rochester 0.15 -0.62 2 4.21 +1.09 11 Weare 0.33 -0.44 3 3.90 +0.66 12 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.36 -0.55 2 3.09 -0.79 11 Bethel 0.06 -0.78 2 2.32 -1.04 11 Burlington_Intl 0.06 -0.76 1 3.00 -0.27 7 East_Haven 0.76 -0.16 2 5.47 +1.62 9 Island_Pond 0.18 -0.75 2 3.76 -0.09 9 Montpelier 0.25 -0.44 4 3.39 +0.50 14 Morrisville_AG 0.17 -0.74 3 2.76 -0.93 9 Mount_Mansfield 0.06 -1.36 2 5.25 -0.74 12 Northfield 0.47 -0.30 2 3.55 +0.56 10 Pownal 0.67 -0.24 3 5.06 +1.18 10 Rochester 0.47 -0.37 3 2.84 -0.52 10 Rutland_AG 0.32 -0.53 3 3.03 -0.34 11 Sunderland 0.67 +0.03 4 5.08 +2.32 15 Sutton 0.62 -0.30 3 3.68 -0.17 12 Townshend_Lake 0.46 -0.31 3 5.02 +2.15 14 Union_Vill_Dam 0.26 -0.48 2 2.61 -0.29 10 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.36 -0.48 2 4.32 +0.96 12 Boston/Logan_In 0.00 -0.63 0 3.42 +0.77 6 Greenfield 0.30 -0.54 2 6.00 +2.59 12 New_Bedford 0.04 -0.60 1 1.72 -1.17 11 Otis_AFB 0.00 -0.63 0 2.18 -0.52 8 Plymouth 0.00 -0.77 0 1.52 -1.56 10 Walpole 0.00 -0.77 0 2.42 -0.83 8 West_Medway 0.21 -0.56 2 3.61 +0.36 14 Chicopee/Westov 0.05 -0.79 1 2.69 -0.81 9 Worcester 0.00 -0.87 0 3.79 +0.22 9 Worthington 0.26 -0.72 3 4.84 +1.09 12 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.00 -0.70 0 0.96 -1.95 8 Woonsocket 0.00 -0.90 0 2.30 -1.33 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.10 -0.60 2 4.61 +1.54 10 Bridgeport/Siko 0.10 -0.80 2 4.12 +0.73 11 Hartford/Bradle 3.33 +2.63 2 7.87 +4.80 11 Norfolk 0.29 -0.63 1 3.15 -0.81 10 Norwich 0.00 -0.84 0 2.68 -0.48 8 Thomaston_Dam 0.18 -0.73 2 4.70 +1.06 13 Willimantic 0.27 -0.69 1 2.03 -1.65 10 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 AWIShome page at www.awis.com or call toll free at1-888-798-9955. -- Other Agricultural Comments and News CONNECTICUT - Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Scattered showers left from zero to three inches of rain on Friday. Field corn looks very good with some early varieties tasseling. Harvesting sweet corn, green beans, cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, green and yellow squash. More first cut hay made and some looking at weather for second cutting. Blue mold identified on shade tobacco on July 15 in the valley. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London: Field Corn- Overall most fields look good. Lack of sunshine and moisture in certain areas will hamper crop growth particularly the later planted fields. Spraying primarily for burcucumber and ragweed post emergence continues. Difficult to know when rain showers would pop up this week effecting herbicide applications. Hay- Almost impossible to make any baled hay for most of the week. Lack of widespread rain effecting second cut growth in many areas. Some hay was chopped earlier in the week. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Blueberry picking begins, sweet corn just ready to harvest, field corn growing well in various stages with uneven growth in fields due to varying soil types, scattered showers delayed haying but greened up the fields with new growth, summer squash and early lettuce doing well. Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Pepper plants are dieing due to high humidity and heavy rains causing disease. Rains still spotty, some areas still getting more rain than others. Summer squash is being picked and starting to rot immediately. Cabbage is also rotting from the inside out. So far tomatoes are good. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Growers spraying fungicides and insecticides as necessary. Most have had to spray for European Corn Borer in potato fields. Most have finished hilling up potatoes. Starting to see some potato blossoms. Showers first of the week although spotty supplied much needed moisture for crops and they are growing rapidly. No reports of late blight as of yet. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Growers are applying fungicides and insecticides - five day spray schedules. Cultivating of crops in continuing. Crops are looking excellent, growing rapidly. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Some corn borer activity. Spraying for European Corn Borer and Colorado Potato Beetle. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Farmers are waiting to hay certain fields when the fields are dry enough to avoid creating ruts. Otherwise first cut haying is nearly finished. Gleason Gray (Ext), Penobscot: Raspberries being harvested, Strawberry harvest winding down for most growers. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Many farmers still playing "catch up". The spring's excessive rains are still having an effect. Many corn acres planted late, thus 1st crop hay is being harvested late and is showing to be reduced quality. Some fields are still too wet to handle equipment. It's been a tough year so far. Donald Burke (FSA), Waldo: Haying continues under sunny skies, but the quality is going downhill. Still feeling the effects of a rainy spring: crops are two weeks late, black root rot in strawberry fields, monilinia, botrytis in blueberry fields, prevented planting and failing corn acres in silage corn and rotted hay fields. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Spraying has begun for blueberry fruit fly. More vegetables available at farm markets. Haying continues with beautiful summer weather. Appears now that a high percent of blueberry blossoms did not get pollinated during the wet spring. Most crops are still two weeks behind. Some silage corn fields being reported as "prevented planting". Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Crop under stress from lack of moisture. Insecticides being applied for fruit fly control. Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Farmers are trying to make hay, but the humidity, showers and wet areas in fields are making it very difficult. Vegetable producers are still waiting for most crops to ripen. Sweet Corn may start next weekend. Irrigation pumps are running in some areas. Elaine Moceus (FSA), Franklin: Despite a heavy downpour during the week in some areas, a lot of hay has been harvested. Another successful weekend for haying - lots of sunshine. Marcia Hall (FSA), Oxford: Oxford County producers have been busy finishing up plantings. Hay is being harvested when weather permits. Strawberries and peas are being harvested. Pastures are still looking good. Laura Rand (FSA), Androscoggin: A hot and humid week. A lot of hay has been made. It's been a very busy week trying to make up for lost time. Pick-your-own season for strawberries continues. Fresh vegetables beginning to show up at farm stands. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Average week for field work. Temperatures and rainfall are higher and greater than normal. Haymaking is slow going with the humidity and sporadic rain from the remnants of Hurricane Dennis passing through the region. The weather has been ideal for cucurbits. Squash plants literally tripled in size and blossomed overnight. Local sweet corn is beginning to be picked. All crops are going well. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Most cranberry beds are coming out of bloom; late varieties are just past full bloom. Growers are applying final fungicides for fruit rot control, getting ready to apply second insecticides for fruit worm control. Round-up applications for weeds have begun. Post-bloom fertilization applications are going on as well. Fruit set is only average in the early varieties, due to that miserable week of weather two weeks ago. Set should be much better in the later varieties. Not much drought stress showing up to date. Ted Smiarowski,Jr.(FSA),Hampshire/Hampden: Lots of heat and humidity. Crops are growing very fast. Harvesting greens, radishes. Beets, cucumbers, cabbage, sweet corn, blueberries and summer squash. Cultivating, hilling and topping tobacco. Fungicide applications being applied due to last week's heavy rains. A few growers reported phtytothora in their vine crops. Overall most crops looking very good. Gary Guida, Worcester: Scattered showers brought some relief but is it ever humid! Fungicide programs in full swing. Cuke beetle for now is no longer a problem, corn borer spraying on 3 day schedule in sweet corn. Great consumer response at local farm stands, plants and local produce in demand. Japanese beetles on ornamentals seen. Side dressing pumpkins and fall squash. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Strawberries finished up this week. Raspberry, bean, cabbage and broccoli harvests have begun, plus more zucchini, summer squash, chard and lettuce are available. Some garden centers have excess annuals hanging around because of rainy weekends in the spring. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Hazy, thundershowers, not too hot. Good conditions for plant growth. Strawberry harvest in full swing, blueberries about to begin. Some second cutting starting up, especially for silage due to short drying time. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Another week of hot, muggy weather. Corn continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Second cutting for haylage/baylage well underway. Second cutting for dry hay just beginning, with slow progress due to poor drying conditions. Pastures are beginning to slow down with heat, but are still doing well with plenty of moisture. Sweet corn is silked and tasseled, some places looking to harvest in a couple weeks, and farm stands featuring a variety of produce. PYO blueberries and raspberries have begun. Orchards report apples to be sizing up well. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: A week of generally hot and humid weather with a scattered downpour or two to make hay drying interesting. Some late top-dress nitrogen on field corn and post-emergence herbicide applications. Good looking corn overall. Nurse crops being chopped off new seedings, nice regrowth of hay and pastures in response to earlier rain this month. Lack of moisture not a concern this month. Small fruits ripening, sweet corn planted early starting to tassel. Squash and cukes starting to run, beginning to blossom, so far so good. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Haying (first and second cutting) continues. Corn continues to grow well with the heat and intermittent moisture. Regrowth after first and second cut is doing well depending on species. Orchard grass and Reed Canary grass regrowth is good to excellent. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Some fields are still too wet to get onto, for first cutting hay. The river bottom fields are all done for first cut, and much of second cut. Corn looks good for those who planted during the early window. Those who missed the earlier planting and were delayed by the rains, have seen most of this corn make good progress. During the month of June we received almost 4.5 inches of rain. July has been a bit dryer so far. 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 over and renovating strawberry beds. Blueberries harvest continues. Field Crops Farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage. Vegetables; Continuing successive planting. Growers harvesting an array of vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, snap beans, summer squash, sweet corn (grown with plastic & floating row covers) and other vegetables. Farmers kept busy cultivating, hoeing weeds, monitoring pest pressures, spraying pesticides for insects and diseases - if needed. Very good demand for produce at most local farmer's markets and farm stands. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Strawberry picking is done. Renovating strawberry beds. Pick-your-Own blueberries and raspberries operation are open. Harvesting cherries and an array of vegetables. Replanting some sweet corn fields that didn't germinate or were soaked during rains. Thinning peaches and monitoring pests in fruit orchards. Mummyberry disease seen in blueberries; Japanese beetles and rose shafer very active. Haylage being done. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Lots of second cut hay being done between showers. Humidity has advance corn and vegetable crops. Good year for all. Fertilizing with manure is ongoing after cuts of hay. Farmers markets are thriving with customers looking for those fresh veggies and products. Still waiting to see what effect hail had on the blueberries. PYO are just about ready to open. Strawberry picking is over for this year. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Blueberries coming in fast and furious. Finished rotovating strawberries and first cut hay. Lots of sun and heat this week. Potatoes closed in. Lots of early summer vegetables are being harvested, still waiting for some sweet corn. Pumpkins and winter squash all planted. Pasture could use some nice rain. Melissa Turrisi: Much needed showers continue to fall sporadically throughout the state. Producers began picking sweet corn and blueberries this week. This year's berry crop looks good. Farm stands are getting busier as the summer harvest begins. In some areas, producers have started in on their second cutting hay. Sunny and dry weather is expected later in the week making for perfect haying conditions. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: The hot, humid and dry weather has suppressed some of the pasture and grass growth. Corn crop is outstanding for this time of year. Some manure being spread on first cut fields. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: It was another hot, hazy and humid week. Scattered showers made cropping as little tricky this past week. Most farms have started second cut hay. Corn looks real good in most cases. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Cultivating vine crops, using rototiller on cole crops, tomato and pepper, mandate using on potatoes for blight. 2.491 rain for week. Will do a lot of good for all crops. Picking good crop of peas and summer squash. Just about all kinds of vegetables in the market now. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext),Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources ConservationServices (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*********************