State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 05/23/04 Issue NH-CW2004 Volume 24, Number 5 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) May 24, 2004 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary PLANTING PROGRESS CONTINUES For the week ending May 23, 2004, there were 5.3 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated three percent very short, five percent short, 65% adequate, 27% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated three percent very short, four percent short, 83% adequate, ten percent surplus. Pasture condition was rated as one percent poor, nine percent fair, 66% good, 24% excellent. Temperatures during the week were above normal across New England. Thunderstorms throughout the region helped replenish soil moisture levels in most locations allowing growers to continue planting between the showers. Major farm activities included: planting field corn, early vegetables, sweet corn, tobacco and potatoes; making haylage; harvesting asparagus and rhubarb; spreading manure; applying fertilizer, plowing and discing. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 3 2 2 Short 5 7 3 Adequate 65 84 71 Surplus 27 7 24 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 3 2 3 Short 4 4 4 Adequate 83 89 77 Surplus 10 5 16 --------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report Pasture and hay fields were green and growing very well. Harvest of first cut haylage and dry hay was underway by the end of the week. Silage corn plantings continued although hindered by rainy conditions. Plantings advanced to 55 percent, 15 percent ahead of last year and in line with the five year average. This was a busy week for Maine growers. Favorable weather conditions gave them an opportunity to make good progress on potatoes, oats and barley. Potatoes progressed to 75 percent, ahead of last year and the average. Massachusetts and Rhode Island potato farmers have 85 percent of their potatoes planted. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Fruit growers were busy spraying protective fungicides and insecticides in orchards after the weekend rains. Apple and peach development ranged from full bloom to petal fall stage. Pear development was in the petal fall stage across the six-State region. Fungicides applications for Mummyberry disease continued in wild blueberry fields. Bees were being moved in fields for pollination. Some winterkill on plants from cold winter. Cranberry growers were keeping an eye on insect populations. Reports of Black-headed fireworm and cranberry weevil were big concerns. Growers have applied insecticides to deal with these problems. VEGETABLES: Early season vegetables plantings continued. Growers were spraying for weed control on Sweet corn fields. Green house and high tunnel tomatoes were doing well. Growers were harvesting asparagus, rhubard and some spinach during the week. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Percent Condition Emerged ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Planted -- Barley, ME 85 70 65 35 Excel/Good Oats, ME 80 70 65 30 Excel/Good Potatoes Maine 75 50 60 -- Good/Excel Mass 85 85 85 35 Good Rhode Isl 85 95 95 -- Good Silage Corn 55 40 50 20 Excel/Good Sweet Corn 40 40 45 25 Good Tobacco Shade 50 45 40 -- Good/Excel Dry Hay First Cut 5 <5 <5 Good/Excel ----------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- Fruit Crop Stage Set Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples FB/PF Avg/B. Avg Good/Fair Peaches FB/PF B.Avg/Avg Fair/Good Pears PF Avg/B. Avg Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush Bud/PF Avg Fair/Good Wild EB/FB -- Good/Fair Cranberries,MA Bud -- Fair/Good Strawberries EB/FB Avg Fair/Good ----------------------------------------------------- EB - Early Bloom, FB - Full Bloom, PF - Petal Fall -- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, May 23, 2004 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 29 86 56 +2 0.03 1.84 NH 30 84 57 +2 0.74 2.86 VT 33 79 57 +2 0.77 2.63 MA 34 83 60 +3 0.04 2.27 RI 44 79 62 +4 0.11 0.32 CT 43 82 63 +4 0.11 0.69 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table Weather Summary For New England Agricultural Statistics Service - Prepared By AWIS, Inc. For the Period: Monday May 17, 2004 To: Sunday May 23, 2004 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 38 75 56 -2 184 +47 35 +25 Allagash 29 74 51 -1 86 +41 9 +9 Augusta_State_A 45 76 58 +2 208 +88 36 +28 Bangor_Intl_Arp 41 76 57 +3 174 +86 26 +23 Barnard 40 73 55 +2 141 +75 24 +24 Bath 38 79 56 +2 140 +57 17 +16 Bethel 40 75 57 +2 207 +110 45 +39 Brassua_Dam 35 73 53 +3 90 +56 8 +8 Brunswick_ME 45 86 62 +8 207 +124 44 +43 Caribou_Municip 33 73 54 +1 120 +56 27 +27 Corinna 41 76 58 +4 182 +91 39 +35 Danforth 38 74 55 +2 121 +56 15 +15 Dover-Foxcroft 36 75 55 +2 117 +51 16 +16 Durham 39 79 58 +1 185 +62 30 +25 East_Hiram 38 78 57 +2 204 +107 47 +41 Eustis 34 73 53 +2 111 +72 21 +21 Frenchville 32 72 53 +3 106 +61 19 +19 Gray 41 79 59 +4 233 +152 51 +51 Greenville_ME 43 74 57 +4 185 +110 41 +39 Guilford 36 76 54 +1 87 +21 7 +7 Hollis 38 80 58 +3 214 +137 52 +52 Houlton 31 75 55 +3 126 +61 22 +21 Kennebunkport 40 70 56 -4 127 -20 5 -2 Livermore_Falls 37 76 58 +5 209 +143 44 +44 Moosehead 34 73 53 +4 103 +69 16 +16 New_Sharon 39 74 56 +3 177 +111 29 +29 Patten 36 73 55 +3 117 +52 21 +20 Portage 34 74 54 +2 108 +44 25 +25 Portland_ME 43 77 58 +4 195 +114 36 +36 Rangeley 36 72 53 +3 113 +76 14 +14 Sebec_Lake 36 76 56 +3 137 +62 24 +22 Vanceboro 38 73 54 +2 110 +54 14 +14 Waterville 41 76 57 +0 171 +34 23 +13 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 35 78 56 -2 234 +97 59 +46 Benton 38 73 56 +0 223 +105 54 +40 Berlin_AG 39 75 57 +3 214 +115 51 +41 Bethlehem 37 74 55 -1 193 +77 43 +29 Concord 40 79 61 +4 361 +224 117 +104 Diamond_Pond 37 70 51 +1 122 +82 15 +15 First_Conn_Lake 33 73 53 +3 100 +60 6 +6 Greenville 40 84 59 +4 316 +189 95 +82 Keene_AP 44 77 61 +2 315 +124 88 +59 Lakeport 43 78 60 +5 270 +157 68 +58 Marlow 36 72 56 -3 192 +31 37 +16 Mount_Washingto 30 51 42 +6 12 +12 0 +0 North_Conway 43 78 60 +4 256 +140 77 +66 Otter_Brook_Lk 41 79 59 -1 263 +72 69 +40 Plymouth 37 74 57 +3 206 +118 45 +39 Rochester 43 77 58 -1 259 +99 70 +50 Weare 42 76 58 +0 255 +94 60 +39 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 37 76 58 +3 241 +123 58 +44 Bethel 34 79 58 +4 249 +147 65 +55 Burlington_Intl 44 76 60 +3 326 +153 117 +90 East_Haven 33 75 55 +4 187 +120 45 +43 Island_Pond 35 71 55 +3 170 +100 35 +33 Montpelier 37 73 57 +3 258 +144 73 +60 Morrisville_AG 36 74 54 -2 169 +67 38 +28 Mount_Mansfield 35 62 51 +4 90 +70 11 +11 Northfield 36 76 55 +3 206 +120 49 +43 Pownal 38 77 59 +5 284 +162 74 +58 Rochester 37 79 58 +4 242 +140 63 +53 Rutland_AG 39 76 58 -2 250 +45 57 +19 Sunderland 37 76 58 -1 243 +51 52 +22 Sutton 41 72 55 +3 169 +102 36 +34 Townshend_Lake 41 79 59 +2 265 +108 71 +49 Union_Vill_Dam 38 76 57 -1 233 +69 62 +39 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 43 78 60 +4 283 +175 73 +67 Boston/Logan_In 48 77 61 +2 371 +159 119 +103 Greenfield 43 82 62 +2 320 +105 92 +64 New_Bedford 39 77 60 +1 277 +63 57 +40 Otis_AFB 41 73 59 +3 229 +117 47 +44 Plymouth 40 78 60 +4 277 +151 67 +62 Walpole 46 78 61 +4 337 +174 87 +74 West_Medway 45 83 62 +5 358 +195 107 +94 Chicopee/Westov 46 79 63 +2 417 +128 149 +102 Worcester 44 78 60 +4 346 +207 104 +94 Worthington 38 78 58 +3 251 +134 56 +45 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 49 75 62 +4 352 +167 93 +81 Woonsocket 44 79 62 +4 341 +182 98 +89 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 45 78 61 -1 304 +34 76 +30 Bridgeport/Siko 52 76 64 +4 357 +131 88 +55 Hartford/Bradle 49 79 65 +4 419 +157 143 +99 Norfolk 43 76 61 +5 292 +179 78 +69 Norwich 47 81 64 +4 349 +119 90 +57 Thomaston_Dam 48 82 65 +7 400 +222 129 +108 Willimantic 45 78 63 +5 383 +207 118 +98 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.38 +0.54 4 3.87 +0.54 14 Allagash 0.03 -0.69 1 1.22 -1.56 6 Augusta_State_A 1.01 +0.17 5 3.39 -0.11 13 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.84 +0.04 4 3.43 +0.18 12 Barnard 0.46 -0.35 5 2.24 -1.02 15 Bath 1.61 +0.80 4 4.26 +0.87 11 Bethel 0.88 +0.04 4 3.36 +0.05 13 Brassua_Dam 0.56 -0.21 3 1.85 -1.21 11 Brunswick_ME 1.23 +0.42 4 4.14 +0.75 10 Caribou_Municip 0.46 -0.24 2 1.96 -0.77 11 Corinna 1.17 +0.39 4 3.86 +0.64 11 Danforth 0.48 -0.36 3 2.51 -0.85 10 Dover-Foxcroft 0.71 -0.10 3 2.71 -0.55 12 Durham 1.60 +0.82 4 3.95 +0.62 12 East_Hiram 1.50 +0.66 5 4.02 +0.54 13 Eustis 0.84 +0.07 4 2.19 -0.76 12 Frenchville 0.53 -0.19 2 2.01 -0.77 11 Gray 1.23 +0.46 5 3.63 +0.26 12 Greenville_ME 0.35 -0.46 2 0.89 -2.37 10 Guilford 0.64 -0.17 5 2.41 -0.85 14 Hollis 1.50 +0.66 4 4.63 +1.11 11 Houlton 0.16 -0.61 3 2.06 -0.91 11 Kennebunkport 1.84 +1.00 6 4.84 +1.25 13 Livermore_Falls 0.67 -0.17 4 3.29 -0.12 13 Moosehead 0.41 -0.36 3 1.55 -1.51 12 New_Sharon 0.79 -0.05 3 2.95 -0.46 10 Patten 0.26 -0.51 3 2.43 -0.54 13 Portage 0.76 +0.06 2 2.19 -0.54 9 Portland_ME 0.94 +0.17 4 3.56 +0.19 11 Rangeley 1.16 +0.39 4 2.77 -0.01 12 Sebec_Lake 0.46 -0.35 4 2.25 -1.01 14 Vanceboro 0.46 -0.36 3 2.43 -0.91 12 Waterville 0.76 -0.08 3 3.30 -0.03 11 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 1.94 +1.24 6 5.26 +2.46 14 Benton 1.40 +0.61 4 4.05 +1.07 11 Berlin_AG 0.85 +0.02 2 4.39 +1.23 8 Bethlehem 1.41 +0.64 5 4.52 +1.63 17 Concord 1.46 +0.76 4 4.27 +1.47 10 Diamond_Pond 1.70 +0.78 5 4.43 +1.03 17 First_Conn_Lake 1.45 +0.53 4 3.40 +0.00 15 Greenville 0.74 -0.10 3 2.89 -0.47 10 Keene_AP 2.57 +1.71 5 4.65 +1.31 11 Lakeport 1.14 +0.30 5 3.70 +0.48 12 Marlow 1.33 +0.42 4 4.42 +0.75 13 Mount_Washingto 2.86 +1.18 5 7.09 +0.27 16 North_Conway 0.98 +0.08 4 3.30 -0.36 11 Otter_Brook_Lk 2.55 +1.69 5 5.83 +2.49 14 Plymouth 1.47 +0.56 3 4.30 +0.75 10 Rochester 2.78 +1.94 3 5.96 +2.33 8 Weare 1.66 +0.75 5 3.94 +0.27 11 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 1.36 +0.31 4 3.88 -0.26 13 Bethel 1.48 +0.50 5 3.64 -0.26 15 Burlington_Intl 1.42 +0.72 4 3.17 +0.39 15 East_Haven 1.25 +0.41 4 2.90 -0.21 13 Island_Pond 1.40 +0.53 3 3.35 +0.19 14 Montpelier 1.92 +1.15 5 3.59 +0.78 15 Morrisville_AG 0.77 -0.07 3 2.40 -0.78 14 Mount_Mansfield 1.74 +0.47 5 6.16 +1.21 18 Northfield 2.15 +1.34 4 3.53 +0.39 12 Pownal 0.77 -0.28 4 3.75 -0.39 12 Rochester 2.09 +1.11 4 4.00 +0.10 12 Rutland_AG 2.63 +1.82 4 5.25 +2.21 12 Sunderland 1.07 +0.23 4 3.79 +0.65 14 Sutton 1.11 +0.27 3 2.94 -0.17 16 Townshend_Lake 1.30 +0.53 4 3.21 +0.00 14 Union_Vill_Dam 1.23 +0.39 4 3.67 +0.49 13 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.65 -0.17 5 3.42 +0.26 14 Boston/Logan_In 0.37 -0.33 4 2.64 -0.38 12 Greenfield 0.91 +0.00 5 4.04 +0.54 14 New_Bedford 0.11 -0.69 4 1.57 -1.80 11 Otis_AFB 0.14 -0.70 3 2.26 -1.18 10 Plymouth 0.23 -0.65 5 1.87 -1.83 14 Walpole 0.85 +0.08 5 3.78 +0.55 14 West_Medway 0.56 -0.21 3 3.36 +0.13 10 Chicopee/Westov 0.85 -0.07 5 3.08 -0.57 14 Worcester 0.56 -0.42 4 3.19 -0.70 13 Worthington 0.65 -0.40 5 3.04 -1.15 14 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.11 -0.73 3 2.29 -1.18 10 Woonsocket 0.32 -0.59 3 2.97 -0.76 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.33 -0.62 3 2.63 -1.10 11 Bridgeport/Siko 0.11 -0.77 6 2.96 -0.65 18 Hartford/Bradle 0.34 -0.61 4 2.80 -0.93 12 Norfolk 0.69 -0.36 4 2.27 -1.87 14 Norwich 0.14 -0.85 3 2.59 -1.59 10 Thomaston_Dam 0.63 -0.35 2 3.20 -0.88 12 Willimantic 0.32 -0.59 3 3.11 -0.74 12 Summary based on NWS data. DFN = Departure From Normal (Using 1961-90 Normals Period). Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precip of 0.01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright 2004: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For detailed ag weather forecasts and data visit the AWIS home page at www.awis.com or call toll free at 1-888-798-9955. -- Other Agricultural Comments and News Howard Rood (FSA), Fairfield/Litchfield: Many dairy farmers estimate that field corn planting is about two weeks ahead of last year. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Transplanting shade and broadleaf tobacco. Setting tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and collards. Planting sweet corn, beans, potatoes, squash and cukes. Field corn nearing 3/4 done. Chopping hay for silage. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Maturity of grasses & clover about two weeks ahead. Chopping grass, finishing planting corn. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Corn is being planted - some up and green. Chopping grass. Equipment problems and repairs. Harvesting asparagus and planting vegetables. Drying up. To early to tell scab but spores all around - potential for heavy inoculation due to wet weather. Good pollination weather, good bee activity. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Making haylage and planting corn at the same time is always a challenge. Some farms stop planting until haylage is all in. Others work half days on each. Thunderstorms with « - 3/4" hail rolled through the state Sunday night. Time will tell what effect the hail had on emerged corn. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: The good weather this past week gave growers the opportunity to get at lot of this crop in the ground. Week was spent planting potatoes, small grains, spreading lime. Soils warming up and are working well. Small grains have emerged and first planted potatoes about to break through the ground. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Farmers are busy planting crops. The warmer weather was welcomed to help farmers progress to get the crops in the ground. If the predicted rain holds off, farmers should be able to finish planting this week. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: This week has been very busy with good weather and planting going full bore. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Farmers are still tilling ground, spreading manure and planting. Some livestock are grazing. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Manure is still being spread in fields. Some planting has started. Hay fields are slow to start growing. Animals have been turned out into pastures but grass has been slow to grow. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Corn is still being planted. Some corn has emerged. Rain is well welcome for the growing season. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers are ready. Spinach, Swiss chard and radishes too! Cool damp weather may be causing a problem with Mummyberry or Monilinia blight. This week's forecast calls for more rain. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Fungicide applications being applied for mummyberry disease, blight symptoms beginning to appear. Bees being moved into field for pollination. Note a lot of winterkill on plants from cold open winter. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: We have a typical Maine Spring. Hot one day, cold and rainy the next day. Producers are planting potatoes, sweet corn, silage corn and other crops as weather permits. Many have emptied the manure pits and have the fields ready for planting. The pastures and hay fields are "greening up" and will be ready for harvest soon. Everyone is set for another ride with Mother Nature. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Highbush blueberries and cane crops look like they suffered some winter damage. Apple blossoms are beautiful. Field conditions are still very good. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Corn plantings and some cutting of forage silage. One producer reported planting six times this week. Corn ground being sprayed for weed control. Strawberry planting. Crop losses on peaches, sweet cherry and nectarine - total. The cause might have been the cold freezing weather in January. Tent caterpillars are showing a lot. Corn has been coming up in eight to ten days after planting. Apple crop seems to be OK. Waiting to hear from strawberry growers on their condition, most have been uncovered. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: The biggest concern for growers currently is trying to stay one step ahead of the massive insect populations. Black-headed fireworm is everywhere and cranberry weevil is the second biggest concern. Cutworms, spanworms, and gypsy moth caterpillars have also been noted. Most growers have sprayed once or twice to deal with these pests. There was one frost night this week. Phrenological development is still probably seven days ahead of normal. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: A great week for field work as all types of crops are now being planted. Growth looks good. Flea beetles on cukes, melons and eggplant are being sprayed. Hay crop looks good. Everyone is pretty happy with the season at this point. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Warm and windy weather has allowed farmers to hit high gear on field activities this week. Planters of every variety have been working non-stop all week. These weather conditions have also dried fields to the point where irrigation will be needed soon. Shade tobacco growers have completed planting this week. Potato and corn producers aren't far behind. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: The week was mostly warm and dry with a well needed rain shower at week's end. Everyone was planting. Farmers were planting new strawberry and asparagus beds, silage, grain, sweet corn, cucumbers, winter squash, etc. Harvesting hay, asparagus, rhubarb and spinach. Gary Guida, Worcester: Ok, who turned off the heat pump? Cold raw week slowed or stopped most field work as rains and/or temperatures delayed transplanting. Good weekend sales of plants and vegetable seedlings. Perennials still sales leader. Looks like yet another bumper crop of strawberries! NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Field preparation and planting continues, pastures are green and growing. Hay fields ready for a cut, if weather will cooperate, should be an excellent first cut. Reports of Apple and Blueberry winter damage still coming in. Reports indicate loss of 1/3. Nurseries and garden centers doing brisk business, many people have planted their home gardens early, hoping they won't be surprised by frost. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: A little rain, but plenty of sunny weather for field work. A few farms done planting corn and are now spraying, and others are busy planting the remaining corn acres. A few more farms have begun first cutting, and others are gearing up to start this week. Apple growers are thinning. Despite winter injury, some blueberries look pretty good, with lots of blossoms. Vegetable growers are transplanting tomatoes, etc. Greenhouses have lots of sales activity. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Field corn continues although hampered somewhat by rainy weather at the end of the week. Seem to be a little behind this year. Grasses on meadows and hay land growing very well in this cold wet season. Orchard grass heading out. dandelions going to seed. Vegetable plantings getting started, plastic mulch being laid. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Corn planting continuing at rapid pace. First cut started and continues as weather permits. Applying manure after cutting. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruits: Apples and pears are past petal fall stage in to fruit set stage where later blooming areas in county are at petal fall stage. With all the rain during weekend, orchardists made sure to have protective fungicide sprays applied. Moved bees out of orchards. Blueberries and Strawberries are blooming. Green Pug Moth seen in one orchard and seeing plum curculio activity several orchards. Winter injury is still being seen on blueberry bushed, raspberry canes, apple trees, and peach trees. Vegetables: Harvesting asparagus, rhubarb and some spinach. Successive plantings of sweet corn and trying to finish potato planting and other early season vegetable crops. Growers were plowing, discing fertilizing and laying down plastic mulch and drip irrigation tape. Also, growers are transplanting field tomatoes. Weed spraying planted sweet corn fields. Field Crops: Spreading manure, plowing, discing, fertilizing and planting corn on fields. Grasses and forage crops are growing fast with orchard grass starting to head out. John Porter (Ext), Merrimack: Early hay crop silage harvesting is underway. Reports of excellent quality and yields. Dry hay not quite ready. Early planted corn is in the third to fourth leaf. Vegetables being seeded and transplanted. A little apprehension about the full moon the first week of June. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Crops growing well. Need some warm sunny days. Too much rain in the last few days. Continue on preparing fields, and planting vegetables and small fruits. Spraying protective fungicides. Slow traffic at garden enters this past week end. Hoping for a good one for Memorial day. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: Very wet weekend. Fruit growers spraying fungicides and insecticides. Apples, blueberries and strawberries looking good. Vegetable growers planting and transplanting vegetable crops. Greenhouse and high tunnel tomatoes looking good. Hay growing nicely but slowly. Cool temperatures slowing crop growth. Greenhouses and garden centers continue to have steady plant sales. However the rainy weekends seem to slightly slow down plant sales. RHODE ISLAND - Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Cool weather and occasional downpours are keeping things moist, but farmers are busy with cultivating and planting. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Last weeks favorable weather helped with planting progress. Crops are all looking good at this point in the growing season. Weekend rains will slow corn planting down for a few days. Warmer weather would be very helpful for all crops. Some will be starting first cut this week. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Landowners are in full production planting corn. Most of the large producers have finished. Some of the earlier planted corn has emerged and looks good. The pastures are in real good shape with all of the rain we have had. The early grasses in the hay fields have started to head out so I expect we will see some farmers begin to hay this week. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Blueberries producers are reporting heavy blooming raspberries in bud stage and look excellent. No-til corn is being planted on haylage fields where a poor crop was harvested. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Newly emerged corn, clover, alfalfa, grass is uniform and vigorous. Grass hay seed heads showing, orchard grass fully emerged heads. Pasture growth excellent, dandelions set seed. Soil conditions excellent for planting most of week. Ended week with excess water in fields from heavy rains. Continued secondary soil tillage, rock removal, leveling, planting corn, soy, alfalfa, grass, cereal grains. Also manure spreading, spraying herbicide for weed control in corn, machinery preparation for hay harvest. Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: We reached petal fall as of Monday, with good fruit set. Heavy precipitation last week and a forecast of additional rain this week brings both good fruit growth news, but coupled with the possibility of heavy disease pressure down the road. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: Scattered showers last week slowed field work tremendously. Farmers were working in between showers. A large amount of field corn planted as well as new forage seedings. Some corn spiked out of ground. Many farmers plowing up alfalfa stands that were hit hard by winter kill. Hundreds of acres of alfalfa lost to winter kill. Reports of reed canary and orchard grass also winter killed. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Peas all planted. Plowing all finished for the season. Spraying for weed control on sweet corn fields. Sprayed pea fields to control Kayl. 2.616 ins. rain this week. Two hard thunder storms built up water supply in good shape. Real heavy cutting on asparagus and rhubarb. First planting of small vegetables all done. Honey bees having a great time with all the early blossoms. Have a nice 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 every Monday evening, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statisticians: Dianne Johnson Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt Deputy: Joe Sampson New England Agricultural Statistics Service National Agricultural Statistics Service United States Department of Agriculture Aubrey R. Davis, Director 22 Bridge St, 3rd Floor PO Box 1444 Concord, NH 03302-1444 Phone: (603) 224-9639 Fax: (603) 225-1434 Internet: http://www.usda.gov/nass/ E-Mail: nass.nh@nass.usda.gov ****************** end of report ***********************