State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 5/15/05 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 25, Number 3 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) May 15, 2005 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary When Will the Warm Weather be Here to Stay? For the week ending May 15, 2005, there were 5.2 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture was rated 6% short, 53% adequate, 41% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 9% short, 53% adequate, 38% surplus. Pasture condition was rated 6% poor, 39% fair, 43% good, and 12% excellent. Dry weather with abundant sunshine early in the week led to high productivity in the fields. A strong cold front moved into the area later in the week, bringing cool and damp conditions, gusty northwest winds, and temperatures plunging into the 20s and 30s. Wind advisories and freeze warnings were in effect Thursday night into Friday. More rain over the weekend slowed progress as fields needed to dry out again. Field work continued in southernmost states despite cooler temperatures. Growers in northern states are still waiting for more warmth and sunshine. Some livestock moved onto pasture this week. Grass is growing, but is still short due to the cooler weather. Major farm activities included: planting field corn, sweet corn, early vegetables and potatoes, spreading manure, fertilizer and lime, plowing and harrowing fields, pruning trees, fertilizing orchards, applying herbicides and fungicides, laying plastic, working in the greenhouses, and fixing fencing. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 0 0 2 Short 6 0 7 Adequate 53 51 84 Surplus 41 49 7 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 0 0 2 Short 9 2 4 Adequate 53 54 89 Surplus 38 44 5 --------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report Drier weather this week allowed for limited planting of small grains in Maine, but many farmers are still waiting for fields to dry out and soil temperatures to warm up to plant potatoes. Rhode Island potatoe planting had reached the halfway mark by week's end, compared with 45 percent planted (corrected) a week earlier. Field preparation and planting of field corn continued across New England as the weather permitted. Most states reported good conditions for field corn this week, while Maine growers, still recovering from recent flooding, reported very poor conditions for field corn. Grasses are green and forage crops are growing, but slowly due to cooler weather. Winter killed alfalfa in the Upper Connecticut River Valley was plowed down or re- seeded this week. Farmers spent the week spreading manure, fertilizing, plowing, disking, planting and harrowing fields that were not too wet. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Warm weather early in the week advanced fruit bud development. Cool weather later in the week held bloom back. Total damage to blossoms from the mid-week frost and high winds will be determined over the next few weeks. Bees were out in the orchards of central and southern New England, but growers were concerned that the cool, cloudy weather limited their work. Apple producers sprayed on Thursday to protect from frost and scab infection. Peaches were in petal fall stage in Connecticut, while in bud stage to full bloom elsewhere. Pears in Massachusetts are in early bloom, while pears in other states are in full bloom to petal fall. High bush blueberries are beginning to bloom. Strawberries were irrigated to protect from frost. Cranberries in Massachusetts showed very little new growth in the uprights and many buds were still very tight. Wild blueberry growers in Maine burned drier fields, and applied fertilizer and sulfur where needed. Orchard growers spent the week planting fruit trees, pruning, fertilizing, spraying protective fungicide and insecticide, and watching for frost damage. VEGETABLES: Planting of early season vegetables continued through the week, including peas, lettuce, greens, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, parsnips and cole crops. Growth was reported to be slow due to cool conditions. Some early sweet corn varieties needed to be replanted due to cold wet weather causing poor germination and seed rot. In fields where soil dried quickly, some growers were plowing, discing, fertilizing and laying down plastic mulch and drip irrigation tape. Sweet corn fields were sprayed for weeds, but cooler weather brought worries of potential damage by pre-emergent herbicides. Asparagus and rhubarb were cut, but this week's frost set back harvest for several more days. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Avg Percent Condition Emerged ---------------------------------------------------- Barley, ME 10 55 30 -- Fair Oats, ME 10 55 30 -- Fair Potatoes Maine 0 20 20 -- -- Mass 60 75 70 -- Good Rhode Isl 50 80 75 10 Good Silage Corn 20 30 25 -- Good/VeryPoor Sweet Corn 25 25 30 10 Good/Fair Tobacco Shade 0 0 0 -- -- Broadleaf 0 10 5 -- -- Dry Hay First Cut 0 0 0 -- -- ---------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage Fruit Set Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples Bud/FB Avg Good/Fair Peaches Bud/PF Avg/Below Fair/Good Pears EB/PF Avg/Below Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush Bud/EB Avg Good Wild, ME Bud -- Good/Fair Cranberries,MA Bud Avg Good Strawberries Bud/EB Avg/Below Good/Fair ----------------------------------------------------- FB-Full Bloom, EB - Early Bud, PF- Petal Fall -- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, May 15, 2005 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 22 79 48 -4 0.02 0.49 NH 10 86 51 -2 0.00 0.70 VT 17 85 52 -1 0.01 0.91 MA 26 84 53 -2 0.00 0.26 RI 31 73 53 -3 0.00 0.06 CT 27 80 55 -2 0.00 0.16 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2005: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday May 9, 2005 To: Sunday May 15, 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 28 74 47 -8 30 -43 0 -1 Allagash 22 79 46 -3 18 +0 0 +0 Augusta_State_A 33 72 50 -5 48 -15 1 +1 Bangor_Intl_Arp 27 74 50 -3 60 +17 0 +0 Barnard 27 74 48 -3 29 -2 0 +0 Bath 29 69 47 -6 18 -21 0 +0 Bethel 30 75 50 -4 29 -19 0 +0 Brassua_Dam 25 74 46 -1 11 -1 0 +0 Brunswick_ME 29 70 47 -6 28 -11 0 +0 Caribou_Municip 27 75 48 -2 40 +10 0 +0 Corinna 29 75 50 -3 41 -4 0 +0 Danforth 28 73 48 -3 21 -7 0 +0 Dover-Foxcroft 29 71 47 -4 16 -15 0 +0 Durham 28 72 49 -6 21 -42 0 +0 East_Hiram 29 72 49 -4 26 -22 0 +0 Eustis 26 77 45 -3 11 -5 0 +0 Frenchville 26 75 48 -1 30 +12 0 +0 Gray 34 69 49 -4 44 +5 4 +4 Greenville_ME 29 72 48 -4 25 -12 0 +0 Guilford 24 69 43 -8 10 -21 0 +0 Hollis 26 71 48 -5 25 -11 0 +0 Houlton 26 76 47 -3 48 +18 0 +0 Kennebunkport 26 72 48 -7 27 -52 1 +1 Livermore_Falls 28 75 49 -3 27 -4 0 +0 Moosehead 26 77 46 -1 16 +4 0 +0 New_Sharon 29 74 49 -2 30 -1 0 +0 Patten 28 74 47 -3 20 -10 0 +0 Portage 25 76 48 -2 24 -6 0 +0 Portland_ME 35 65 49 -4 36 -3 4 +4 Rangeley 28 77 46 -3 11 -4 0 +0 Sebec_Lake 27 76 48 -3 22 -15 0 +0 Vanceboro 29 71 48 -3 22 -1 0 +0 Waterville 29 72 49 -6 31 -42 0 -1 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 24 76 51 -4 44 -31 0 -4 Benton 29 81 50 -3 36 -30 0 -5 Berlin_AG 31 83 50 -2 32 -21 1 +0 Bethlehem 22 82 50 -4 34 -30 2 -3 Concord 27 82 54 +0 88 +13 12 +8 Diamond_Pond 23 74 45 -2 11 -7 0 +0 First_Conn_Lake 23 75 46 -2 15 -3 0 +0 Greenville 32 80 55 +2 100 +30 11 +7 Keene_AP 27 82 55 -2 94 -17 8 -4 Lakeport 34 81 53 +1 65 +6 4 +3 Marlow 26 84 52 -4 50 -40 5 -4 Mount_Washingto 10 54 36 +3 0 +0 0 +0 North_Conway 28 80 52 -2 40 -21 3 +1 Otter_Brook_Lk 27 83 54 -3 61 -50 7 -5 Plymouth 30 83 51 -1 33 -10 3 +3 Rochester 29 78 51 -5 61 -28 8 +1 Weare 29 79 52 -3 55 -35 4 -5 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 24 84 53 +1 50 -15 4 -1 Bethel 22 85 52 +0 47 -8 4 +3 Burlington_Intl 31 80 54 -2 102 +2 15 +3 East_Haven 19 79 49 -1 36 +4 0 +0 Island_Pond 28 76 49 -2 29 -7 3 +3 Montpelier 28 81 53 +1 75 +12 14 +10 Morrisville_AG 22 80 49 -4 24 -31 0 -1 Mount_Mansfield 17 66 44 -1 13 +4 0 +0 Northfield 23 85 51 +1 43 -2 3 +3 Pownal 28 82 53 +1 74 +5 6 -1 Rochester 25 84 52 +0 50 -5 4 +3 Rutland_AG 26 83 53 -4 56 -68 5 -13 Sunderland 27 82 53 -4 63 -56 4 -9 Sutton 27 77 48 -2 31 -1 2 +2 Townshend_Lake 28 85 54 +0 65 -24 7 -2 Union_Vill_Dam 23 84 52 -3 52 -41 4 -5 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 30 79 54 +1 77 +20 6 +6 Boston/Logan_In 39 76 54 -4 120 -8 15 +12 Greenfield 29 75 55 -3 91 -37 10 +0 New_Bedford 28 66 51 -7 74 -57 3 -1 Otis_AFB 41 68 52 -2 123 +64 9 +9 Plymouth 31 68 50 -5 68 +1 3 +3 Walpole 33 76 54 -2 115 +22 7 +4 West_Medway 32 74 53 -3 81 -12 4 +1 Chicopee/Westov 34 77 58 -2 160 -26 22 +1 Worcester 36 78 55 +1 119 +42 14 +13 Worthington 26 78 53 +0 61 -3 4 +2 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 40 67 54 -2 119 +11 6 +5 Woonsocket 31 73 54 -2 113 +24 7 +7 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 27 77 53 -6 77 -94 8 -13 Bridgeport/Siko 41 67 56 -2 153 +15 8 -5 Hartford/Bradle 32 77 57 -2 173 +10 22 +2 Norfolk 28 80 53 +0 88 +28 9 +9 Norwich 35 73 55 -3 99 -43 6 -8 Thomaston_Dam 32 77 55 +0 103 -2 9 +1 Willimantic 31 73 55 -1 125 +22 8 +1 TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.20 -0.64 2 15.02 +6.56 28 Allagash 0.07 -0.63 2 8.76 +2.46 28 Augusta_State_A 0.10 -0.76 3 13.10 +4.16 27 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.05 -0.79 2 8.99 +0.69 21 Barnard 0.11 -0.68 2 14.33 +5.99 32 Bath 0.15 -0.69 1 16.15 +6.23 24 Bethel 0.49 -0.30 3 15.80 +7.15 25 Brassua_Dam 0.33 -0.44 3 10.09 +2.69 31 Brunswick_ME 0.25 -0.59 2 18.41 +8.49 23 Caribou_Municip 0.31 -0.39 2 9.19 +2.77 34 Corinna 0.07 -0.71 1 13.27 +4.82 23 Danforth 0.20 -0.64 2 12.25 +4.42 30 Dover-Foxcroft 0.30 -0.49 2 10.23 +1.89 22 Durham 0.08 -0.76 2 17.41 +7.38 25 East_Hiram 0.16 -0.68 3 16.23 +6.68 27 Eustis 0.28 -0.44 2 9.32 +1.82 27 Frenchville 0.33 -0.37 2 6.58 +0.28 32 Gray 0.10 -0.74 2 17.39 +7.68 24 Greenville_ME 0.09 -0.70 3 12.22 +3.88 34 Guilford 0.07 -0.72 1 14.48 +6.14 26 Hollis 0.16 -0.68 2 17.52 +7.64 28 Houlton 0.32 -0.45 2 9.93 +3.42 32 Kennebunkport 0.25 -0.66 2 16.07 +6.26 25 Livermore_Falls 0.21 -0.63 2 13.95 +4.72 26 Moosehead 0.34 -0.43 2 10.45 +3.05 31 New_Sharon 0.14 -0.70 2 15.29 +6.06 24 Patten 0.28 -0.49 2 13.59 +7.08 29 Portage 0.14 -0.56 1 11.36 +4.94 31 Portland_ME 0.17 -0.67 3 14.37 +4.66 28 Rangeley 0.38 -0.32 3 10.53 +4.16 33 Sebec_Lake 0.10 -0.69 2 15.18 +6.84 30 Vanceboro 0.19 -0.65 2 12.11 +3.26 30 Waterville 0.23 -0.61 3 15.10 +6.64 22 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.06 -0.64 1 11.71 +4.49 30 Benton 0.17 -0.60 2 7.84 +1.09 29 Berlin_AG 0.30 -0.47 2 10.09 +2.15 24 Bethlehem 0.55 -0.15 3 6.87 -0.09 30 Concord 0.01 -0.69 1 9.68 +2.46 28 Diamond_Pond 0.40 -0.45 3 12.37 +4.69 41 First_Conn_Lake 0.67 -0.18 3 9.21 +1.53 35 Greenville 0.00 -0.84 0 11.11 +2.17 22 Keene_AP 0.00 -0.84 0 11.01 +3.05 25 Lakeport 0.05 -0.74 1 10.10 +2.01 26 Marlow 0.32 -0.62 1 10.58 +1.01 27 Mount_Washingto 0.70 -0.98 2 19.43 -1.65 37 North_Conway 0.36 -0.55 3 12.10 +2.23 29 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.13 -0.71 2 9.55 +1.59 27 Plymouth 0.11 -0.80 2 8.73 +0.15 22 Rochester 0.05 -0.86 1 14.11 +3.91 25 Weare 0.14 -0.80 2 13.70 +4.13 27 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.20 -0.81 2 9.82 -0.67 26 Bethel 0.16 -0.82 1 9.12 +0.04 26 Burlington_Intl 0.18 -0.52 2 5.46 -1.07 27 East_Haven 0.32 -0.45 2 7.61 +0.26 36 Island_Pond 0.54 -0.26 3 7.51 +0.75 34 Montpelier 0.15 -0.55 2 7.40 +1.12 32 Morrisville_AG 0.12 -0.66 2 8.10 +0.25 31 Mount_Mansfield 0.91 -0.28 3 13.90 +0.51 40 Northfield 0.10 -0.69 1 8.50 +1.39 24 Pownal 0.05 -0.96 1 9.48 -1.01 28 Rochester 0.24 -0.74 2 9.98 +0.90 25 Rutland_AG 0.11 -0.66 1 6.22 -0.41 26 Sunderland 0.31 -0.46 1 9.93 +2.77 32 Sutton 0.44 -0.33 2 8.74 +1.39 36 Townshend_Lake 0.10 -0.74 1 9.29 +1.03 28 Union_Vill_Dam 0.21 -0.58 2 8.55 +1.26 29 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.11 -0.66 2 12.35 +4.01 32 Boston/Logan_In 0.05 -0.71 1 7.52 -1.54 27 Greenfield 0.09 -0.75 2 10.45 +1.66 27 New_Bedford 0.04 -0.80 2 11.81 +1.59 31 Otis_AFB 0.15 -0.69 1 12.56 +3.18 29 Plymouth 0.15 -0.76 1 12.85 +2.51 27 Walpole 0.09 -0.68 1 11.19 +1.44 26 West_Medway 0.07 -0.70 1 11.32 +1.57 29 Chicopee/Westov 0.01 -0.90 1 9.08 -0.36 29 Worcester 0.00 -0.98 0 11.07 +0.98 27 Worthington 0.05 -1.00 2 11.96 +2.38 33 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.00 -0.84 0 10.60 +0.44 27 Woonsocket 0.02 -0.89 1 14.28 +4.21 29 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.02 -0.92 2 11.32 +1.74 31 Bridgeport/Siko 0.03 -0.88 1 8.04 -1.52 29 Hartford/Bradle 0.05 -0.89 2 9.12 -0.46 30 Norfolk 0.06 -0.93 1 10.23 -0.71 29 Norwich 0.00 -1.05 0 11.66 +0.26 27 Thomaston_Dam 0.08 -0.94 1 10.06 -0.42 29 Willimantic 0.00 -0.98 0 9.81 -0.38 30 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 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: It was a cold, wet week. Frost mid-week may have damaged peach and apple crops. We need warmer weather to make the grass grow. Jude Boucher (Ext), Tolland: Rain for only one day last weekend, frost on Friday morning. Lorriane Los, Univ of Connecticut: Apples were in full bloom this week. Pollination conditions were fair to good with some cool weather and one very windy day (Thursday, 5/12). Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Fields dried out allowing tillage to progress nicely. Frosts Monday through Wednesday were capped with a hard Freeze on Thursday was tough on fruit trees which were near fullbloom. Soil temps still cool. Strawberry crop was also hit by freeze despite pumping water on most nights. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London: Field corn- manure being spread, field discing continues, some fields being planted. Field work continues despite the unusually cold weather for this time of year. The upcoming week's weather does not look good for getting corn that already has been planted to emerge rapidly out of the ground. Pre-emergence herbicides in this weather depending on the type and rate applied could injure corn and reduce yields compared to later planted corn. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Cold and wet. Some early sweet corn had to be replanted. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Macs and Empires in full bloom, frost hit, fruit concerns and loss of cutting of asparagus, spraying for scab, IPM scouting for bugs in orchard, summer pruning to shape, irrigated strawberries to protect from frost, good weekend for bedding plant sales, Corn continues to be planted, large equipment on the roads, out and about to get the job done. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Fertilizing and liming hay fields, studying the new crop of weeds to control. Corn planted on some farms, others are worried about cold soils causing the seeds to rot before germination. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Warmer and dryer conditions this week allowed manure spreading and corn planting to return to normal. Multiple inches of rain over the weekend will again slow things down going into next week as fields will need to dry out again. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Very little activity in the fields, a few acres of small grains planted. Growers still waiting for fields to dry out and soil temperatures to warm up. Planting is going to be late this year. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Just getting started, preparing fields in high grounds. Waiting for dry weather. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Very little tillage done yet. Some have become stuck trying to till. Wednesday 75 plus degrees. After that very cold with drying wind. Some livestock are already on pasture. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Some fertilizer and manure was spread on fields. Livestock are being turned out on the best drained pastures. Kathy Hopkins (Ext), Somerset: Two days of sun then rain again so little field work possible. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Rain, rain go away. Corn is being planted, we need sunny days. Donald Burke (FSA), Waldo: Manure spreading has been done during the week. Cows have been turned out to pasture. Continued wet, cloudy and cool weather has slowed up spring plantings. Fields are still wet. Working in the woods is difficult with the ground so wet. Most areas got a frost during the week. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Some burning was done during the week on fields that were dry. Fertilizer and sulfur application on blueberry fields began. Some vegetables have been planted. Potted plants have moved from the greenhouse to the market. Cold, cloudy weather has kept blueberry and apple blossoms from opening. A late frost during the week, even at higher elevations may have done some damage. Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Weather cold and wet, waiting to start planting. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: It is still too wet. Field work is being slowed down. The grass is green & growing like crazy. Marcia Hall (FSA), Oxford: Oxford County needs sunny weather to get the crops into the ground. Potato farmers are trying to get crops planted but still too wet in areas. Some field corn has been planted. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: The rain just keeps falling! Producers are busy trying to get fields tilled and planted. Some of the quicker drying fields are tilled and starting to be planted. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Preparing fields for crop planting (corn, sweet corn, grains) Not much moisture Sunday with a half inch of wet stuff. Ground was drying nicely. Applying fertilizers, orchards are spraying what & when needed. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cool conditions have delayed normal development in the cranberry vines' growth as well as insect development. Very little new growth in the uprights and many buds are still very tight. Growers have not begun to sweep for insects for the most part. Two frost nights last week, one was predicted to be much worse than it was. Plenty of water in the reservoirs and ponds. Pre-emergent herbicides still being applied. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: A heavy frost on Friday morning affected all crops without frost protection. Fruit growers have said that it's too early to determine the extent of the damage but it may be significant. Cool and damp weather has further affected asparagus production and all planting schedules. Forage producers have reported that cool soil temps have delayed corn planting. These same conditions have slowed hay growth to the point where 1st cut may be late. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Crop fields are drying out some due to part of week heavy rains. Season temperatures are eight to ten degrees below normal. Heavy freeze Friday morning. Strawberry growers were irrigating their fields for frost protection. Asparagus crop is being reported maturing slowly because of the very cool weather. Vegetable growers are planting potatoes, sweet corn, peas, carrots, lettuce, cabbage and parsnips. Dairy farmers are starting to plant corn silage and the hay crop looks very good. Gary Guida, Worcester: Finally; almost a week without rain. Plowing, planting corn, pre-plant herbicide applications, fitting fields and laying plastic. Hard freeze here this week (22deg.) may have damaged most of our strawberry crop. Plant sales still very strong especially, on Saturday as citizens came out to support local growers. Very productive week. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Things are drying out some. Weather cool. Raspberries very slow to leaf out; many canes leafing out bottom first. Winter kill? Record or near record cold May 13. Hopefully crops not far enough long to be hurt by freeze. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: No doubt about it now, we've got another cool wet spring on our hands. Fruit growers doing what they can to spray for Mummyberry and Scab, weather conditions don't always allow for timely spray application. Rainy weekends really putting a crimp in plant and garden center sales. Pastures get taller by the day, but most are not dry enough to turn animals out on. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Mostly sunny during the week, even a couple warm days, with a little rain over the weekend. Farms making progress finishing field prep and planting field corn. Grass continues to look good. Vegetable farms still transplanting and seeding crops. A heavy frost may have caused some injury in apples and strawberries, too early to tell how much. Pattern of sunny weekdays and rainy weekends is taking a toll on greenhouse sales. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: A cold and windy week ending with rains this weekend, making for difficult corn planting and field preparation. Market gardens, high tunnel operations starting up. Haylands and meadows greening up, some lime and fertilizer begin top dressed. Behind for the average this time of year. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Corn planting continues as weather permits. Grass growth continues slowly but should increase in growth rate soon. Some warmer weather but cool in general. Field prep continues except on wetter fields. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Field work is in full swing. Winter killed alfalfa pieces are being re-seeded or plowed down. Farmers are planting their corn. So far, soil moisture is generally adequate, but we could use more moisture. The ground is drier than normal for this time of the year. One farmer that I spoke to on Tuesday, mentioned that he had to stop plowing because the ground was still frozen on one of his river bottom fields. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Weather: Hard Frost on the morning of May 13 did some damage to fruit blossoms in the county. It will be a couple of weeks before total damage can be determined. Fruits: Made sure bees were in apple orchards beginning of week. Peaches were in petal fall stage and apples are at full bloom in the Hollis area. Pear are at full bloom to petal fall. Blueberries beginning to bloom. Some orchardists concerned about the cooler cloudy weather and at bees did not work the apple blossoms. Planting fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Orchardists making sure to have protective fungicide and insecticide sprays applied. Vegetables: Farmers making successive plantings of sweet corn and planting potato. Continue early season vegetables (peas, lettuce, greens, cole crops) planting. In fields where soil dries quickly, some growers were plowing, discing fertilizing and laying down plastic mulch and drip irrigation tape. Weed spraying sweet corn fields. Harvesting asparagus on weekend Field Crops: Spreading manure, plowing, discing, fertilizing and planting corn on fields that are not too wet. Grasses and forage crops are growing slow due to cooler weather. Sadie Puglisi (Ext), Merrimack: Corn that has been started in the greenhouse is planted. Garlic is growing tall. Could use some sun. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Harvesting asparagus and rhubarb. Preparing vegetable fields by plowing , discing and fertilizing. Planting early sweet corn varieties and other early vegetables. Seeds not germinating because of lack of heat. Strawberries under row covers are in bloom. Uncovering strawberries bed. Thursday afternoon, covering the strawberry with straw, Reedy or overhead irrigation because of the threat of frost; very high wind that same day blowing away some of the fruit trees blooms. Bedding plants look gorgeous but sales at greenhouse operations and garden centers are slow because of the rain on the week-end. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Below normal temperatures is slowing down germination of corn and early vegetables. Too early to tell what the cold temps and frost late in the week will do to the strawberries, blueberries and apples. They are all in their bloom stage. Some irrigation was used to keep the frost off. More and more silage corn fields are being prepared and planted. Hay fields have greened up nicely, need warm weather to advance the growth. First cut of haylage could be good. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: A moderately nice week. Sunshine most of the week and rain showers by the weekend. Pastures and hayfields doing very well. Some farmers working the fields and planting corn. Fruit growers applying preventative sprays against scab. Others trying to finish pruning of peaches and raspberries. Vegetable growers planting peas and other cool season crops. Greenhouses and Garden Centers trying to make for lost business of last week which was very wet. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Still some cold weather and a frost this week, but no rain and lots of field activity. Potatoes still being planted, fields being harrowed and plowed and readied for summer planting. Spraying fungicides on Christmas trees and thinner on apples. Manure being spread. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Fairly decent week for fieldwork with fields being planted to corn and other spring seedlings. Pastures are now able to provide some decent feed. Vegetable growers are very busy with lettuce and other cool weather crops in the ground. Still waiting for more warmth and sunshine. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Drier weather this week has allowed Landowners to work corn fields again. Some no-till corn has been planted. I am starting to see more cows out on pasture this week. Grass is still short due to the cool weather. A few warm days will change this. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Another cool week has passed in Windham. Corn has a hard time to germinate with this type of weather. We received a hard frost on Thursday many apple producers sprayed their apple to protect them. Vegetable grower are reporting slow growing because of the cool condition. Terence Bradshaw, Univ of Vermont: Warm weather early in the week advanced bud stages into late pink with some king blooms open. Cool weather later in the week which has persisted has held bloom development back. Wet weather over the weekend likely caused scab infection period. Good spray conditions existed Friday May 13 and Saturday May 14 which allowed for protective spray application before rains commenced. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Warm early in week, cool and damp later in week. We avoided the freezes that had been predicted. Grass is growing, but still not tall enough to move in the wind. Farmers who plant corn are getting some seed into the ground. Some heifers out, still have not seen milk cows out on grass- not quite enough there. Fixing fence and getting corn ground ready to plant are big activities. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: Dry weather last week led to a flurry of field activity. Fields were prepared and planted for corn. Manure and fertilizer were being spread. Corn fields were being sprayed for weeds. Cows were being turned out to pasture. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Harrowing, fertilizing sweet corn fields, all potatoes planted. Early garden crops planted. No moisture for the week. Two real warm days, than a hard frost May 12. Started cutting asparagus, but hard frost will set it back for several days. Now we need rain 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, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statistician: John Miyares Stat Assistant: Lynne Arsenault Deputy Director: Gearld 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 ***********************