State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date For week ending 07/01/01 Issue NH-CW2601 Volume 21, Number 9 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) July 2, 2001 - 4 pm Agricultural Summary For the week ending July 1, 2001, there were 6.2 days available for fieldwork across New England. Pasture condition was rated as 0% very poor, 3% poor, 28% fair, 49% good, 20% excellent. Major farm activities included: planting sweet corn; cultivating and hilling potatoes; spreading manure; transplanting some vegetables; testing soils for nitrate; sidedressing fields with fertilizer; cutting hay and chopping haylage; harvesting strawberries, highbush blueberries, summer squash, cole crops, peas, zucchini, radishes, and other vegetables; and spraying for weeds, insects, and fungus. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 1 1 0 Short 21 15 3 Adequate 69 74 82 Surplus 9 10 15 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 10 8 0 Short 11 9 1 Adequate 69 72 83 Surplus 10 11 16 --------------------------------------------- Field Crops Report Hot, muggy weather continued last week until heavy rains hit most parts of New England over the weekend and cooler temperatures moved in. Weather remained favorable for both fieldwork and crop growth. Potato emergence was complete by the end of the week and farmers continued to hill and cultivate their crops. Field corn is expected by most to be knee-deep by the fourth of July; the crop is in good to excellent condition. The transplanting of New England's broadleaf tobacco crop was completed ahead of normal. The harvesting of both first and second cut hay continued, and the second cut crop looked to be in better condition than the first in most areas. Armyworm damage has been detected in corn and hay crops throughout New England. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Growers actively mowed orchards and sprayed fruit crops for weeds and insects. New England's peach crop recovered slightly from the damage caused by heavy frosts in May, due to the recent hot weather and scattered showers; the crop is currently in good to fair condition. Even so, the harvest of peaches, pears, and apples is expected to be below average. Strawberry harvest was 65% complete in New England, with approximately 90% already harvested in both Connecticut and Massachusetts. The harvesting of highbush blueberries began last week in New England; some heavy winter damage has been detected. Fruit flies have been trapped in some wild blueberry fields in Maine. Massachusetts' cranberries were in Full Bloom to Petal Fall Stage, and fruit set was reported as average. VEGETABLES: Sweet corn planting was nearing completion, with 99% planted by the end of the week. The harvesting of rhubarb, radish, peas, broccoli, zucchini, lettuce, and other vegetables proceeded, with most crops reported in good condition. Growers made fungicide applications. The hot, humid weather caused significant insect activity, so fields were monitored and sprayed as necessary. Soil nitrate levels were tested and fields were sidedressed with fertilizer. Business remained steady for roadside stands and farmers' markets last week. Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------------------- Crop 2001 2000 5-yr Avg Condition --------------------------------------------------------- Potatoes -- Percent Emerged -- Maine 100 99 95 Good/Excel Mass 100 100 100 Good/Excel Rhode Isl 100 100 100 Good/Fair Oats, ME 100 100 99 Good/Excel Barley, ME 100 100 99 Good/Excel Silage Corn 95 85 95 Good/Excel Sweet Corn 85 80 90 Good Tobacco -- Percent Planted -- Shade 100 100 100 Good Broadleaf 100 95 95 Good Sweet Corn 99 95 95 Good Dry Hay --Percent Harvested-- First Cut 85 60 70 Good Second Cut 10 5 5 Good ------------------------------------------------------ FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Fruit Crop Harvested Size Condition -------------------------------------------------------- Apples -- Avg Good Peaches -- Avg/B.Avg Good/Fair Pears -- B.Avg/Avg Poor Strawberries 65 Avg Good/Excel Cranberries,MA -- Avg Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush <5 Avg Fair Wild,ME -- B.Avg Good -------------------------------------------------------- Weather Summary For the Week ending Sunday, July 1, 2001 --------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI -- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 37 93 70 +6 0.01 3.32 NH 39 94 69 +5 0.00 1.56 VT 43 91 69 +4 0.01 1.50 MA 51 94 73 +6 0.00 3.26 RI 58 93 75 +7 0.01 0.85 CT 54 94 75 +6 0.01 1.03 -------------------------------------- Prepared by AWIS, Inc. Weather Information Table AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 45 91 70 +4 702 +43 240 +64 Allagash 37 88 64 +1 497 +108 127 +74 Augusta_ME 53 90 73 +7 815 +200 318 +165 Bangor 47 93 73 +8 790 +252 294 +178 Barnard 44 92 71 +7 668 +222 210 +136 Bath 48 91 71 +6 649 +114 226 +110 Bethel 49 91 69 +4 694 +140 229 +107 Brassua_Dam 42 85 66 +4 528 +181 134 +94 Brunswick_ME 52 89 73 +7 714 +179 265 +149 Caribou 43 88 68 +5 644 +211 190 +121 Corinna 48 92 72 +7 754 +224 259 +150 Danforth 39 92 70 +6 615 +127 184 +86 Dover-Foxcroft 48 91 70 +7 647 +201 206 +132 Durham 48 92 72 +4 665 +12 241 +62 East_Hiram 46 90 70 +5 665 +113 230 +109 Eustis 45 86 67 +6 494 +147 135 +98 Frenchville 42 85 65 +3 567 +178 154 +101 Gray 56 91 74 +9 814 +296 332 +230 Greenville_ME 47 87 69 +5 616 +159 188 +111 Guilford 49 90 71 +7 643 +197 219 +145 Hollis 47 92 72 +7 708 +202 261 +163 Houlton 38 92 68 +5 618 +175 187 +112 Kennebunkport 50 90 71 +3 655 -48 247 +47 Livermore_Falls 45 92 72 +9 741 +290 279 +203 Moosehead 42 88 67 +5 519 +172 128 +88 New_Sharon 49 93 74 +11 817 +366 320 +244 Patten 40 89 66 +3 528 +85 138 +63 Portage 44 89 67 +4 655 +222 212 +143 Portland_ME 54 92 75 +10 762 +244 305 +203 Rangeley 44 87 67 +6 510 +179 139 +107 Sebec_Lake 43 93 70 +7 645 +188 202 +125 Vanceboro 43 91 69 +6 619 +175 183 +109 Waterville 50 93 73 +6 758 +99 276 +100 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 50 94 72 +6 824 +178 331 +159 Benton 48 86 68 +4 661 +120 200 +93 Berlin_AG 47 88 70 +6 698 +169 223 +115 Bethlehem 45 87 67 +4 636 +95 185 +77 Concord 49 90 72 +5 832 +186 322 +150 Diamond_Pond 45 81 64 +4 474 +166 123 +100 First_Conn_Lake 45 82 65 +6 421 +113 106 +83 Greenville 50 94 70 +6 684 +102 242 +113 Keene_AP 54 90 72 +4 845 +79 316 +75 Lakeport 54 90 73 +8 853 +260 332 +186 Marlow 47 90 68 +2 639 -42 208 +22 Mt_Washington 39 64 52 +6 76 +75 6 +6 North_Conway 50 93 73 +7 858 +263 346 +200 Otter_Brook_Lk 53 89 70 +3 759 -7 255 +14 Plymouth 46 90 69 +5 674 +169 221 +121 Rochester 48 94 73 +5 857 +154 361 +156 Weare 52 86 70 +4 722 +41 255 +69 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 47 88 66 +2 534 -18 152 +35 Bethel 46 91 69 +6 729 +212 247 +139 Burlington_VT 53 90 72 +5 941 +221 371 +153 East_Haven 43 87 66 +5 587 +175 165 +96 Island_Pond 44 85 67 +5 607 +195 175 +108 Montpelier 48 85 69 +5 678 +140 218 +101 Morrisville_AG 45 87 66 +2 554 +29 150 +35 Mount_Mansfield 45 73 61 +5 333 +155 66 +58 Northfield 47 88 68 +5 664 +195 197 +107 Pownal 55 85 69 +5 734 +176 233 +110 Rochester 49 89 69 +5 660 +143 200 +92 Rutland_AG 52 89 69 +2 744 -28 239 -5 Sunderland 52 85 68 +0 623 -113 176 -42 Sutton 48 86 67 +5 627 +215 187 +118 Townshend_Lake 54 90 71 +4 718 +27 246 +47 Union_Vill_Dam 48 91 69 +2 709 +3 221 +15 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 56 88 71 +6 829 +259 313 +183 Boston 63 92 76 +6 1067 +218 485 +205 Greenfield 54 94 74 +5 857 +28 333 +59 New_Bedford 58 90 74 +5 951 +118 386 +123 Otis_AFB 59 88 75 +7 905 +292 379 +227 Plymouth 55 90 73 +5 889 +231 349 +168 Walpole 56 91 75 +7 1013 +301 438 +232 West_Medway 55 93 75 +8 1011 +299 436 +230 Westover 59 93 75 +4 1039 +64 443 +85 Worcester 58 84 71 +4 879 +232 343 +175 Worthington 52 88 70 +6 700 +135 235 +110 RHODE ISLAND Providence 63 92 76 +6 1066 +278 463 +214 Woonsocket 58 93 76 +9 1033 +332 458 +269 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 54 89 72 +2 826 -112 304 -38 Bridgeport 64 92 77 +7 1077 +217 453 +157 Hartford_AP 58 92 75 +5 1056 +125 449 +110 Norfolk 55 88 73 +8 783 +221 280 +156 Norwich 61 92 76 +7 1069 +233 456 +185 Thomaston_Dam 55 91 74 +7 912 +199 357 +157 Willimantic 61 92 75 +7 1064 +341 448 +243 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.03 -0.76 1 1.56 -1.75 10 Allagash 0.75 -0.02 2 5.25 +2.32 10 Augusta_ME 0.09 -0.66 1 2.38 -0.68 8 Bangor 0.08 -0.69 1 1.06 -2.03 8 Barnard 0.67 -0.17 2 2.37 -1.08 9 Bath 0.03 -0.75 1 2.60 -0.75 9 Bethel 1.04 +0.15 3 3.17 -0.51 10 Brassua_Dam 0.21 -0.76 3 3.56 -0.13 11 Brunswick_ME 0.01 -0.77 1 2.91 -0.44 8 Caribou 0.26 -0.49 3 2.04 -0.68 12 Corinna 2.06 +1.25 2 3.02 -0.31 6 Danforth 0.43 -0.46 2 1.39 -2.02 9 Dover-Foxcroft 0.50 -0.34 2 1.80 -1.65 8 Durham 0.62 -0.22 2 2.89 -0.54 9 East_Hiram 0.53 -0.31 2 1.75 -1.79 7 Eustis 1.29 +0.46 2 3.73 +0.59 10 Frenchville 1.04 +0.27 2 3.90 +0.97 12 Gray 0.89 +0.12 2 3.22 +0.00 10 Greenville_ME 0.71 -0.13 2 1.72 -1.73 8 Guilford 1.46 +0.62 2 3.30 -0.15 9 Hollis 0.28 -0.56 1 2.77 -0.65 9 Houlton 0.57 -0.20 3 2.31 -0.77 10 Kennebunkport 0.12 -0.68 1 4.48 +1.09 8 Livermore_Falls 1.42 +0.52 1 3.47 -0.36 7 Moosehead 0.26 -0.71 2 2.20 -1.49 9 New_Sharon 3.32 +2.42 1 5.37 +1.54 8 Patten 0.60 -0.17 3 2.49 -0.59 12 Portage 0.04 -0.71 1 3.70 +0.98 10 Portland_ME 0.20 -0.57 2 2.44 -0.78 9 Rangeley 0.66 -0.18 2 1.86 -1.57 8 Sebec_Lake 0.94 +0.10 2 2.83 -0.62 10 Vanceboro 0.56 -0.21 2 2.02 -0.98 10 Waterville 0.17 -0.62 1 1.69 -1.62 9 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.86 +0.15 2 3.70 +0.74 9 Benton 0.29 -0.55 1 1.61 -1.92 7 Berlin_AG 0.55 -0.36 1 1.91 -1.91 4 Bethlehem 0.05 -0.86 1 1.04 -2.71 10 Concord 0.17 -0.54 2 3.55 +0.59 10 Diamond_Pond 1.56 +0.51 2 4.97 +0.66 11 First_Conn_Lake 0.70 -0.35 1 5.50 +1.19 14 Greenville 0.05 -0.79 1 2.67 -0.79 6 Keene_AP 0.02 -0.82 1 3.11 -0.25 4 Lakeport 0.30 -0.48 2 2.81 -0.44 8 Marlow 0.00 -0.84 0 3.52 +0.08 6 Mt_Washington 0.40 -1.34 2 3.64 -3.65 11 North_Conway 0.11 -0.80 1 1.31 -2.40 5 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.03 -0.81 1 3.04 -0.32 8 Plymouth 0.32 -0.52 1 1.86 -1.50 7 Rochester 0.32 -0.46 1 3.87 +0.60 7 Weare 0.00 -0.84 0 3.58 +0.14 8 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.06 -0.95 2 4.06 -0.17 10 Bethel 0.54 -0.30 1 1.95 -1.53 7 Burlington_VT 0.47 -0.36 3 2.02 -1.24 11 East_Haven 0.18 -0.80 1 1.92 -2.06 10 Island_Pond 0.11 -0.87 2 2.00 -1.98 8 Montpelier 0.52 -0.23 2 1.95 -1.27 9 Morrisville_AG 0.57 -0.34 2 2.00 -1.75 8 Mount_Mansfield 1.50 -0.04 3 4.58 -1.66 10 Northfield 1.11 +0.38 1 3.09 +0.17 6 Pownal 1.18 +0.17 1 4.04 -0.19 7 Rochester 0.62 -0.22 1 2.20 -1.28 8 Rutland_AG 0.43 -0.41 1 3.36 +0.00 6 Sunderland 0.01 -0.69 1 3.21 +0.14 9 Sutton 0.26 -0.72 1 1.80 -2.18 11 Townshend_Lake 0.02 -0.68 1 2.38 -0.53 8 Union_Vill_Dam 0.53 -0.18 1 2.11 -0.91 9 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.67 -0.17 2 5.64 +2.28 10 Boston 0.61 -0.09 2 4.15 +1.26 7 Greenfield 0.50 -0.35 2 2.84 -0.71 9 New_Bedford 0.18 -0.58 2 4.98 +1.66 6 Otis_AFB 0.08 -0.62 2 2.57 -0.42 8 Plymouth 0.35 -0.42 2 3.42 +0.22 7 Walpole 3.26 +2.42 2 9.29 +5.81 6 West_Medway 2.38 +1.54 1 8.45 +4.97 6 Westover 0.65 -0.26 1 3.10 -0.68 9 Worcester 1.32 +0.44 2 4.49 +0.88 9 Worthington 0.60 -0.31 1 3.09 -0.52 8 RHODE ISLAND Providence 0.02 -0.74 1 5.16 +2.08 5 Woonsocket 0.85 -0.06 2 6.08 +2.32 7 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.05 -0.76 1 5.78 +2.31 9 Bridgeport 0.02 -0.82 2 3.06 -0.16 11 Hartford_AP 0.07 -0.74 2 3.67 +0.20 10 Norfolk 1.03 +0.00 2 4.26 -0.03 10 Norwich 0.07 -0.70 1 7.48 +4.42 5 Thomaston_Dam 0.05 -0.86 2 5.72 +1.93 11 Willimantic 0.04 -0.87 1 4.97 +1.46 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 2001: 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 - Howard Rood (FSA), Fairfield/Litchfield: Most of the week was excellent for fieldwork. Heavy rains fell at the end of the week. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Farmers are finishing planting silage corn and vegetables. Taking advantage of the hot, dry weather to finish first cutting and start second cutting hay. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: A great week for crops with corn growing in the hot, hot, sunny days. Hay is looking very good and second cutting is making up for some of the loss on first. Corn will definitely be knee-high by the 4th of July in many places. Producers have already well established their farmer's tans for the year. Early vegetables are beginning to be ready for harvest. Summer is here! Nancy Welsh (FSA), New Haven: Producers have found fire blight on the apples. This occurrence is due to the cold spring. Strawberries have passed. Blueberries are getting ready to be picked. The hot, humid weather this week has been intense to work in. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Larvae are eating grass in hayfields - armyworms? Even eating the alfalfa as a second choice. Getting squished crossing the roads between fields and lawns. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes: Cultivating, spraying fungicides and insecticides. Crop looks good despite high temperatures and dry conditions. However, showers Saturday and Sunday helped. More rain is needed. Early planted barley beginning to head out. Dee Potter (Ext), Northern Aroostook: Good week for fieldwork. Potato cultivation and pesticide/herbicide applications occurred. First cut hay crop harvested as both dry and silage. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: Crops are looking very good at this time. We are finding some corn borer egg masses. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: A little over 0.3 inch of rain fell Sunday. Haying is in progress. In need of rain. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Two hay fields and one strawberry field have been attacked by armyworms. The corn looks great with the warm weather we have had this past week. Janet King/Jennifer Zweig (FSA), Somerset: Strawberries are in the second week of harvesting. Corn, hay and home gardens are looking great. Still need rain. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Dry weather continues with very little rain in this area. Some corn showing stress, as is second cutting of hay. Armyworm outbreak has damaged hundreds of acres of second cutting grass fields. Some corn damage reported, but minor at this point. Strawberries look to be coming to a premature end to the harvest. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Strawberry harvest and U-pick operations in full swing. Reports are that the strawberry crop is excellent this year. Great haying weather last week. Hay was down everywhere as farmers took advantage of the good weather. Received rainfall on Sunday. Crops are looking good. Received reports this morning that there could be some problems with armyworm in corn crop. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild Blueberries: Blueberry fruit fly traps being put out in fields. Early captures of fruit flies being recorded. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: Strawberry harvest continues. Fresh produce is plentiful at roadside stands. Farmers are spraying for insect control due to hot, humid weather. Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: Almost perfect weather for growing all crops and doing fieldwork. Plenty of sun and ample rain. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Heavy winter damage on highbush blueberries. The tops of the bushes were killed or damaged enough to greatly reduce yield. Potatoes have started to blossom. Strawberry harvest looks good. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Hot, humid weather has prevailed over the last week. Sweet corn is tasseling. Strawberries are being harvested. Silage corn looks good. Cultivation and spraying are ongoing. First crop hay looks good and second crop looks even better. Holding our breath as summer storms come in. MASSACHUSETTS - Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Conditions were hot and humid, good for corn, but not so good for cranberry pollination. Vegetable crops are looking good, growers are harvesting summer squash, peas, etc., with good yields. Shellfish growers are harvesting quahogs and oysters as summer demand for quality shellfish increases. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: Ending the strawberry picking season. Putting second application of fertilizer on corn, squash and cucumbers. Spraying for insect infestation. The recent rain and heat giving all the crops a great head start. The cooler weather next week may slow them down a bit. The rain was a welcomed sight, although a bit heavy at times. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Many cranberry beds past full bloom; fruit is setting up nicely. Many beds have been flooded to destroy the crop. First fruit worm sprays applied; second or third fungicide applications in place. Weather has cooperated nicely for those applications and has provided good pollination weather. Widely scattered showers both Saturday and Sunday brought highly variable amounts. Insects continue to be the major topic of discussion for this growing season. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Harvesting of summer squash, zucchini, peas and lettuce on time. Strawberry harvest about finished, as is rhubarb and asparagus. Farmers continuing to make hay. A few blueberries beginning to turn. The rest of the fruit crop looks very good. Hot, humid weather last week pushed crops along. Most planting is finished. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Hot, humid weather continues to push crops. Frequent showers along with hot, muggy weather have allowed crops to grow rapidly. Strawberry harvest is in full swing with all producers reporting a good crop. Fruit crops appear to be doing good, with the exception of lowbush blueberries and some apples. Frost damage, hail and poor pollination have affected some acreage. The main activities this week have included side dressing, cultivating, shade tobacco tying and potato hilling. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: A mix of heat and rain are making crops grow very well. Due to the high humidity, growers are scouting for insects and controlling them if needed. Harvesting strawberries, radishes, summer squash and greens. Gary Guida, Worcester: High heat and humidity has finished u-pick strawberry season, ending a fair year for them. Temperatures have really pushed field crops along, but with heavy rains side dressing is mandatory and we are watching weed problems on fields treated with pre-emergence herbicides. Soil erosion causing some crops to be buried. Plant sales continue to remain strong, and "bought in" corn quality is good and sales are very strong. Cucumber and squash beetles are problems. Harvesting lettuce, broccoli, summer squash and zucchini. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Hot, dry weather for most of the week made for ideal haying activities. Good quality baled hay being put up. Soil nitrate tests being taken as field corn reaches 12-14 inches and ready for topdress nitrogen fertilizer. PYO strawberries now being offered. Farm stands and farmers' markets had a good weekend. Peas, greens and other early crops available. Crops look good. Not receiving the calls we did in last year's cool, wet season. Heavy rains this weekend provided much needed water. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Dry weather has reduced growth on lighter soils. Corn looks good to excellent, especially the early planted fields. Second cut is excellent quality, but yields are off due to dryness. Rain over the weekend should help. Some armyworm in hay and corn fields. Still below the threshold at this time. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruits: Strawberry harvest was in full swing (60% harvested) and blueberries starting turn blue - start of harvest is around the corner. Orchardists busy monitoring for pests, spraying and mowing orchard floor. Tree training newly planted trees. Apple scab is seen in some orchards. Vegetables: Continuing successive planting. Growers continued harvesting early season vegetables such as lettuce, greens, radishes, peas and summer squash. Growers busy side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating, mowing weeds, scouting for pests and spraying. Disease pressure continues to concern growers. Field Crops: With drier weather during the week, farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage at a faster rate. Grass hay is maturing rapidly. Side dressing fertilizer to field corn and harvested hayfields. Weather: Again, thunder storms produced gully washers in isolated areas in county on Sunday. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Strawberry harvest in full swing. Some raspberries were harvested. Orchardists mowed and sprayed. Some summer squash was harvested along with radishes, peas and lettuce. Blueberries were fertilized and vegetable were side dressed with additional nitrogen. Hot days have stimulated growth of corn and other warm season vegetables. Early blueberry varieties beginning to show color. Weed problems beginning to appear. Timely rainfall and warm weather has improved the quality of most crops. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Strawberry harvest in full swing. Some fields are showing signs of gray mold and cyclamen mite damage. Cultivating, weeding, side dressing with fertilizers, spraying protective fungicides, applying herbicides in vegetable fields. Bacterial wilt seen in cucurbit fields that are infested with cucumber striped beetles. Asparagus harvest done. Harvesting an array of early vegetables. Finishing up first cut hay. RHODE ISLAND - Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Haying is in full swing. The crop is light for most fields. Corn seems to be up and growing fast to make up for lost time. Hot, humid weather has everything jumping. Apples and pears still on the trees are showing a wide frost band from the early May freeze, the crop is extremely light. June drop is one of the heaviest ever seen. VERMONT - John St. Onge (FSA), Lamoille: Another excellent week for fieldwork ended with some needed rain. First cut of grass is about over for most. Corn and vegetables have come on strong with much of the corn crop already knee-high. Larry Hamel (NRCS), Orleans: A lot of hay harvest work going on this week. Dry hay was the hot item during the hot/dry weather. After the first cut, many farmers are spreading manure and fertilizer to prepare for the second cut. Very dry now. We had only scattered light rain on Friday. Need a few days of light rain right now. Corn crops are looking good with a week or more of dry weather. Lynette Hamilton (FSA), Windham: Corn along the river in Windham County will be head high by the fourth. Second cut alfalfa is ready for harvest and looks better than first cut. Strawberries are at their peak with raspberries and blueberries just beginning to ripen. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Starting to harvest second crop alfalfa haylage, first cut haylage complete, first cut dry hay harvesting mostly complete. The corn looks much better, good weed control, side dress nitrogen being applied. Some manure spreading on grass hay fields, grass slow to regrow, alfalfa better. Richard Noel (FSA), Grand Isle/Franklin: Did I say knee-high corn for the 4th of July? How about waist high in some areas of Franklin County. Excellent weather for crops this week, the hot and humid weather broke Sunday with some very aggressive thunder storms; Highgate received 0.43 in. of rain. Rain came down in varied amounts and at different times of the day in the Franklin County area. I know we're up north, but 47 degrees was 'kinda cool' this morning! Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Very hot week, then thunderstorms on Saturday and rain on Sunday brought us down to temperatures in the 40's, big shock. It had been getting quite dry, so rain was welcome. Yields on first cut of hay were dependent on moisture in the soil. Second cut is coming along with legumes looking pretty good, but it looks like drier soils will have a lighter second cut. Corn has been responding to high temperatures - some will be 'knee-high' this week. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext), Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), or other knowledgeable individuals. June 2001 Crop Weather Summary: Warm, sunny weather and timely rains during the month of June gave farmers ample opportunity to get most crops in the ground early and provided adequate moisture and sunshine for crop growth. The plentiful rainfall allowed crops in the southernmost states to recover somewhat from unsatisfactory conditions that were caused by cool, dry weather in May. As of mid- June, most major crops in New England were planted, and progress was ahead of last year and normal. First cut hay crop yields were lower than usual, due to stunted crop growth attributed to May's lack of sufficient moisture. Second cutting had gotten underway by the end of the month and the crop was reported in better condition than the first. Potato emergence was at or ahead of last year and the five-year average by the end of June in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The condition of the potato crop ranged from good to excellent by month's end in all states. By late June, Maine oat and barley crops were fully emerged and in excellent to good condition. The transplanting of shade tobacco was complete by mid-June, and growers throughout the region were still active setting out the last of the broadleaf tobacco plants at the end of the month. Tree fruit crops in Connecticut and Rhode Island remained in poor to very poor condition throughout June, due to a severe frost which hit at peak bloom in mid-May. Thirty-five percent of New England's strawberry crop had been harvested as of late June, with crop condition rated as good to excellent in most areas. Massachusetts' cranberry crop was approaching petal fall by month's end and was reported in good to fair condition. Fruit set on Maine's wild blueberry crop was above average; overall, the 2001 crop was rated in good condition as of late June. 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: Emily McAllister, Robin Helrich Deputy: David Luckenbach 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 ***********************