new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 7/10/05 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 25, Number 11 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) July 11, 2005 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary-- COOL AND CLOUDY! GENERAL CONDITIONS: For the week ending July 10, 2005, there were 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 9% short, 77% adequate, and 11% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 9% short, 78% adequate, and 10% surplus. Pasture condition was rated 1% very poor, 1% poor, 20% fair, 53% good, and 25% excellent. The week began with a warm, sunny day but clouds rolled into the region and hindered field crop progress throughout the week. By mid-week, cooler conditions arrived with light rain scattered throughout the region. Reminiscent of tropical storm Cindy, arrived with scattered showers throughout New England at week's end. On Sunday, sun arrived to the region providing ideal conditions for fieldwork. Major farm activities included harvesting strawberries, sweet corn in Connecticut, early vegetables, thinning fruit trees, mowing orchard floors, baling hay and making haylage, hilling potatoes, applying fertilizer, fungicides, nitrogen and pesticides to field crops, cultivating, monitoring pests and applying pesticides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 3 5 4 Short 9 14 14 Adequate 77 72 77 Surplus 11 9 5 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 3 4 3 Short 9 11 20 Adequate 78 75 74 Surplus 10 10 3 --------------------------------------------- FIELD CROPS: Harvesting dry hay remained difficult with frequent rains. Second cutting was underway but 20 percent of first cutting still remained to be harvested. Manure was applied to harvested hay fields. Field corn continued to grow but varied from just emerged to shoulder height throughout the region. In Connecticut, more rain is needed for field corn to reach full potential. Growers applied fungicides on corn fields where necessary to protect against diseases. Tobacco growers scouted their fields for insect damage and potential blue mold and cultivated and applied top dressing. Shade tobacco harvest was just underway and both broadleaf and shade tobacco condition was rated good. In northern Aroostook County, European Corn Borer and Colorado Beetle egg masses were found and some were hatched in potato fields. Growers continued to spray insecticides on a five day spray schedule. Maine potato condition ranged from fair to excellent due to variation in water levels. Oats and barley were rated good to fair due to signs of stress from drought in northern Aroostook County of Maine. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Strawberry harvest near completion and should finish up picking berries at the end of this week. The late spring conditions influenced variation in yields and ripening of strawberries throughout New England. With strawberry harvest coming to a close, blueberry and raspberry harvest for pick your own should start shortly as berries continued to ripen. A late spring and cool growing conditions caused Maine wild blueberries conditions to range from fair to poor. Fruit tree growers continued to thin trees, mow orchard floors, monitor for pest development and applied pesticides if necessary. Cranberries were in full bloom to petal fall at week's end, so growers applied insecticides and second fungicide for protection, however, conditions were unfavorable with wind, fog, and light rain. Bee activities were limited due to conditions so pollination was limited; however, crop condition was rated good. VEGETABLES: Vegetable growers continued behind schedule to finish planting sweet corn and late seasonal vegetables due to unfavorable conditions. Some sweet corn was harvested in the Connecticut River Valley. Vegetable growers continued to scout for Potato Leafhopper, Flea Beetles, Cabbage Worm, Corn Earworm, and European Corn Borer. An outbreak of Downy Mildew was reported in New Jersey and Delaware and recent weather conditions placed western Massachusetts at moderate risk. Producers harvested greens, lettuce, peas, radishes, summer squash and tomatoes. Growers were busy side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating, and weeding. Greenhouses started to sell vegetables but sales were down due to a cool and cloudy week so inventory remained full. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Emerged -- Silage Corn 95 99 95 Good/Excellent Sweet Corn 95 99 95 Good/Excellent -- Percent Planted -- Silage Corn 99 100 99 Sweet Corn 95 100 95 -- Percent Harvested -- Barley, ME Good/Fair Oats, ME - - - Good/Fair Potatoes - - - Maine - - - Fair/Excellent Mass. - - - Good Rhode Isl. - - - Good/Fair Tobacco Broadleaf - - - Good Shade <5 <5 0 Good Dry hay, 80 85 80 Good/Fair 1st cut Dry hay, 15 15 15 Good/Excellent 2nd cut ---------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- --Percent Harvested-- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Fruit Condition Avg Size ----------------------------------------------------- Apples - - - Avg Good/Fair Peaches - - - Avg Good/Fair Pears - - - Avg Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush - - - Avg/Above Good/Excel Wild, ME - - - Avg Fair/Poor Cranberries,MA - - - Avg Good Strawberries 75 85 80 Avg Good/Fair ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the Period: Monday July 4, 2005 To: Sunday July 10, 2005 AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI -- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 41 88 64 -3 0.46 3.71 NH 40 94 66 -1 0.39 2.12 VT 48 86 66 +0 1.13 5.04 MA 47 88 66 -4 0.80 3.57 RI 52 85 67 -5 0.53 1.79 CT 51 84 68 -4 1.02 3.17 --------------------------------------------- - Copyright 2005: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday July 4, 2005 To: Sunday July 10, 2005 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 47 83 63 -6 649 -183 258 +2 Allagash 41 87 64 +0 538 +21 200 +106 Augusta_State_A 53 80 64 -5 716 -67 290 +59 Bangor_Intl_Arp 50 82 65 -3 740 +46 287 +106 Barnard 50 82 65 -2 626 +39 246 +119 Bath 50 78 63 -6 585 -109 199 +15 Bethel 49 83 64 -4 678 -32 259 +72 Brassua_Dam 46 81 64 +0 538 +70 202 +123 Brunswick_ME 52 80 64 -5 597 -97 216 +32 Caribou_Municip 47 86 66 +2 646 +81 258 +140 Corinna 52 85 65 -3 683 +1 270 +99 Danforth 47 82 64 -4 590 -52 220 +59 Dover-Foxcroft 50 81 62 -5 569 -18 217 +90 Durham 50 80 64 -7 641 -191 244 -22 East_Hiram 49 82 64 -4 673 -35 266 +80 Eustis 45 81 61 -3 548 +81 209 +138 Frenchville 47 86 66 +3 634 +117 256 +162 Gray 51 80 64 -4 723 +47 300 +131 Greenville_ME 49 81 64 -2 605 +7 240 +110 Guilford 48 83 64 -3 592 +5 240 +113 Hollis 51 82 65 -3 668 +11 267 +109 Houlton 41 84 64 -2 627 +45 245 +119 Kennebunkport 52 75 63 -9 595 -292 210 -84 Livermore_Falls 50 83 65 -1 694 +105 290 +165 Moosehead 47 85 64 +0 528 +60 194 +115 New_Sharon 52 83 64 -3 656 +67 266 +141 Patten 45 81 63 -3 554 -28 200 +74 Portage 45 87 66 +1 621 +56 245 +127 Portland_ME 53 77 64 -5 681 +5 263 +94 Rangeley 48 82 63 +0 553 +110 211 +148 Sebec_Lake 46 84 64 -3 612 +14 234 +104 Vanceboro 46 81 64 -3 573 -13 204 +77 Waterville 51 81 64 -5 672 -160 268 +12 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 50 88 66 -4 731 -83 306 +57 Benton 51 83 65 -2 703 +22 275 +118 Berlin_AG 49 84 65 -2 725 +50 297 +132 Bethlehem 45 85 65 -2 721 +40 289 +130 Concord 53 87 68 -2 897 +83 392 +143 Diamond_Pond 52 77 63 +2 543 +130 204 +157 First_Conn_Lake 42 80 64 +3 566 +153 206 +159 Greenville 52 86 66 -1 934 +200 422 +231 Keene_AP 54 84 68 -3 899 -46 386 +56 Lakeport 56 89 68 -1 869 +112 374 +155 Marlow 50 88 67 -2 801 -46 348 +87 Mount_Washingto 40 63 50 +4 146 +136 13 +13 North_Conway 53 86 66 -3 756 +2 310 +95 Otter_Brook_Lk 53 85 67 -4 831 -114 347 +17 Plymouth 49 84 65 -2 717 +65 287 +130 Rochester 50 84 65 -6 756 -121 302 +14 Weare 53 85 67 -3 801 -46 335 +74 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 52 85 66 -1 758 +58 308 +133 Bethel 49 85 66 +0 789 +131 330 +170 Burlington_Intl 58 86 71 +1 1032 +136 481 +177 East_Haven 48 85 66 +2 732 +195 300 +189 Island_Pond 52 81 66 +3 714 +180 298 +196 Montpelier 53 83 67 +2 840 +155 356 +181 Morrisville_AG 48 83 66 -1 715 +43 295 +122 Mount_Mansfield 49 71 58 +0 426 +176 111 +94 Northfield 51 85 66 +2 772 +166 318 +178 Pownal 51 82 66 -2 848 +142 334 +153 Rochester 48 85 66 +1 803 +145 338 +178 Rutland_AG 52 84 67 -4 866 -82 374 +45 Sunderland 53 84 68 -3 847 -62 357 +56 Sutton 50 83 65 +2 700 +163 289 +178 Townshend_Lake 53 84 68 -3 862 -4 369 +87 Union_Vill_Dam 48 83 66 -5 751 -129 299 +10 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 54 84 66 -2 862 +135 358 +161 Boston/Logan_In 56 88 67 -7 933 -119 405 +12 Greenfield 53 83 68 -4 950 -71 412 +36 New_Bedford 50 77 65 -8 817 -218 297 -76 Otis_AFB 57 82 69 -1 1005 +217 432 +197 Plymouth 50 82 65 -6 814 -23 339 +71 Walpole 54 85 67 -4 945 +52 401 +106 West_Medway 54 83 66 -5 879 -14 360 +65 Chicopee/Westov 55 83 69 -6 1113 -72 494 +17 Worcester 53 82 65 -4 925 +108 392 +145 Worthington 50 83 65 -3 800 +87 314 +131 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 55 83 68 -5 1012 +27 427 +73 Woonsocket 53 85 67 -4 962 +85 402 +127 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 51 82 65 -9 898 -246 354 -104 Bridgeport/Siko 59 83 70 -4 1099 +36 441 +33 Hartford/Bradle 55 84 70 -4 1175 +38 533 +78 Norfolk 52 79 65 -3 836 +124 325 +141 Norwich 55 84 67 -5 1028 +1 439 +68 Thomaston_Dam 55 82 68 -2 997 +111 421 +139 Willimantic 53 82 67 -3 1007 +110 414 +126 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.98 +0.21 3 3.78 +0.55 14 Allagash 1.50 +0.67 2 3.75 +0.67 11 Augusta_State_A 1.51 +0.79 4 4.21 +1.20 17 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.46 -0.31 3 2.33 -0.75 9 Barnard 2.34 +1.50 4 4.91 +1.47 15 Bath 0.80 +0.10 3 3.31 +0.18 12 Bethel 1.65 +0.82 4 5.74 +2.18 15 Brassua_Dam 2.02 +1.11 4 4.94 +1.24 15 Brunswick_ME 1.32 +0.62 4 5.18 +2.05 16 Caribou_Municip 1.52 +0.67 2 3.45 +0.46 9 Corinna 1.59 +0.82 3 3.74 +0.50 10 Danforth 1.54 +0.70 4 4.30 +0.89 15 Dover-Foxcroft 1.37 +0.53 3 4.26 +0.82 10 Durham 1.49 +0.71 4 5.23 +1.87 13 East_Hiram 1.73 +0.89 4 4.56 +1.10 18 Eustis 2.55 +1.71 4 7.56 +4.33 13 Frenchville 1.79 +0.96 2 4.69 +1.61 11 Gray 1.76 +1.03 4 5.37 +2.27 14 Greenville_ME 3.71 +2.87 4 5.74 +2.30 13 Guilford 1.60 +0.76 4 5.00 +1.56 15 Hollis 1.62 +0.85 4 6.77 +3.47 18 Houlton 0.68 -0.16 4 3.15 +0.00 15 Kennebunkport 1.08 +0.37 4 4.33 +1.16 16 Livermore_Falls 1.53 +0.75 3 4.18 +0.59 13 Moosehead 1.58 +0.67 4 3.87 +0.17 14 New_Sharon 1.80 +1.02 3 5.33 +1.74 16 Patten 1.63 +0.79 4 4.97 +1.82 16 Portage 1.98 +1.13 2 3.24 +0.25 11 Portland_ME 1.50 +0.77 5 5.60 +2.50 17 Rangeley 1.77 +0.99 4 4.75 +1.39 15 Sebec_Lake 2.67 +1.83 4 6.37 +2.93 15 Vanceboro 1.35 +0.58 3 4.00 +1.00 14 Waterville 1.43 +0.66 3 3.98 +0.75 13 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.39 -0.31 3 3.94 +1.02 15 Benton 1.71 +0.93 4 5.58 +2.19 14 Berlin_AG 1.49 +0.65 4 4.10 +0.42 13 Bethlehem 1.72 +0.84 4 5.61 +1.89 14 Concord 1.50 +0.80 4 5.84 +2.92 15 Diamond_Pond 2.12 +1.07 4 7.20 +2.89 16 First_Conn_Lake 1.92 +0.87 3 7.65 +3.34 12 Greenville 1.62 +0.78 3 3.77 +0.38 10 Keene_AP 1.77 +0.99 4 6.72 +3.42 14 Lakeport 1.14 +0.37 3 5.06 +1.90 14 Marlow 1.32 +0.53 4 5.30 +1.99 14 Mount_Washingto 2.08 +0.47 4 7.75 +0.75 17 North_Conway 1.03 +0.19 3 4.17 +0.58 15 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.71 -0.07 4 4.87 +1.57 16 Plymouth 1.23 +0.39 4 7.20 +3.84 14 Rochester 1.77 +1.00 4 5.63 +2.44 15 Weare 1.84 +1.05 4 5.23 +1.92 16 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 1.21 +0.28 4 4.40 +0.38 16 Bethel 1.74 +0.90 4 4.30 +0.91 15 Burlington_Intl 2.64 +1.86 4 5.75 +2.46 12 East_Haven 3.22 +2.27 3 7.43 +3.48 14 Island_Pond 1.77 +0.82 3 7.74 +3.79 14 Montpelier 2.58 +1.88 4 5.92 +2.88 17 Morrisville_AG 2.31 +1.40 3 4.42 +0.67 12 Mount_Mansfield 5.04 +3.57 5 8.31 +2.14 16 Northfield 2.50 +1.73 4 6.25 +3.33 13 Pownal 1.94 +1.01 4 5.74 +1.72 13 Rochester 1.77 +0.93 4 6.15 +2.76 13 Rutland_AG 2.41 +1.57 4 6.91 +3.55 15 Sunderland 1.50 +0.83 4 6.56 +3.67 18 Sutton 2.17 +1.22 4 6.92 +2.97 15 Townshend_Lake 1.32 +0.62 5 6.36 +3.54 17 Union_Vill_Dam 1.52 +0.82 4 4.95 +2.02 15 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 2.46 +1.62 4 5.72 +2.36 16 Boston/Logan_In 3.19 +2.56 4 3.62 +0.89 8 Greenfield 2.42 +1.58 5 6.70 +3.22 15 New_Bedford 0.80 +0.11 5 2.76 -0.33 13 Otis_AFB 1.32 +0.68 3 2.25 -0.59 10 Plymouth 1.44 +0.67 5 2.20 -0.91 12 Walpole 1.98 +1.21 5 2.84 -0.55 11 West_Medway 2.02 +1.25 5 4.45 +1.06 19 Chicopee/Westov 1.30 +0.46 3 3.95 +0.33 14 Worcester 3.27 +2.36 4 4.39 +0.78 12 Worthington 1.02 +0.06 4 5.97 +2.31 16 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.75 +0.05 3 1.47 -1.51 11 Woonsocket 1.79 +0.88 5 3.05 -0.66 16 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 2.96 +2.22 3 5.77 +2.51 12 Bridgeport/Siko 1.93 +1.09 5 4.29 +1.03 10 Hartford/Bradle 3.17 +2.43 4 5.76 +2.50 14 Norfolk 1.34 +0.36 4 3.78 -0.35 13 Norwich 1.62 +0.81 2 2.85 -0.23 10 Thomaston_Dam 2.74 +1.83 5 5.90 +2.20 16 Willimantic 1.02 +0.11 5 1.87 -1.69 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 2005: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For detailed ag weather forecasts and data visit the AWIShome page at www.awis.com or call toll free at1-888-798-9955. -- Other Agricultural Comments and News CONNECTICUT - Howard Rood (FSA), Fairfield/Litchfield: Rain and scattered thunderstorms all week. Field corn and second cutting of hay looks good. Jude Boucher (Ext), Tolland: Row cover sweet corn is being harvested in the CT River Valley. Early crops look good and are selling for $20 per bag wholesale (good money)! Lorriane Los, Univ of Connecticut: Blueberries and raspberries have started to ripen. Strawberry harvest should be done this week. Growers are hand-thinning peaches and apples. Aphid populations seem to be very high on apples this year. So far, no apple maggots captured on red sphere traps. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Decent weather for haying early in the week. Some showers on Wednesday. Sweet corn showing up at farm stands now. Green and yellow squash, snap beans and cukes. Two inches of rain on Friday got most all the moisture needed to make crops grow. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London: Field Corn-Some much needed rain fell in the county from the remnants of tropical storm Cindy. This should help corn growth. More rain will be needed over the next four weeks to maximize crop yield potential. Hay- The rains halted the hay harvest. Some first cut remains to be cut in the county. Second cut re-growth seems short due to all the dry weather. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Welcome showers gave the needed boost to vegetables and grass growing for second cutting. Blueberries are being harvested - a bit later than usual. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: More rain, not bad, helped some of the still dry sandy soils where corn has not recovered yet, Hills in Woodstock still dry but improving, heavy rain Wednesday and Friday, plants soaking it up, corn from just out of the ground to shoulder height depending on planting date and moisture, fruit trees look good, blueberries almost ready to pick, strawberries concerned with lack of picking due to the rain, greenhouses have lots of inventory due to cold/wet spring weekends. Haying when possible, chopping and round baling too. Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Corn still showing signs of stress even though we received heavy rains on Friday. Peaches about average in size. Squash, lettuce, beans look good first sweet corn in county harvested and excellent. More warm weather and possible storms coming up the coast. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Crops are happy - water and sun and nutrients - what more could a plant want? Unfortunately, some weeds are very happy also. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: A month's worth of rain in 4 days. Low lying fields in a lot of areas were flooded. Farmers did little this week except watch the rain keep falling. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: This has been a dry week with growers wishing for some rain. Dry conditions have slowed plant growth but showers on Saturday helped the situation. Growers busy hilling up potatoes, applying fungicides and scouting for European Corn Borer. Some have sprayed insecticides to control them. Others are waiting for egg masses to hatch. Small grains are showing stress from the drought with short straw and small heads forming. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: There have been European Corn Borer and Colorado Potato Beetle egg masses found and some that have hatched. Farmers have sprayed for these this week and will treat again next week. They have been getting a lot of cultivating done and the crops look very good at this point. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Poor drying conditions for haying. Cool weather most of week. Morning thunderstorm on Saturday and heavy rain all day. Donald Burke (FSA), Waldo: Fruit fly monitoring has begun in blueberry fields. Overcast weather slowed up haying activities during the week, but good weather returned on Sunday. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Weeding is ongoing in gardens. Fly traps have been placed in blueberry fields. Not a good week for haying. Cool, damp and overcast most of the week. Summer weather returned on Sunday. Some blueberry fields beginning to show the effects of poor pollination and lack of sun. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Crop maturity delayed at least a week because of late spring and cool growing conditions. Fly traps being monitored for Fruit fly. Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Pick your own strawberries are in full swing. Some producers reporting low yields. Harvesting dry hay remains difficult with frequent rains. Apple orchards report light crops on some varieties, while others are fine. Some apple trees are still showing decline from the 03/04 winter. Vegetables are reported good, although late, on drier soils; while heavy soils have areas of prevented planting. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Pick your own strawberries are in full swing. Some producers reporting low yields. Harvesting dry hay remains difficult with frequent rains. Apple orchards report light crops on some varieties, while others are fine. Some apple trees are still showing decline from the 03/04 winter. Vegetables are reported good, although late, on drier soils; while heavy soils have areas of prevented planting. Marcia Hall (FSA), Oxford: Great weather for crops. After a long, wet, cold spring the recent warm days have been a great break for farmers. Late planted corn has emerged, haying is an ongoing event, and strawberries are being picked. Laura Rand (FSA), Androscoggin: Producers are reporting that late planted crops are up and growing. The weather has allowed producers to catch up on haying. Pastures are in good shape and potato growers are cultivating and regular spray activities ongoing MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Two sunny days of cropping weather and then cloudy & moist conditions with .5 inches of rain. Crops still growing well with most greenhouses started veggies are being sold/marketed. Strawberries crop coming to a close, most producers with good yields. Equipment repair is still a big factor, dealers not nearby. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: All beds in bloom, with early varieties past 50% out of bloom. That means insecticide applications for fruitworm control have begun. Growers applied their second fungicide for fruit rot control this week. It was not easy to get these applications on the vines, as weather was very uncooperative...wind, fog, drizzle. Things had been dry until a good soaking on Friday with the remnants of hurricane Cindy. Bloom looks very good so far, but the weather has not been good for the bees to pollinate either. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Another week of wild weather affected crops in Franklin County. Producers have reported that heavy rain caused flooding in southern sections of the county on 7/6/05. Fields in Deerfield and Whately got 4+ inches of rain in a 45 minute downpour. This storm caused a lot of ponding and washouts. Vegetable growers have reported that disease pressure has increased significantly with the hot muggy weather. Tobacco growers are scouting their fields for insect damage and bluemold. Both the corn and potato crops look great right now. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Heavy rains arrived this past week with some areas receiving over two and a half inches. All growers are initiating fungicide applications to protect against crop diseases. An outbreak of Downy Mildew was reported in NJ and Delaware and weather events have put western MA at moderate risk. This is a big concern to vine crop producers. Vegetable growers are scouting for Potato Leafhopper, Flea Beetles, cabbage worm, corn earworm and European Corn Borer. All crops are growing very fast and look good. Harvesting sweet corn, raspberries, blueberries, lettuce, cabbage and greens. Tobacco is being top-dressed and cultivated. Gary Guida, Worcester: Heavy rains in this area made field work difficult as soil reached saturation levels. Some erosion noted, especially in hillsides. Corn herbicide failing with all this rain. Cuke beetles still a problem as weather affecting spray programs. Corn here without plastic has now tasseled out. Planting late beans. Flower and corn sales still very strong. Ideal weather for new strawberry fields. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Strawberry harvest was at its peak with very flavorful, sweet berries. Many vegetables are being harvested. Weather was perfect for field work. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Some haying done early in the week. First cut near to complete. Vegetables still about a week or two behind. Second cut growing well due to more than adequate moisture. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Generally warm all week, with a few bright, sunny days. Corn continues to grow well, much of it now shoulder-high. A few good drying days, but making dry hay is still a challenge. Many alfalfa/grass fields ready for second cut haylage/baylage. Some farms opening for PYO blueberries and raspberries this week. First plantings of sweet corn starting to tassel. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Good re-growth of hay lands. Pasture doing well with past week's rain, corn also coming along. Raspberries and blueberries beginning to ripen. More local veggies now coming into markets. Bees foraging actively, plenty of blooms, honey supers going on. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit; Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and apply sprays for pest control, if needed. Also, growers are training young fruit trees along with mowing orchard floor. Strawberry harvest is nearly over (95% harvest) and getting to renovate harvested beds. First blueberries harvested during the end of the week. Field Crops; Farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage at a faster rate. Growers are sidedressing fertilizer to field corn if needed and spreading manure on harvested hayfields. Vegetables; Continuing successive planting. Growers continued harvesting early season vegetables such as lettuce, peas, greens, radishes, and summer squash. Growers busy trying to side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating, removing weeds, scouting for pests and spraying if needed. Sadie Puglisi (Ext), Merrimack: Strawberry picking finished up this past weekend. Calls about mummy berry are starting now that fruit is ripening. Sweet corn and tomatoes are at the farm stands. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Picking sweet cherry, strawberries, garlic, herbs, summer squash, carrot cut flowers, and kales. Raspberry and blueberry picking will start in the next couple of days. Cultivating and weeding vegetable fields. Making hay and haylage. Still planting field corn. Monitoring pests in orchards and vegetable fields Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Second cut of alfalfa haylage is underway and looks good. Spot rain showers have helped the growth. Getting in dry hay has been a challenge with many fields yet to be cut. Blueberry crop has been hit with hail along with a problem of branches bearing no leaves. Too early to tell what quality production will be like. PYO strawberries still going with good reports on size, color and taste. Silage corn is coming along great with loads of humidity and spot rain showers. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: Scattered showers and cloudy weather through the week. Grass in hayfields and pastures growing well, but the weather was not ideal for haying. Vegetable growers busy planting successive crops at the same time harvesting early crops. Growers were also busy cultivating for weed control and monitoring for pests and spraying if needed. Fruit growers were mowing orchard floors and monitoring for pests and spraying if needed. Strawberry harvesting continued through the week. Fall mums growing well for most garden centers. RHODE ISLAND - Melissa Turrisi: The past week brought some much needed rain. Strawberry season is coming to an end. Producers have begun harvesting early crops like beans, peas and potatoes. Summer vegetables look good in terms of both color and growth. Farmers are waiting anxiously to begin picking sweet corn which may be ready as early as next week. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Week ended on a much needed wet note with a good 2.5 inches of rain falling. Second cut of grass is underway and is looking good. The corn crop's recent rapid growth seems to have had a beneficial effect on weed control. Overall, all crops are looking very good for this point in the season. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: It was another good week for cropping. Some late first cut hay is being harvested as dry square bales. A lot of landowners have begun 2nd crop. The crop looks really good at this point. Soil moisture is still adequate and on some fields excessive. Saturday's rain helped to assure this. All in all it's turning out to be a good crop year. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Another rainy week in Windham County. Field corn is looking great tall and green. Apple producers are reporting that this year's apple crop is looking better every day. A whole bunch of second cut is ready and producers are hoping for better condition this week. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Another very warm week. Some heavy showers also. Some fields are showing wet in places that are usually dry. Corn is coming along well. No more calls about corn insects. Some farmers starting second cut and spreading manure after that crop is off. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Putting nitrogen on corn. Side-dressing vine crops with nitrogen. Still doing late planting of fall vegetable crops. 0.653 of an inch for the week, short, but the rain did a good job. Strawberries and asparagus finished with good crops. Picking good crop of peas and lots of early garden vegetables. George Cook (Ext), LaMoille: Heavy rain Saturday, July 9 - 2.15 inches. Crops look excellent overall. Corn is responding to the hot weather, nitrogen levels appear to be very adequate with nice green color. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext),Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources ConservationServices (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: Travis Averill Stat Assistant: Deirdre Davis Deputy Director: Gerald Tillman New England Agricultural Statistics Service National Agricultural Statistics Service United States Department of Agriculture Aubrey R. Davis, Director 22 Bridge St, 3rd Floor PO Box 1444 Concord, NH 03302-1444 Phone: (603) 224-9639 Fax: (603) 225-1434 Internet: http://www.usda.gov/nass/ E-Mail: nass.nh@nass.usda.gov ****************** end of report*********************