State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 08/01/04 Issue NH-CW3004 Volume 24, Number 15 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) August 2, 2004 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary HOT AND HUMID WEEK For the week ending July 25, 2004, there were 5.1 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 19 percent short, 70 percent adequate, 11 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated one percent very short, 17 percent short, 75 percent adequate, seven percent surplus. Pasture condition was rated two percent very poor, eight percent poor, 27 percent fair, 51 percent good, 12 percent excellent. Hot, humid conditions mixed with scattered showers prevailed during the week across New England hindering haying activities in many areas. The warmer temperatures and sunshine benefitted field crops by increasing growth rates and crop development. Major farm activities included: making hay and haylage when possible; harvesting highbush blueberries and shade tobacco; finishing harvesting strawberries, mowing; cultivating; weeding, top-dressing fields; monitoring fields; applying pesticides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 1 0 0 Short 6 19 20 Adequate 73 70 67 Surplus 20 11 13 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 1 1 9 Short 7 17 15 Adequate 79 75 70 Surplus 13 7 6 --------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report Operators had a tough time making hay during the week due to the scattered showers, though good regrowth was reported on meadows already harvested. In Northern Maine, late blight was reported in some potato fields; growers were urged to use preventative sprays. Fields were also being monitored for corn borer egg masses. Potato conditions ranged from good to excellent across the six- state region. Shade tobacco harvest advanced to 10 percent complete during the week and broad leaf harvest was underway. The hot, humid weather improved field corn growth as early corn fields have begun to tassel. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Harvest of berry crops made significant gains during the week. Highbush blueberries advanced 25 percentage points, well ahead of last year and average. Operators continued to monitor for insect pest and diseases and the crop was reported in good to fair condition. Wild blueberry harvest is expected to be delayed at least a week due to the cool, wet weather during the spring and early summer. Growers sprayed insecticides to control fruit fly. Cranberries are nearly out of bloom and fruit set was still rated as good. The crop has received little rain as growers continued with irrigation. Fruit worm injury was reported in some beds. Raspberry harvest continued and strawberry harvest was completed during the week. VEGETABLES: Growers have reported good yields on crops already harvested. Growers were top-dressing late vegetable crops and applying protective sprays as needed. Harvest continued during the week for beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, snap beans, summer squash, and greenhouse tomatoes. Sweet corn harvest began during the week as 10 percent of the crop had been picked. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Barley, ME -- -- -- Good/Excel Oats, ME -- -- -- Good/Excel Potatoes: Maine -- -- -- Excel/Good Mass 10 <5 5 Good/Fair Rhode Isl -- <5 10 Good/Excel Silage Corn -- -- -- Good Sweet Corn 20 15 25 Good/Excel Tobacco: Shade 20 20 25 Good Broadleaf <5 5 15 Good Dry Hay: First Cut 90 95 95 Good/Fair Second Cut 35 45 50 Good Third Cut <5 -- 5 Good/Fair ----------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples -- -- -- Good/Fair Peaches 10 10 20 Fair/Good Pears -- -- -- Good Blueberries Highbush 65 30 35 Good/Fair Wild -- 5 5 Fair/Poor Cranberries,MA -- -- -- Good ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, August 1, 2004 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 42 87 67 -1 0.01 1.95 NH 43 88 67 -1 0.53 3.86 VT 46 86 67 +0 0.11 2.85 MA 50 90 70 -2 0.14 2.54 RI 54 86 70 -3 0.11 0.95 CT 54 90 71 -2 0.07 2.02 ---------------------------------------------- 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 July 26, 2004 To: Sunday August 1, 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 48 84 67 -5 1012 -280 312 -177 Allagash 42 85 66 +2 697 -165 166 -53 Augusta_State_A 57 83 69 -2 1146 -97 396 -65 Bangor_Intl_Arp 56 84 69 +0 1078 -46 366 -16 Barnard 50 83 67 -1 912 -66 263 -26 Bath 53 83 67 -3 982 -151 309 -86 Bethel 47 86 67 -2 1077 -55 340 -40 Brassua_Dam 45 81 65 +0 741 -68 161 -37 Brunswick_ME 54 81 68 -2 1148 +15 391 -4 Caribou_Municip 46 85 68 +3 856 -75 261 +3 Corinna 55 86 68 +0 1040 -56 340 -15 Danforth 44 84 67 -2 830 -227 216 -131 Dover-Foxcroft 52 82 67 -1 825 -153 225 -64 Durham 56 83 68 -4 1039 -279 339 -185 East_Hiram 49 83 66 -3 1009 -121 307 -72 Eustis 44 81 63 -1 720 -74 155 -28 Frenchville 51 84 68 +4 782 -80 219 +0 Gray 55 84 69 -2 1186 +72 415 +36 Greenville_ME 55 85 70 +3 1110 +121 386 +90 Guilford 43 83 64 -4 713 -265 159 -130 Hollis 49 85 67 -2 1077 +7 357 +15 Houlton 45 86 68 +2 853 -112 268 -15 Kennebunkport 55 80 66 -7 923 -467 253 -314 Livermore_Falls 52 87 69 +3 1107 +135 389 +110 Moosehead 45 83 65 +0 749 -60 168 -30 New_Sharon 51 84 67 +1 993 +21 286 +7 Patten 47 83 67 +0 807 -158 215 -68 Portage 46 85 67 +2 813 -118 234 -24 Portland_ME 57 82 69 -1 1103 -11 378 -1 Rangeley 46 82 65 +2 783 +22 181 +17 Sebec_Lake 48 87 67 -1 919 -70 273 -23 Vanceboro 49 84 67 +0 842 -140 231 -64 Waterville 55 84 69 -2 1071 -221 358 -131 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 46 87 67 -3 1124 -147 385 -92 Benton 51 82 66 -1 1045 -17 317 +4 Berlin_AG 53 85 67 +1 1067 +1 344 +14 Bethlehem 48 83 66 -1 968 -94 285 -29 Concord 55 87 70 +1 1435 +164 582 +105 Diamond_Pond 46 77 62 +0 677 -31 121 -6 First_Conn_Lake 46 82 64 +3 713 +5 153 +26 Greenville 52 85 69 +2 1413 +265 559 +184 Keene_AP 55 86 70 -2 1361 -67 506 -77 Lakeport 56 86 69 +0 1333 +139 518 +91 Marlow 52 80 64 -6 928 -365 235 -244 Mount_Washingto 43 61 53 +5 76 +42 0 +0 North_Conway 52 86 69 +0 1225 +36 456 +36 Otter_Brook_Lk 55 85 68 -3 1253 -175 438 -145 Plymouth 50 84 65 -3 1038 -5 319 +1 Rochester 55 85 68 -3 1228 -124 454 -80 Weare 53 85 68 -3 1220 -73 424 -55 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 53 83 65 -3 1127 +23 344 -5 Bethel 52 86 68 +2 1179 +133 413 +92 Burlington_Intl 58 84 70 -1 1454 +78 617 +64 East_Haven 50 82 67 +3 989 +107 308 +81 Island_Pond 49 82 66 +2 946 +80 277 +64 Montpelier 55 82 68 +2 1160 +82 404 +65 Morrisville_AG 48 84 67 -1 1013 -53 338 -1 Mount_Mansfield 46 69 59 +0 472 +16 55 +9 Northfield 55 86 67 +2 1075 +101 348 +69 Pownal 54 82 67 -1 1212 +102 386 +32 Rochester 50 84 66 -1 1143 +97 379 +58 Rutland_AG 57 84 68 -4 1230 -192 420 -153 Sunderland 54 84 67 -4 1119 -250 338 -193 Sutton 50 83 65 +1 950 +68 277 +50 Townshend_Lake 55 84 67 -3 1248 -86 430 -93 Union_Vill_Dam 50 86 68 -4 1181 -166 429 -99 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 55 85 69 +0 1335 +185 499 +108 Boston/Logan_In 59 89 71 -4 1606 +4 714 +1 Greenfield 58 87 70 -3 1465 -62 585 -67 New_Bedford 50 85 70 -5 1448 -142 577 -124 Otis_AFB 57 84 70 -2 1372 +103 551 +63 Plymouth 52 85 69 -3 1384 +53 560 +25 Walpole 55 87 70 -2 1527 +147 636 +82 West_Medway 55 88 70 -2 1537 +157 640 +86 Chicopee/Westov 59 84 71 -5 1687 -65 743 -72 Worcester 56 84 70 -1 1455 +175 578 +97 Worthington 52 84 67 -2 1182 +61 383 +23 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 58 86 72 -2 1645 +130 719 +63 Woonsocket 54 86 70 -2 1498 +140 616 +90 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 55 84 68 -7 1307 -389 456 -324 Bridgeport/Siko 62 85 73 -3 1749 +126 796 +56 Hartford/Bradle 59 89 73 -1 1755 +66 801 +24 Norfolk 56 81 68 -1 1289 +164 455 +88 Norwich 57 87 72 -1 1645 +95 716 +51 Thomaston_Dam 57 90 72 +2 1671 +325 730 +217 Willimantic 55 85 71 +1 1574 +203 655 +121 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.99 +0.15 3 2.19 -1.00 12 Allagash 0.70 -0.21 1 4.60 +1.10 10 Augusta_State_A 1.00 +0.25 3 2.60 -0.27 15 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.50 -0.20 3 1.97 -1.00 13 Barnard 0.34 -0.43 2 3.86 +0.66 16 Bath 0.54 -0.16 3 3.19 +0.53 13 Bethel 0.55 -0.29 2 5.39 +2.17 14 Brassua_Dam 0.24 -0.67 1 5.47 +1.83 12 Brunswick_ME 0.78 +0.08 3 4.46 +1.80 14 Caribou_Municip 0.75 -0.23 2 3.07 -0.64 14 Corinna 0.62 -0.16 2 2.23 -0.86 11 Danforth 1.00 +0.09 3 4.09 +0.50 16 Dover-Foxcroft 0.06 -0.71 1 1.25 -1.95 10 Durham 0.85 +0.11 2 2.74 -0.31 13 East_Hiram 1.33 +0.49 3 4.02 +0.72 15 Eustis 0.37 -0.45 1 4.90 +1.56 13 Frenchville 1.14 +0.23 2 4.94 +1.44 13 Gray 1.58 +0.95 3 4.37 +1.65 13 Greenville_ME 0.27 -0.50 2 5.28 +2.08 15 Guilford 0.32 -0.45 3 5.64 +2.44 17 Hollis 1.66 +0.96 3 3.54 +0.63 13 Houlton 0.31 -0.60 1 2.19 -1.27 12 Kennebunkport 0.54 -0.16 4 3.26 +0.48 16 Livermore_Falls 0.48 -0.33 2 4.02 +0.90 15 Moosehead 0.30 -0.61 1 4.67 +1.03 15 New_Sharon 0.67 -0.14 2 4.48 +1.36 14 Patten 0.71 -0.20 3 3.95 +0.49 16 Portage 1.95 +0.97 4 6.35 +2.64 15 Portland_ME 0.43 -0.20 3 3.85 +1.13 14 Rangeley 0.37 -0.49 2 4.76 +1.54 15 Sebec_Lake 0.29 -0.48 3 4.26 +1.06 14 Vanceboro 0.68 -0.05 4 3.56 +0.52 18 Waterville 0.57 -0.27 3 3.35 +0.16 15 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 2.41 +1.64 3 6.40 +3.46 14 Benton 0.89 +0.04 2 6.05 +2.88 11 Berlin_AG 1.30 +0.39 2 4.34 +0.91 10 Bethlehem 1.21 +0.25 3 3.91 +0.32 15 Concord 1.36 +0.59 3 4.01 +1.07 15 Diamond_Pond 0.53 -0.56 3 5.15 +0.94 17 First_Conn_Lake 0.54 -0.55 3 4.11 -0.10 16 Greenville 1.16 +0.25 3 3.46 +0.00 10 Keene_AP 1.29 +0.45 2 3.47 +0.19 11 Lakeport 1.30 +0.46 3 4.41 +1.14 15 Marlow 3.32 +2.52 3 4.90 +1.79 15 Mount_Washingto 2.48 +0.80 4 8.35 +1.95 18 North_Conway 0.88 +0.00 3 6.12 +2.72 16 Otter_Brook_Lk 1.50 +0.66 4 4.36 +1.08 20 Plymouth 0.66 -0.25 3 4.05 +0.51 15 Rochester 0.84 +0.02 3 4.62 +1.47 12 Weare 1.27 +0.47 3 5.12 +2.01 17 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 2.07 +1.16 4 6.15 +2.51 17 Bethel 1.29 +0.33 5 4.79 +1.25 19 Burlington_Intl 0.51 -0.36 4 6.90 +3.58 18 East_Haven 0.80 -0.23 4 6.70 +2.82 15 Island_Pond 0.48 -0.56 4 4.82 +0.92 17 Montpelier 1.21 +0.44 5 4.32 +1.46 21 Morrisville_AG 0.35 -0.68 3 6.06 +2.23 18 Mount_Mansfield 1.03 -0.53 5 12.18 +6.26 21 Northfield 1.26 +0.42 3 4.15 +0.97 13 Pownal 2.85 +1.94 4 7.30 +3.66 15 Rochester 2.03 +1.07 4 6.96 +3.42 16 Rutland_AG 1.40 +0.49 5 4.90 +1.37 16 Sunderland 2.60 +1.84 4 7.90 +5.13 17 Sutton 0.77 -0.26 4 4.85 +0.97 17 Townshend_Lake 2.11 +1.27 4 4.68 +1.57 17 Union_Vill_Dam 0.39 -0.38 3 3.80 +0.80 14 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.95 +0.15 3 4.19 +0.87 16 Boston/Logan_In 0.27 -0.41 2 3.08 +0.51 10 Greenfield 1.22 +0.38 3 4.47 +1.11 14 New_Bedford 0.92 +0.12 2 2.06 -0.78 10 Otis_AFB 0.50 -0.20 2 1.42 -1.18 6 Plymouth 0.96 +0.17 3 2.08 -1.02 11 Walpole 0.14 -0.66 2 3.35 +0.24 9 West_Medway 0.27 -0.53 2 3.99 +0.88 9 Chicopee/Westov 1.05 +0.28 3 4.24 +1.03 11 Worcester 0.58 -0.26 2 4.86 +1.42 10 Worthington 1.00 +0.02 3 4.31 +0.39 16 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.72 -0.05 2 2.95 +0.06 9 Woonsocket 0.11 -0.80 3 2.76 -0.81 12 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 1.00 +0.26 4 4.03 +1.17 13 Bridgeport/Siko 0.83 +0.00 2 4.68 +1.27 9 Hartford/Bradle 0.75 +0.01 2 3.72 +0.86 12 Norfolk 1.77 +0.79 4 4.21 +0.42 15 Norwich 0.08 -0.80 2 1.88 -1.51 11 Thomaston_Dam 0.97 +0.01 3 4.88 +1.11 14 Willimantic 1.09 +0.18 2 3.09 -0.66 13 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 CONNECTICUT - Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Shade tobacco harvest continues. Topping broadleaf tobacco and applying sucker control. Sweet corn and other vegetable harvest continues. Tough to make second cut hay with frequent showers. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Hazy, hot and humid. Hard to dry hay. Corn growing well. Farmers' markets busy with vegetables, peaches, early apples and flower bouquet sales. Local sweet corn tasty. Blueberry picking is great. Some crop losses evident in apples, peaches and corn. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Growers applying fungicides and insecticides when necessary. Scouting fields for disease and insect pressure. A few starting to check over harvesting equipment and make necessary repairs. Sufficient moisture and warm temperatures with sunny weather is bringing crops along at a rapid pace. Barley is starting to ripen. Some Colorado Potato Beetles appearing along with a few aphids. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Fungicides are being applied at a 5-day spray schedule. Some insecticides applied to control European Corn Borer. Growers are scouting fields for insects and disease. Crops are looking excellent. Sizing of potatoes is also excellent. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Some European Corn Borer activity still in the area and with some late blight in Canada. Farmers are shortening their spray schedule. No late blight in this area. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Some hay has been baled. Few have finished haying first crop. Blueberry crop is poor. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Wet weather has helped pastures grow. The recent hot weather has helped the corn start to show some promising growth. Farmers are still trying to get in their first cut hay although it is over mature and will be of poor quality when cut. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: The odd weather is still causing problems for hay and corn crops. Sweet corn harvest has finally started. Heavy rains on Sunday - one to two inches in about a half an hour. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Blueberry harvest has started. Local sweet corn is available at roadside stands. We finally had sun at the end of the week. The sunny conditions are beneficial to the maturing and drying of crops. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: Another week of fighting the showers to "make hay". We had a few good days that allowed farmers to cut the grass, let it dry and bale it before the next shower. Market garden folks are selling cukes, beet greens, new potatoes, summer squash and zucchini. Sweet corn has hit the shelves, barely drying off from the wetness of the field before someone has claimed it for the evening meal. The warm, humid weather has been good for many crops. Silage and grain corn have really perked up and look much greener. Apple growers are still seeing the effects of those cold, "snowless" winter days. Trees are still dying; some have lots of green but no apples. The apple people tell us that these symptoms will continue through the season, and will probably creep into next year. Jill Littlefield (FSA), Cumberland/York: The heat finally visited this area by the end of the week. Farmers are still finding it impossible to make dry hay. Summer vegetables are starting to come along. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Finally some heat!!! This weeks corn growth spurt was the biggest of the summer. Hay harvest and quality continue to falter because of shower activity. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Producers are still haying when weather permits. Sweet corn is starting to be harvested in this county. Blueberries are being harvested. Very hot and humid weather over the weekend left some farmers with wet hay as Saturday night brought very heavy rains. Apple producers are still reporting dying apple trees due to winter weather. Some maple producers have reported winter damage to their trees in Oxford County. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Farmers were very busy haying, top-dressing crops, replanting and checking for bugs. No disease or insect problems yet. Veggie growers are busy harvesting and marketing a good crop. Up to three inches of rain has been reported this week. Rain water has pooled in low areas. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Crops continue to look good as harvesting moves along. Heat and humidity have pushed crops causing corn and beans to bunch up as several plantings mature at once. Fruit crops look good. Peach harvest should begin this week. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Hot and muggy weather signaled the beginning of field tobacco harvest in Franklin County. Producers have said that this year's tobacco crop looks excellent right now. Harvesting of cucumbers, sweet corn, beans and greens has kept producers busy all week. Heavy thundershowers Sunday morning brought at least half an inch of rain in less than an hour. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Continuing to spray to control bacterial diseases and powdery mildew. Producers trying to harvest hay in between the afternoon showers. Tobacco harvest will be in full swing soon. It was hot and humid all week. Gary Guida, Worcester: Finally - heat! Corn really "popping" now! Now we need rain. Never satisfied, but this is best corn crop I've had in years. Insect pressure low but 'varmit' pressure high. Excellent fruit set on pumpkins and winter squash. Disease seems to be in check right now. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Harvesting beans, lettuce, beats, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, raspberries, blueberries, and early sweet corn grown under row cover. Farm activities include cutting and baling hay, mowing orchards, scouting and spraying for pests and harvesting. Pastures are in good condition. Garden center sales to Lakes Region customers remain brisk. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: A few sunny days at the end of the week allowed for some haying. Lots of fungal diseases on pumpkin and tomato as well as on home lawn, trees and shrubs. We really need some sunny warm weather to get vegetables growing. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Warm, moist weather most of the week. A few late-planted cornfields are chest-high, while tassels and silks have emerged on the rest. Moisture has been good for regrowth on harvested hayfields, but weather conditions have not been conducive to making dry hay. Second cutting grass/alfalfa haylage is wrapping up. Lack of sunshine has kept field tomatoes from ripening, but sweet corn widely available, along with a wide variety of other veggies. PYO berries continues. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Corn now beginning to tassel. Haying continues amidst periodic rain which is hampering efforts. Good regrowth on meadows already harvested for hay or haylage. Manure spreading on some of these fields. Midsummer veggies starting to trickle into markets. PYO blueberries now open. Honey being taken off by beekeepers. Cool, wet season continues to have its effects. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Second and third cutting of hay continued as weather permits. Corn continues to tassel. Cool weather and rain encourages regrowth of hay, but slowing corn growth. Warmer weather late in the week encouraged corn growth. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Vegetables: Growers harvesting an array of vegetables between showers: beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, snap beans, summer squash, sweet corn and other vegetables. Farmers kept busy spraying pesticides for insects and diseases. Very good demand for produce at most local farmers' markets and farm stands. Fruit: Orchardists harvesting peaches and Lodi apples. Blueberry and raspberry harvests continued. Orchardists busy monitoring for pests, mowing orchard floors and fixing up orchard roads. Apple growers busy pruning trees. Continue to monitor Blueberry mummy berry disease in blueberry plantings and fire blight strikes in apple and pear orchards. Field Crops: Silage corn is rapidly growing, starting to tassel and early planted corn is starting to silk. Farmers making baled hay between showers. John Porter (Ext), Merrimack: Adequate rain, very little need for irrigation. Vegetable crops growing well, but some disease problems. Field corn needs more heat units, farmers are expecting late maturity. Sweet corn harvest well underway and a good crop. Blueberries are large and yielding well, but some growers are experiencing disease. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Continue picking raspberries and blueberries. Berries are good to excellent. Mummyberry noticed around the county. Harvesting sweet corn, potatoes and a whole array of vegetables. Mowing orchard fields. Haying between showers. Farm stand, farmers' markets and garden centers remain busy. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Sporadic rain has helped to keep field crops watered. Silage corn is tasseling with some of the crop being over 10 feet tall. PYO blueberry and raspberry farms report brisk sales. Sweet corn is abundant these days at roadside stands. Many summer vegetables are mature and ready to pick. Harvesting of dry hay has been tricky between rain showers. Third cut of alfalfa is beginning in some areas. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: Light showers in the first half of the week and hot and humid the other half of the week. Because of adequate rains, pastures and hay fields are in good condition. Corn is growing well - most of it in pre-tassel stage; early sweet corn varieties ready for harvest. Vegetable growers harvesting an array of vegetables including early corn varieties. Farmers busy cultivating and hoeing weeds. Also monitoring for insect pests and diseases and applying pesticides if needed. PYO fruit operations busy with raspberry and blueberry harvesting. Apples looking good and growers busy monitoring for pests and spraying if needed. Farmers markets busy with an assortment of vegetables and cut flowers. Fall mums growing well and some growers busy pinching, monitoring for pests and applying pesticides if needed. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: A hot muggy week included some rain and some sunshine. Field work and spraying being done. Still picking blueberries. Corn getting ready for picking along with summer vegetables. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Intermittent, heavy rains temporarily held up field work in some areas. Small fruit and vegetable harvest is in full swing. Sweet corn and summer squash are ripe for harvest. Field corn is growing fast in the hot, humid weather. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Last week brought another inch of rain, none of which we really needed. Humid conditions are still plaguing anyone trying to dry grass for bales. Corn crop is still doing very well along with the barley crop which is maturing and nearing harvest. Some reports of blossom end rot in some of the vegetable crops. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Apple picking will start this week with Early Macs and then Paula Reds. Producers are reporting some apple maggot showing up but say they are controllable. Drying hay has become a big problem with all the showers this past week. Haylage is the crop this year. Field corn is earing out fast. Third cutting should be better than in past years because of all the sunshine. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Corn growth excellent, silk and good ear development. Little weeds in controlled fields. Hay crop ready for harvest, wet soils slow field work. A little manure spread on grass hay fields. Pasture regrowth good. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Getting early planted fields ready to seed winter rye. All crops need sun and warm weather. Mold appearing on beans. Plenty of European Corn Borers seen. This week was rainy and cloudy (2.489 inches). Pea harvest all over, it was a good crop. Lots of beans on the market. Early varieties of sweet corn doing well. Broccoli and cabbage doing well and beets and carrots in good supply. Hope for sun and warm weather. 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 Statistician: Dianne Johnson Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt Deputy Director: Joe Samson 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 ***********************