new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 8/14/05 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 25, Number 16 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) August 15, 2005 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary-- Crops Require More Rain GENERAL CONDITIONS: For the week ending August 7, 2005, there were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture: 8% very short, 28% short, 61% adequate, 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture: 5% very short, 28% short, 64% adequate, 3% surplus. Pasture condition: 1% very poor, 5% poor, 33% fair, 55% good, and 6% excellent. The blistering heat created drought-like conditions in the southern part of the region and threatened to damage crops. Scattered thunderstorms at the beginning and end of the week left a few fields soaked while others turned to irrigation. High winds on Friday caused field damage in southern New England. Disease has become a problem in pumpkin fields. Major farm activities included cultivating, hoeing weeds, monitoring pests and diseases, spraying pesticides, mowing orchards, pruning trees, haying, spreading manure, harvesting a variety of vegetables, as well as harvesting highbush blueberries, raspberries and peaches. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 8 8 0 Short 28 28 3 Adequate 61 61 62 Surplus 3 3 35 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 5 5 0 Short 28 28 4 Adequate 64 64 74 Surplus 3 3 22 --------------------------------------------- -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: With an occasional thunderstorm to quell humidity, pick your own berry operations had nice weather for the continuation of highbush blueberry and raspberry harvest. Scattered rain left some cranberry bogs very dry and others soaked. Cranberries need more consistent rainfall to enhance berry growth; growers continued to irrigate, monitor for pests and apply pesticides and fungicides. Early peach harvest continued in southern New England. Maine wild blueberry development remained behind schedule as crop yields in the mid-coast region were below average. Apple condition in Maine and Vermont ranged from good to excellent, elsewhere conditions ranged from fair to good. Orchardists continued monitoring for pests, applied pesticides and mowed orchard floors. VEGETABLES: Demand for locally grown vegetables kept farm stands and farmer's markets continuously harvesting fresh supplies. A very dry week had left some vegetables to wither in the heat, reducing crop yields. Scattered thunderstorms did not provide enough moisture either for the crops or to replenish water supplies as heavy irrigation continued. Sweet corn condition was rated good to fair. Blight and other diseases were spotted in winter squash and pumpkin fields. Growers harvested an array of vegetables including: beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, snap beans, squash, sweet corn, and tomatoes. Also vegetable growers were busy cultivating, weeding, and monitoring for pests region wide. FIELD CROPS: Dry heat provided excellent hay making conditions. Northern parts of the region finished up first cutting of hay and began second cutting. Some, in southern New England, were harvesting third cutting. Thunderstorms made timing harvests difficult but provided needed moisture to some areas. But overall, dry conditions slowed grass growth. Silage corn development was progressing well amidst the heat and occasional rain. A little combining of barley began. Maine potato conditions were good to excellent but need more moisture to ensure good size development. No blight was reported in Aroostook County as growers continued on a five-day spray schedule. Broadleaf tobacco harvest advanced to one-third of the crop picked, well ahead of last year and above the five year average. Shade tobacco harvest continued progression ahead of last year. Massachusetts crop specialists report no additional outbreaks of blue mold during the first week of August. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Barley, ME - - - Good/Excellent Oats, ME - - - Good/Excellent Potatoes Maine - - - Good/Excellent Mass. 10 10 5 Good Rhode Isl. - - 10 Fair/Good Sweet Corn 25 35 30 Good/Fair Tobacco Broadleaf 30 15 25 Good/Fair Shade 40 30 30 Good Dry hay, 1st cut 95 90 95 Good Dry hay, 2nd cut 55 55 60 Good Dry hay, 3rd cut 10 5 10 Good/Excellent ---------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- --Percent Harvested-- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Fruit Condition Avg Size ----------------------------------------------------- Apples - - - Avg Good/Fair Peaches 25 25 25 Avg Good/Fair Pears - - - Avg Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush 50 70 45 Avg Good/Excel Wild, ME 5 5 10 Avg/Below Fair Cranberries,MA - - - Avg Good/Fair ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the Period: Monday August 1, 2005 To: Sunday August 7, 2005 AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI -- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 41 91 66 -1 0.21 2.50 NH 41 92 69 +2 0.09 2.37 VT 47 90 70 +4 0.03 1.75 MA 50 97 74 +4 0.00 1.47 RI 52 99 75 +4 0.00 0.24 CT 58 97 76 +5 0.00 2.15 ------------------------------------------- Copyright 2005: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday August 1, 2005 To: Sunday August 7, 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 47 87 67 -4 1195 -197 524 -15 Allagash 42 84 61 -4 941 +9 340 +98 Augusta_State_A 54 88 71 +2 1347 +5 641 +132 Bangor_Intl_Arp 50 83 69 +1 1338 +122 605 +182 Barnard 48 82 65 -3 1127 +65 467 +146 Bath 50 86 68 -3 1143 -85 477 +37 Bethel 50 84 67 -2 1234 +12 535 +115 Brassua_Dam 46 80 63 -3 993 +113 380 +158 Brunswick_ME 55 84 69 +0 1191 -37 530 +90 Caribou_Municip 48 81 64 -1 1127 +121 463 +180 Corinna 49 83 66 -2 1232 +50 539 +149 Danforth 48 80 65 -4 1084 -60 434 +51 Dover-Foxcroft 47 88 65 -2 1054 -8 422 +101 Durham 51 87 68 -4 1207 -216 530 -49 East_Hiram 50 86 67 -2 1222 +3 535 +117 Eustis 43 80 62 -3 976 +113 362 +159 Frenchville 49 82 64 -1 1102 +170 448 +206 Gray 58 88 71 +3 1359 +150 656 +232 Greenville_ME 51 79 65 -2 1101 +28 456 +127 Guilford 47 83 66 -2 1118 +56 486 +165 Hollis 49 89 68 +1 1246 +88 565 +186 Houlton 44 81 64 -2 1100 +55 441 +128 Kennebunkport 54 88 68 -4 1157 -341 492 -133 Livermore_Falls 48 90 68 +2 1275 +223 591 +282 Moosehead 44 80 63 -2 972 +92 362 +140 New_Sharon 50 84 68 +2 1225 +173 555 +246 Patten 49 80 65 -2 1031 -14 398 +85 Portage 46 84 64 -3 1097 +91 442 +159 Portland_ME 55 91 71 +3 1306 +97 608 +184 Rangeley 45 82 64 +1 1009 +182 387 +203 Sebec_Lake 47 81 64 -3 1115 +42 457 +128 Vanceboro 49 78 65 -4 1060 -7 411 +81 Waterville 51 88 69 -2 1267 -125 583 +44 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 48 90 69 +0 1332 -35 627 +105 Benton 50 84 68 +3 1254 +112 546 +203 Berlin_AG 49 83 67 +0 1260 +112 552 +189 Bethlehem 48 86 67 +2 1260 +118 548 +204 Concord 53 91 72 +3 1549 +182 764 +242 Diamond_Pond 48 78 62 +0 953 +185 348 +206 First_Conn_Lake 46 75 61 -2 976 +208 354 +212 Greenville 60 91 73 +7 1620 +384 828 +416 Keene_AP 54 88 72 +2 1560 +29 767 +131 Lakeport 58 88 72 +5 1544 +259 769 +302 Marlow 51 92 71 +2 1412 +24 679 +155 Mount_Washingto 42 60 52 +5 265 +226 15 +15 North_Conway 54 87 69 +2 1364 +85 638 +178 Otter_Brook_Lk 54 89 72 +2 1461 -70 697 +61 Plymouth 41 86 67 +1 1279 +154 569 +220 Rochester 54 90 71 +1 1384 -68 650 +66 Weare 55 89 71 +3 1428 +40 682 +158 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 49 88 70 +3 1344 +155 614 +230 Bethel 49 89 70 +4 1376 +249 637 +286 Burlington_Intl 56 89 74 +4 1712 +236 881 +278 East_Haven 47 83 67 +4 1254 +302 542 +294 Island_Pond 49 80 66 +3 1222 +286 527 +294 Montpelier 49 86 70 +4 1436 +277 672 +302 Morrisville_AG 51 85 69 +3 1242 +93 542 +171 Mount_Mansfield 52 74 62 +5 775 +279 208 +157 Northfield 47 88 69 +4 1338 +288 604 +299 Pownal 54 86 70 +4 1454 +259 660 +271 Rochester 50 89 70 +4 1392 +265 647 +296 Rutland_AG 52 88 71 +2 1509 -13 737 +114 Sunderland 54 89 72 +4 1472 +8 702 +126 Sutton 50 83 66 +3 1220 +268 529 +281 Townshend_Lake 54 89 72 +3 1492 +58 719 +146 Union_Vill_Dam 50 88 71 +1 1334 -113 602 +24 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 61 88 72 +5 1510 +270 726 +296 Boston/Logan_In 64 97 76 +3 1690 -29 882 +100 Greenfield 57 89 73 +2 1621 -15 803 +92 New_Bedford 55 94 75 +1 1504 -206 704 -68 Otis_AFB 57 88 74 +4 1715 +341 862 +319 Plymouth 57 93 74 +3 1501 +65 746 +155 Walpole 62 96 76 +6 1675 +190 851 +242 West_Medway 58 91 74 +4 1564 +79 765 +156 Chicopee/Westov 59 94 76 +2 1855 -17 956 +70 Worcester 62 90 74 +5 1617 +237 804 +273 Worthington 53 90 72 +5 1397 +191 631 +236 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 62 99 79 +6 1796 +166 931 +210 Woonsocket 59 96 75 +6 1671 +211 831 +253 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 58 90 74 +0 1546 -267 722 -126 Bridgeport/Siko 67 97 79 +5 1881 +137 943 +130 Hartford/Bradle 61 95 77 +5 1942 +136 1020 +175 Norfolk 59 91 72 +6 1446 +234 655 +253 Norwich 62 96 77 +6 1772 +111 903 +176 Thomaston_Dam 61 92 76 +7 1706 +260 850 +287 Willimantic 59 94 75 +6 1711 +240 838 +254 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.08 +0.24 2 2.64 -0.60 10 Allagash 0.24 -0.67 2 2.54 -1.01 10 Augusta_State_A 1.16 +0.42 3 1.63 -1.28 6 Bangor_Intl_Arp 1.19 +0.48 3 4.63 +1.70 10 Barnard 1.86 +1.09 4 6.70 +3.55 12 Bath 0.56 -0.14 4 1.81 -0.85 10 Bethel 0.65 -0.24 2 2.08 -1.20 7 Brassua_Dam 1.12 +0.26 3 3.55 -0.04 13 Brunswick_ME 0.84 +0.14 4 3.04 +0.38 10 Caribou_Municip 0.64 -0.32 5 3.22 -0.56 14 Corinna 1.23 +0.40 5 4.45 +1.31 15 Danforth 1.15 +0.24 4 4.08 +0.44 13 Dover-Foxcroft 1.83 +1.06 5 3.42 +0.27 14 Durham 0.55 -0.22 4 2.74 -0.31 12 East_Hiram 0.52 -0.32 3 2.19 -1.11 9 Eustis 0.26 -0.51 3 2.05 -1.24 10 Frenchville 0.76 -0.15 4 2.92 -0.63 11 Gray 0.81 +0.18 4 1.93 -0.73 10 Greenville_ME 0.51 -0.26 5 3.52 +0.37 14 Guilford 0.36 -0.41 5 3.03 -0.12 14 Hollis 0.38 -0.32 2 2.01 -0.85 9 Houlton 0.62 -0.29 3 4.12 +0.61 15 Kennebunkport 0.37 -0.33 2 0.94 -1.84 5 Livermore_Falls 0.96 +0.09 3 2.37 -0.83 8 Moosehead 2.50 +1.64 3 5.94 +2.35 11 New_Sharon 0.63 -0.24 3 1.78 -1.42 7 Patten 1.18 +0.27 4 4.56 +1.05 17 Portage 0.70 -0.26 4 3.45 -0.33 17 Portland_ME 0.32 -0.31 2 1.46 -1.20 7 Rangeley 0.87 -0.04 3 2.73 -0.59 12 Sebec_Lake 2.28 +1.51 4 6.68 +3.53 12 Vanceboro 1.10 +0.39 4 4.00 +1.01 13 Waterville 1.08 +0.24 3 2.58 -0.66 11 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.11 -0.66 1 2.04 -0.95 7 Benton 0.88 -0.02 4 2.60 -0.67 10 Berlin_AG 0.43 -0.54 2 2.12 -1.41 6 Bethlehem 1.42 +0.41 4 3.79 +0.09 11 Concord 0.20 -0.57 2 1.10 -1.89 6 Diamond_Pond 0.59 -0.54 3 4.42 +0.15 12 First_Conn_Lake 0.92 -0.21 3 4.08 -0.19 10 Greenville 0.43 -0.48 2 1.16 -2.35 8 Keene_AP 0.22 -0.67 1 2.64 -0.74 7 Lakeport 0.26 -0.58 2 2.47 -0.85 8 Marlow 0.09 -0.71 1 1.74 -1.40 6 Mount_Washingto 2.37 +0.59 3 9.07 +2.54 10 North_Conway 0.43 -0.48 4 4.38 +0.93 10 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.52 -0.37 2 1.99 -1.39 7 Plymouth 0.39 -0.52 4 1.03 -2.56 9 Rochester 1.30 +0.48 1 2.91 -0.29 5 Weare 1.21 +0.41 4 3.26 +0.12 13 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.31 -0.63 2 1.17 -2.50 7 Bethel 1.75 +0.74 1 2.96 -0.71 8 Burlington_Intl 0.81 -0.10 2 3.30 -0.12 8 East_Haven 0.72 -0.34 3 3.58 -0.39 10 Island_Pond 1.42 +0.32 4 3.66 -0.37 11 Montpelier 0.43 -0.40 4 2.22 -0.74 11 Morrisville_AG 0.82 -0.25 5 2.61 -1.34 12 Mount_Mansfield 0.48 -1.15 2 2.72 -3.32 11 Northfield 0.73 -0.11 4 2.68 -0.55 9 Pownal 0.51 -0.43 2 3.32 -0.35 10 Rochester 0.14 -0.87 1 1.71 -1.96 11 Rutland_AG 0.31 -0.60 3 2.30 -1.28 12 Sunderland 0.59 -0.22 3 2.21 -0.68 11 Sutton 0.39 -0.67 4 3.34 -0.63 13 Townshend_Lake 0.44 -0.43 3 1.69 -1.55 10 Union_Vill_Dam 0.15 -0.62 2 0.85 -2.20 8 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.75 -0.09 3 3.07 -0.25 10 Boston/Logan_In 1.12 +0.42 2 1.30 -1.32 4 Greenfield 1.35 +0.51 2 4.17 +0.81 9 New_Bedford 0.34 -0.54 2 0.44 -2.55 6 Otis_AFB 0.00 -0.73 0 0.24 -2.44 3 Plymouth 0.31 -0.53 1 0.34 -2.81 3 Walpole 1.21 +0.37 2 1.36 -1.80 4 West_Medway 0.62 -0.22 3 1.85 -1.31 10 Chicopee/Westov 0.73 -0.04 4 2.29 -0.87 11 Worcester 0.18 -0.66 3 0.86 -2.53 7 Worthington 0.09 -0.89 2 0.48 -3.44 9 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.01 -0.76 1 0.21 -2.73 5 Woonsocket 0.24 -0.67 2 0.77 -2.80 6 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.95 +0.18 2 1.83 -1.06 9 Bridgeport/Siko 0.24 -0.54 1 1.12 -2.24 5 Hartford/Bradle 0.21 -0.56 2 4.27 +1.38 9 Norfolk 2.15 +1.17 3 3.62 -0.17 8 Norwich 0.61 -0.23 2 1.38 -2.02 6 Thomaston_Dam 0.32 -0.59 2 2.93 -0.84 9 Willimantic 0.25 -0.66 1 1.44 -2.31 7 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 - Howard Rood (FSA), Fairfield/Litchfield: Weather continues hot and humid. We need some rain. Jude Boucher (Ext), Tolland: We need some rain in the next week or there will be some serious crop damage on unirrigated land. Some pumpkin fields are already showing signs of injury on the dry knolls. Too hot, too dry. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Hot dry weather early in the week made for good haying. Field corn and vegetable crops were drying out and veggies required extensive irrigation. Cool front Friday PM dumped much needed rain but too fast to sink in. Winds associated with cold front knocked down trees and power lines. Saturday and Sunday had plenty of sunshine and heat but much less humidity. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London: New London County missing the bad storms this week but also missing any significant rain. Ear formation progressing on the early planted corn but size will be small in typically drier fields. Yields will definitely be down on the earliest planted fields where water has been lacking at a critical time. Later planted fields still have a chance if timely rains occur soon. Hay- Second cut grass chopped in most places this week. Good quality but low yields. Dry hay still a struggle to put in with high humidity and some light spotty showers. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Drought like conditions, no rain the entire month of July for towns along the Rhode Island border, other areas had brief very scattered showers, 19 days of over 90 degrees, concerns about poor grain set in corn and losses in tonnage and quality of corn, irrigating blueberries, one farmer pumping water eight hours a day on vegetables and sweet corn, abundant squash production, field corn is tasseling, some of the field corn looks awesome but needs water soon. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Too much brown on those pastures. Very dry. Corn reaching for rain. Weed control delayed until weeds start growing again on the pastures. Spring seedings are suffering without the deep roots. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Field corn in silk. Began scouting for corn ear worm adults, in most areas. Weed populations in field corn generally look good. Farmers are satisfied with stands. Heights in the eight to 14 foot range in scouted fields. Nancy Welsh (FSA), New Haven This was a very hot and dry week. We did not get any rain or scattered showers in our area. Everything is drying up and needs water. Crops are suffering. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Growers getting harvesting equipment out and checking them for repairs and servicing. Checking fields for insect and disease pressure. Spraying fungicides faithfully. Haven't received sufficient rainfall to do much good. Really need some moisture as potatoes are starting to bulk up. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Growers are starting to combine barley. Cutting and baling hay. Growers are still applying fungicides on a five day spray schedule. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Some disease pressure of light blight. Growers continue a five day spray schedule. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Three and a quarter inches of rain fell in two evenings of thunder storms. Fields are so wet, some hay had to be left unharvested. Strong wind accompanied the second evening of showers causing corn to lay over nearly to the ground. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Farmers have been challenged by unexpected rains this past week when they have tried to put up the last of the first crop of hay. Kathy Hopkins (Ext), Somerset: Need more rain than just the scattered thundershowers. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Harvest began in mid-coast fields last week. Crop in these fields are below average. There are problems in getting enough migrant rakers because of the poor crop last year. Machine harvesting of fields has begun on the blueberry barrens down-east. Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Beautiful weather for haying. Vegetable stands are full of items for sale. Highbush blueberries and raspberries have good yields. Rain or irrigation is needed for most crops. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Harvesting fruits and vegetables, highbush blueberries look good. Good haying weather. Marcia Hall (FSA), Oxford: Haying continues through out Oxford County and some farmers are ready to start on second crop. Vegetable growers need rain. Some Sweet corn is starting to be harvested, while the rest of the crop will be coming in late due to the wet conditions during the planting season. Laura Rand (FSA), Androscoggin: A good week for crops. Sweet corn and other vegetables are showing up at farm stands. Potatoes being cultivated, silage corn catching up. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Weather was conducive to field work and crop development. Warm sunny days with relatively high humidity have encouraged early development of FAV's which are fueling the farmers markets with a great array of variety. Hay was made and orchardists are happy with their fruit crops. Pick your own operations for cane berries and blueberries are having a good year. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Continues to be hot and dry. All field crops are suffering, cranberry and vegetable growers and continue to irrigate around the clock. Vegetable growers are harvesting most crops with average yields but two weeks late because of the cool wet spring. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Fruit set is variable, depending on the bed and the location. Still some lagging blossoms remaining on the later cultivars. Growers are finished with sprays. Roundup wiping continues. Irrigation is imperative, as rainfall has been scarce and very spotty. We really need a good soaking in order to size up the berries. Some drought stress is showing up in the higher, drier areas of the beds. Jason Otto (FSA), Bristol: Hot Dry weather has made the irrigation come out in full force. Some water holes getting a little low. Silage corn is showing signs of stress. Some rain is needed. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Farms in the Valley are still recovering from the effects of heavy rain during July. In spite of the drought in many sections of Massachusetts, we measured 12 inches of rain in July! Some towns in Franklin County have had even more rain. Loss adjusters were busy appraising rain and hail damage this week. Silage corn seems to be thriving in the heat and humidity. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Another hot and humid week with scattered rain showers. Some growers are irrigating due to the dry conditions. All types of summer crops are being harvested and they are growing very fast due to the 90 degree days. Gary Guida, Worcester: Will someone please turn on the water? Getting real dry here as scattered showers missed this part of the county. Some corn rolling seen in fields. Melons starting to net up, pumpkin fruit set and size heavy, harvesting wide array of summer crops. Blueberry crop this year is a bumper crop and u-pickers have had ideal weekend weather. Farm stand trade now bordering on a feeding freenzy as local growers attempt to keep up with demand. Locally grown sweet corn is just excellent. Perenninal plant sales strong again this weekend. Just great looking produce coming in from the fields. Early peach harvest underway. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: We're moving right along now! Farm stands are fully stocked, cabbage, tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers, everything you could want. Blueberry harvest going quite well. Little to no mummy berry present. Field corn tasseling, Apples beginning to size up. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Lots of hot weather all week, with hardly any rain. Most field corn looks good, lots of it in the blister stage, but there are still a few spots showing moisture stress. Grass growth is slowing down, but there were good conditions for making dry hay. Vegetable stands selling lots of field corn, and field tomatoes are finally ready. Harvest of blueberries and raspberries still going strong. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Good week for dry hay making, although some heavy downpours in various locations could make that a challenge. Some parts of the county a bit dry, could use a good soaking rain. Field corn looks quite well with most of it now tasseling. Should see sweet corn reaching market this week. Berry picking continues, squash type plants doing well. So far so good, nothing too surprising on pests thus far. Warm-season grass trials in county are Switch grass, Eastern Gamma grass, and Big Bluestem all heading out now. Growing degree days passes the 1200 mark in Lancaster. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Third cut starting as second cutting is finishing up. Crops continue to grow well with scattered showers and thunderstorms providing some moisture. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit: Orchardists harvesting peaches and Vista Bell apples. Blueberry and raspberry harvests continued. Orchardists busy monitoring for pests, mowing orchard floors and fixing up orchard roads. Apple growers busy summer pruning trees. Field Crops: Silage corn is rapid growing, starting to tassel and the earliest planted corn is starting to silk. Farmers making baled hay. Vegetables: Growers harvesting an array of vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, snap beans, summer squash, sweet corn and other vegetables. Irrigating crops. High disease and insect pressure, so farmers kept busy spraying pesticides for insects and diseases. Seeing more diseases show up in pumpkin and winter squash fields. Early bight, septoria leaf blight and leaf mold diseases are seen in tomato fields. Some growers have serve damage on sweet corn cause by birds. Sadie Puglisi (Ext), Merrimack: Raspberries finishing and blueberry picking in full gear. Great weather this week. Stands and markets are full. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: A hot and humid week. Producers busy making hay and haylage. Fruit growers busy harvesting blueberries and raspberries. It was a strong week for pick your own blueberry and raspberry operations. Growers also mowing the orchard floor and monitoring for pests in fruit trees. Vegetable growers harvesting different kinds of vegetables including corn. Growers also monitoring for pests and diseases and weeding vegetable crops. Greenhouse and nursery operators monitoring the growth of fall mums and poinsettia crops. Mums are doing well for most growers and early varieties are already showing color. Woody ornamentals and perennials continue to sell at the garden centers. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: The lack of rain is taking its toll. Irrigating potatoes and summer vegetables. Harvesting corn, tomatoes, squashes, peppers and a variety of lettuces. Melissa Turrisi: After several weeks without significant rain, dry conditions are having a definite impact on crops affecting both growth and harvest. Second cutting hay fields are drying up and vegetable plants are burnt and wilted by the hot sun. Producers are irrigating as much as possible but are now battling quickly decreasing water supplies. Farmers are harvesting those summer vegetables that are available to fill their stands. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Another week of boringly fantastic weather for crops and fieldwork. Grass growth in general has slowed until cooler wetter weather returns. Combining of the barley crop started last week which is a little earlier than normal. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: It was another great week for harvesting hay. The hot dry weather has made it possible to put up some excellent quality hay this year. Also the fields are drying out from the rains earlier in the season. The corn continues to do well. In some fields the corn is over 10 feet tall. The corn has tasseled and the ears are starting to form. The pastures still remain in pretty good shape for this stage of the season. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Pretty good week for field work. Things are starting to dry out and in some locations rain is needed. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Hot week, some heavy thundershowers. Haying, spreading manure after the harvest. Corn coming along, mostly tasseled. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Regular spraying of potatoes and vine crops for blight. Showery weather great for crops but hard to put up dry hay. 0.550 inches of rain for week, came in nice showers. Great all around growing weather for week. Started digging early potatoes, all cole crops in the market, good crop of sweet corn, green beans, summer squash and cukes. Full market of summer vegetables. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext),Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources ConservationServices (NRCS), or other knowledgeable individuals. JULY 2005 CROP WEATHER SUMMARY: The month of July began warm and sunny, but a cool and cloudy front arrived to the region the second week. Humidity hit New England with hot temperatures and some scattered rain and thunderstorms. By the end of July, the humidity finally disappeared and cooler conditions arrived. Crop development and growth were enhanced greatly with almost 28 days suitable for fieldwork during the month. At the beginning of the month, second cutting of hay was just underway and close to the halfway point at month's end whereas, first cutting neared completion. At month's end, strawberry harvest was finished and growers were busy renovating beds. Highbush blueberry harvest started late due to a cold, wet spring but warm, humid days enhanced crop development and was on schedule at month's end in good to excellent condition. Unfavorable spring conditions delayed peach harvest although crop was rated good to fair at month's end. Shade tobacco harvest began in early July ahead of schedule and at month's end was more than a quarter completed and condition was rated good. By mid-July broadleaf tobacco harvest began ahead of schedule due to recent warm weather that enhanced crop development. Early sweet corn harvest began in mid- July in southern New England and was in full swing throughout the region at month's end. Apple growers were busy mowing orchard floors and spraying as necessary as harvest season approaches. Pear conditions were rated fair to good at month's end. Cranberry bed reached full bloom and growers continued to irrigate, monitor for pests, and apply pesticides and fungicides as crop condition was rated good to fair at the end of July. The warm, dry conditions in southern New England caused drought like concerns whereas, other areas in the region received heavy rains that influenced crop conditions. However, field corn development remains good to excellent in the region. Oats and barley in Maine continued to develop as both were rated good to excellent at the end of July. By month's end, Massachusetts potato grower's were in full swing with harvest as crop was rated good as Rhode Island grower's were gearing up for harvest. Maine potato grower's continued on a five-day spray schedule. The crop remained behind normal due to late planting but potato condition was rated good. -- 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 Carrie Ross, Student Intern 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*********************