State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 06/09/02 Issue NH-CW2302 Volume 22, Number 7 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) June 10, 2002 - 4 pm Agricultural Summary WET WEATHER CONTINUES TO DELAY PLANTING For the week ending June 9, 2002, there were 5.5 days suitable for field work across New England. Pasture condition was rated as 0% very poor, 3% poor, 15% fair, 71% good, 11% excellent. Precipitation in New England has continued to delay planting of certain crops, as well as the making of dry hay. Cooler than normal temperatures have slowed growth in some crops. Frost and hail hit localized areas during the week. Major farm activities included: planting field corn, vegetables, sweet corn, tobacco, potatoes, oats and barley; harvesting strawberries, asparagus and rhubarb; cutting dry hay and chopping haylage; thinning fruit; picking rocks; applying fungicides, herbicides and insecticides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ---------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 4 1 7 Short 10 14 8 Adequate 68 73 79 Surplus 18 12 6 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 7 5 8 Short 22 25 7 Adequate 65 68 81 Surplus 6 2 4 ---------------------------------------------- Field Crops Report Farmers had to delay harvesting hay last week due to the moisture-laden fields. The planting of potatoes, oats and barley in Maine is almost complete and the three crops are looking good. Potato planting in Massachusetts has nearly come to a close, as well. Farmers took advantage of the dry days last week to progress with field corn planting. Tobacco continued to be transplanted in the Connecticut River Valley; shade tobacco is just about complete in Massachusetts. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Frost continues to be a concern to all fruit growers. Strawberry harvest has begun; the crop is close to ten percent harvested. Apples progressed to petal fall stage and orchardists applied thinning sprays last week where needed. Mummyberry disease is currently present and being treated in Maine wild blueberry fields. Massachusetts cranberries are beginning to bloom and growers are preparing to make fungicide applications. VEGETABLES: The planting of sweet corn, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers and other vegetables continued last week. Some vegetable crops have been delayed for planting due to the cool, wet conditions. The earliest planted sweet corn is showing tassels. The harvest of asparagus and rhubarb continued last week. Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- Crop 2002 2001 5-yr Avg %Emrg Condition -------------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Planted -- Barley, ME 99 100 99 80 Good Oats, ME 99 100 99 75 Good Potatoes Maine 99 99 95 10 Good Mass 99 100 100 70 Good Rhode Isl 100 100 99 90 Excellent/Good Silage Corn 85 95 90 60 Fair/Good Sweet Corn 75 85 75 55 Good/Fair Tobacco Shade 80 95 95 -- Good Broadleaf 50 55 55 -- Good/Fair Dry Hay -- Percent Harvested -- First Cut 35 30 35 -- Good --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage Fruit Set Fruit Size Condition ---------------------------------------------------------- Apples PF Avg/B.Avg Avg/B.Avg Fair Peaches PF B.Avg/Avg Avg Fair/Poor Pears PF B.Avg/Avg B.Avg/Avg Fair/Poor Blueberries Highbush PF/FB Avg Avg Good/Fair Wild, ME FB/PF Avg -- Fair/Good Cranberries,MA Bud/EB Avg -- Good Strawberries PF Avg/B.Avg Avg/B.Avg Fair/Good ---------------------------------------------------------- * PF = Petal Fall, FB = Full Bloom, EB = Early Bloom Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, June 9, 2002 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 27 76 53 -7 0.00 1.67 NH 16 80 55 -6 0.24 2.71 VT 27 85 56 -5 0.30 3.06 MA 34 79 59 -5 1.34 3.16 RI 38 78 60 -4 1.70 2.64 CT 38 82 61 -4 1.84 3.35 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2002: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Weather Information Table Weather Summary For New England Agricultural Statistics Service Prepared By AWIS, Inc. For the Period: Monday June 3, 2002 To: Sunday June 9, 2002 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 31 71 52 -11 204 -106 22 -28 Allagash 27 69 47 -11 79 -65 19 +14 Augusta_ME 39 68 55 -7 259 -20 40 +0 Bangor 34 70 55 -6 208 -20 20 -5 Barnard 31 69 52 -8 164 -16 17 +2 Bath 33 70 54 -7 185 -37 21 -2 Bethel 34 72 53 -8 227 -15 36 +6 Brassua_Dam 29 70 51 -7 98 -22 5 +4 Brunswick_ME 35 69 56 -5 219 -3 26 +3 Caribou 32 67 51 -8 141 -34 21 +5 Corinna 34 73 55 -6 232 +3 38 +13 Danforth 29 72 52 -8 146 -44 17 -1 Dover-Foxcroft 30 69 51 -9 117 -63 6 -9 Durham 34 71 54 -9 228 -65 41 -2 East_Hiram 33 73 54 -7 256 +15 51 +22 Eustis 29 70 49 -8 122 -5 9 +9 Frenchville 31 65 49 -9 109 -35 20 +15 Gray 42 70 57 -4 275 +62 47 +31 Greenville_ME 35 68 52 -7 159 -32 26 +8 Guilford 32 70 51 -8 117 -63 5 -10 Hollis 32 75 55 -6 285 +77 61 +45 Houlton 29 69 51 -8 180 +1 28 +11 Kennebunkport 36 73 54 -10 203 -128 27 -24 Livermore_Falls 30 73 55 -4 216 +34 33 +18 Moosehead 30 70 50 -7 116 -4 6 +5 New_Sharon 32 74 56 -4 267 +85 48 +33 Patten 31 67 51 -8 106 -73 6 -11 Portage 33 68 51 -8 122 -53 19 +3 Portland_ME 37 69 57 -4 253 +40 31 +15 Rangeley 31 68 51 -6 112 -9 10 +10 Sebec_Lake 29 71 52 -7 162 -29 15 -3 Vanceboro 33 69 52 -7 142 -28 13 +3 Waterville 36 71 54 -9 213 -97 30 -20 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 36 74 56 -6 336 +32 72 +20 Benton 33 76 54 -6 264 +7 67 +32 Berlin_AG 33 77 53 -7 231 -5 41 +10 Bethlehem 31 76 53 -8 217 -39 44 +8 Concord 33 77 58 -5 416 +112 133 +81 Diamond_Pond 31 67 50 -7 119 +3 10 +10 First_Conn_Lake 29 68 50 -6 111 -5 9 +9 Greenville 32 75 56 -6 318 +40 63 +23 Keene_AP 34 75 59 -6 416 +26 127 +39 Lakeport 40 78 58 -4 366 +99 92 +51 Marlow 30 74 53 -10 273 -66 69 +4 Mt_Washington 16 54 39 -4 2 +2 0 +0 North_Conway 36 74 56 -6 302 +31 72 +31 Otter_Brook_Lk 36 76 56 -8 343 -47 90 +2 Plymouth 31 75 55 -5 260 +41 55 +29 Rochester 37 79 57 -6 372 +28 94 +27 Weare 38 78 56 -6 328 -11 77 +12 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 33 83 56 -4 320 +61 84 +47 Bethel 31 85 58 -2 328 +93 95 +63 Burlington_VT 37 74 59 -5 396 +38 128 +51 East_Haven 29 75 54 -4 209 +37 42 +24 Island_Pond 33 72 54 -5 218 +44 46 +28 Montpelier 32 76 56 -4 308 +57 89 +53 Morrisville_AG 29 75 54 -6 210 -26 42 +9 Mount_Mansfield 27 77 49 -3 121 +61 21 +21 Northfield 33 80 57 -2 296 +90 74 +50 Pownal 39 80 57 -3 314 +48 80 +39 Rochester 32 80 57 -3 266 +31 69 +37 Rutland_AG 34 80 57 -8 314 -88 84 -13 Sunderland 35 81 56 -8 279 -100 68 -14 Sutton 32 69 52 -6 220 +48 46 +28 Townshend_Lake 37 80 58 -6 364 +30 98 +31 Union_Vill_Dam 32 81 57 -6 305 -42 84 +13 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 38 72 57 -4 377 +122 94 +61 Boston 47 76 62 -4 535 +107 158 +75 Greenfield 41 74 59 -6 439 +10 117 +21 New_Bedford 43 78 60 -6 473 +50 115 +37 Otis_AFB 41 73 58 -4 395 +126 78 +45 Plymouth 39 76 58 -5 423 +127 107 +64 Walpole 38 78 58 -5 471 +126 139 +78 West_Medway 36 75 58 -5 486 +141 144 +83 Westover 43 75 62 -5 555 +23 192 +55 Worcester 43 70 59 -4 414 +108 111 +65 Worthington 34 79 56 -5 328 +65 88 +51 RHODE ISLAND Providence 45 78 61 -4 516 +131 145 +75 Woonsocket 38 76 59 -5 474 +134 140 +88 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 38 77 58 -9 423 -82 122 -10 Bridgeport 49 79 64 -2 536 +93 148 +44 Hartford_AP 42 78 62 -4 594 +96 209 +80 Norfolk 42 79 60 +0 403 +145 113 +79 Norwich 42 78 60 -6 500 +60 148 +50 Thomaston_Dam 39 82 60 -3 479 +119 147 +79 Willimantic 40 75 60 -4 503 +140 161 +94 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION NCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.82 -0.02 4 3.35 -0.01 11 Allagash 0.30 -0.40 2 1.74 -1.09 12 Augusta_ME 0.74 -0.04 4 3.38 +0.08 12 Bangor 1.22 +0.43 4 2.90 -0.30 11 Barnard 0.30 -0.54 2 2.54 -0.74 11 Bath 0.78 -0.08 4 4.14 +0.79 13 Bethel 0.64 -0.27 3 3.97 +0.52 11 Brassua_Dam 0.08 -0.81 2 4.01 +0.74 11 Brunswick_ME 0.88 +0.02 3 4.19 +0.84 13 Caribou 0.26 -0.38 4 2.66 -0.08 18 Corinna 0.66 -0.18 3 2.90 -0.35 11 Danforth 0.35 -0.49 1 2.85 -0.52 11 Dover-Foxcroft 0.21 -0.63 4 1.67 -1.61 11 Durham 0.67 -0.17 4 3.80 +0.52 10 East_Hiram 0.70 -0.19 4 4.52 +1.09 12 Eustis 0.45 -0.32 3 3.07 +0.00 12 Frenchville 0.47 -0.23 3 2.90 +0.07 17 Gray 0.86 +0.04 4 4.27 +1.09 11 Greenville_ME 0.28 -0.56 3 3.08 -0.20 16 Guilford 0.23 -0.61 3 2.94 -0.34 15 Hollis 1.12 +0.27 4 5.51 +2.14 13 Houlton 0.16 -0.61 3 2.89 -0.19 15 Kennebunkport 1.67 +0.76 4 6.46 +2.96 16 Livermore_Falls 0.55 -0.43 4 4.05 +0.48 12 Moosehead 0.18 -0.71 2 3.35 +0.08 13 New_Sharon 0.93 -0.05 4 4.21 +0.64 13 Patten 0.08 -0.69 3 3.12 +0.04 13 Portage 0.25 -0.39 2 1.79 -0.95 15 Portland_ME 1.54 +0.72 5 5.04 +1.86 12 Rangeley 1.05 +0.21 4 4.32 +1.17 14 Sebec_Lake 0.36 -0.48 3 2.69 -0.59 13 Vanceboro 0.30 -0.47 2 2.72 -0.46 12 Waterville 0.74 -0.10 3 3.75 +0.39 11 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 1.40 +0.69 5 5.68 +2.83 17 Benton 0.37 -0.52 4 4.02 +0.71 20 Berlin_AG 0.74 -0.20 3 4.55 +1.10 16 Bethlehem 1.29 +0.38 4 4.93 +1.67 19 Concord 1.59 +0.88 4 5.13 +2.28 16 Diamond_Pond 1.49 +0.44 4 7.04 +3.17 17 First_Conn_Lake 0.80 -0.25 3 5.21 +1.34 16 Greenville 2.05 +1.17 4 7.40 +3.94 13 Keene_AP 0.99 +0.15 4 5.03 +1.60 15 Lakeport 1.25 +0.41 3 5.21 +1.86 13 Marlow 1.89 +0.98 4 5.46 +1.80 18 Mt_Washington 2.71 +0.88 4 9.63 +2.69 21 North_Conway 0.47 -0.45 5 4.20 +0.56 15 Otter_Brook_Lk 1.34 +0.50 5 6.67 +3.24 17 Plymouth 0.24 -0.60 3 3.64 +0.08 14 Rochester 1.63 +0.79 5 5.89 +2.49 14 Weare 1.36 +0.45 5 6.67 +3.01 14 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 2.62 +1.53 3 7.72 +3.48 14 Bethel 0.35 -0.56 4 4.17 +0.34 12 Burlington_VT 1.29 +0.52 2 4.55 +1.62 12 East_Haven 0.86 -0.12 3 6.75 +3.18 18 Island_Pond 1.11 +0.13 4 6.13 +2.48 20 Montpelier 1.14 +0.30 3 4.05 +0.89 17 Morrisville_AG 0.70 -0.21 2 4.41 +0.95 15 Mount_Mansfield 1.55 +0.04 3 9.63 +4.21 17 Northfield 0.30 -0.47 2 4.09 +0.93 13 Pownal 2.74 +1.65 3 9.79 +5.55 18 Rochester 0.47 -0.44 3 5.66 +1.83 15 Rutland_AG 1.15 +0.32 3 5.39 +2.14 14 Sunderland 3.06 +2.22 4 8.36 +5.03 18 Sutton 0.61 -0.37 3 5.80 +2.23 17 Townshend_Lake 1.64 +0.87 3 6.29 +3.16 15 Union_Vill_Dam 0.71 -0.06 4 3.96 +0.73 19 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 1.95 +1.12 4 6.57 +3.31 15 Boston 1.65 +0.90 4 6.00 +3.12 12 Greenfield 2.64 +1.73 4 8.18 +4.58 19 New_Bedford 2.36 +1.50 4 7.85 +4.51 12 Otis_AFB 2.52 +1.75 4 6.13 +2.89 11 Plymouth 2.26 +1.42 5 7.24 +3.79 15 Walpole 2.23 +1.39 4 7.73 +4.56 15 West_Medway 2.22 +1.38 3 7.67 +4.50 12 Westover 2.03 +1.05 4 6.03 +2.22 17 Worcester 2.28 +1.37 5 7.26 +3.43 17 Worthington 2.24 +1.33 4 8.90 +4.91 19 RHODE ISLAND Providence 2.25 +1.46 4 6.66 +3.38 14 Woonsocket 2.64 +1.71 3 7.57 +3.91 12 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 3.35 +2.44 4 9.70 +5.97 13 Bridgeport 2.26 +1.43 4 6.63 +3.19 12 Hartford_AP 2.45 +1.54 4 7.27 +3.54 15 Norfolk 3.27 +2.18 4 7.75 +3.54 14 Norwich 1.97 +1.17 3 6.83 +3.13 10 Thomaston_Dam 2.69 +1.71 4 7.60 +3.68 15 Willimantic 1.84 +0.95 4 6.48 +2.81 15 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 2002: 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 has been a rainy week. Some fields are too wet to work. Heavy rains at the end of the week caused erosion problems in some steep fields and farm roads. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: The first week of June saw continued showers and rain totaling 2.4 inches in the Hartford area. Field corn planting and chopping of grass continued. Planting of tobacco and sweet corn continued; however, after Thursday's rain most everyone was waiting for fields to dry out. Earliest sweet corn showing tassels. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Wet and cold. Time for sunshine. Hay delayed, finishing corn planting delayed, planting vegetables delayed. Nancy Welsh/Karen Lockman (FSA), New Haven: Weather is warming up. Corn is three leafs. Bedding plants and strawberries are selling. Strawberries are small but sweet and quantities are limited. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Alfalfa is ready to harvest. Orchard grass reaching the mature stage. Weeds are at all stages - growing strong, where not tilled. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Making haylage and cutting dried hay is difficult with so many showers around. Finishing up corn planting delayed by rains, wet fields and grass harvest. Pre-sidedress nitrate testing of corn is starting on early fields. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potato planting just about finished, growers finishing up planting small grains, applying herbicides, picking rocks, etc. Growing conditions have been good, potatoes beginning to emerge. Small grains look good, also. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Farmers are finishing up planting grains and potatoes. It would be great if the sun would shine more than one day and the showers would cease up a bit. Some potato plants are just beginning to emerge. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: There have been wireworms found in the area. It has been cool, but the crops are growing well. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Frost in the low areas on Tuesday (6/4). Weather remained cool. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Cool temperatures have delayed crop growth. Frost Tuesday morning (6/4) caused some blossom damage to strawberries that were in full bloom. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: The warm weekend and the rain helped. Producers are chopping their first crop of grass silage. Corn is slowly breaking ground and strawberries should be ready in a couple of weeks. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Periodic rains have slowed first cutting harvest. Producers who harvested early are seeing the second cutting come back quick and heavy. Some frosts early last week have caused problems with many crops. Cool weather continues. Some hail last night. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Some grass is now being cut. Herbicide now being applied to crop fields. Growing conditions appear to be normal for most crops. It appears blueberry harvest could be delayed by one week, but this could change pending future weather conditions. Reports of frost in some areas. It was another good week for field work. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild Blueberries: Primary blight symptoms of mummyberry disease wide-spread, secondary infection occurring. Some applications being made for secondary infection. Spanworm infestation done, now seeing some flea beetle and thrips. Some frost conditions occurred in low areas of fields but since plant development is delayed in those areas, little damage is expected. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: What a great week! The corn went in the ground at a record rate. The grass has been flying into the wagons and into the silos. The weather has been good; we still need some warmer weather. Come on, I've been talking to farmers. It can't be perfect. The weatherman is telling us that rain is on the way. Oh well! Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: Haylage harvest is in full swing, corn is emerging and gardens are showing plants. There was another frost last week, we need heat. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: The soil has finally warmed up and plants are beginning to grow. The grasses are doing real well. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Wish this weather would warm up! The week remained cool and windy, plants emerging everywhere. Mid-week received frost in some areas. Producers busy tying up planting activities and cutting haylage. A little warmer days and nights will go a long way in making things grow! MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Finishing up corn planting, but not all done. No report of dry hay yet, just baleage and silage. Another rainy week with over three inches of rain. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Heavy rains curtailed most field work at the end of last week, but the rainfall for the year is near normal. Soil moisture is ideal; however, ground temperatures are a bit cool and all plants are 10 days to two weeks behind. Cranberry bogs are just starting to move into bloom, reservoirs are full and conditions are near perfect. Some concern with insect pressure. Growers will be applying their first fungicide spray and will continue to apply insecticide to control fireworm and cranberry weevil. Hay producers are having a difficult time making good hay because of the showers, but there is excellent production. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: Harvesting strawberries and asparagus. Applying herbicide on corn and insecticide on strawberries. Things are looking positive now. April was a dry month, but May and June brought more rain and soil conditions are very good at present. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Open blossoms in the early varieties; first fruit rot fungicide sprays will be applied this coming week. Many growers treated for insecticide-resistant cranberry weevils with great success. Except for black-headed fireworm, insects have been less problematic than had been expected, but things could change overnight. Beds look good overall, although perennial weeds are getting a good growth phase. More than ample rain last week. No reports of hail anywhere. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Heavy rain last week slowed field work. Strawberry harvest has begun. Earlier in the week some hay was made. Rhubarb and asparagus still being harvested. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: More wild weather this week in Franklin County, everything from tornado warnings to heavy soaking rains. The rain and poor field conditions are slowing crops that are already behind schedule. Many of the fruit crops are showing signs of frost or freeze damage. Early strawberries are small and mis-shapened. One consolation has been the hay crop, which has grown tremendously during the past two weeks. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: A very cool, wet week for farm activities. Crops need more heat and sunlight. Fields are saturated from the three inches of rainfall. Harvesting asparagus and rhubarb. Potatoes and silage corn 100% planted. Early potatoes are being hilled up. Fruit growers are applying fungicide sprays. Gary Guida, Worcester: Transplanted summer crops look real good. Another great weekend for plant sales at farm stands. Wet weather stopped first cut haying operations and the next week's forecast doesn't help. Hosting Ren Faire at this farm for this past weekend and next. Good turnout. Finishing up corn planting and fall crop transplanting this week. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Bruce Clement (Ext), Cheshire: Heavy thundershowers (some with "strobe" lighting) during the week added to excess moisture situation. Cool weather also holding back crops. We need lots of heat if corn is to be "knee high by the 4th of July." Haylage and baleage making going on between showers. Some fields are now too wet to drive on. Some dry hay going in, but hay making is very difficult due to showers. Most fruits and vegetables growing slowly, at least two weeks behind. Greenhouse sales behind usual for most operations. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Good weather week for field work, although frost still a threat. Seeing strawberry growers paying attention to irrigation early this week. Most field corn now planted and emerged; however, delays have left a few fields still unplanted. Haylage being harvested, looks like a good crop. Also appears to be more dandelions and other weeds in some meadows. Spraying for apple/plum curculio. Early vegetables starting to show some signs of growth. Christmas trees being fertilized. Seeing Canada geese in corn fields - investigated one farm reporting problem becasue large flock of 50 plus are clipping new growth but not pulling plants. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Difficult to dry hay with intermittent showers. Corn planting almost complete and much of the corn has emerged. Growing well. Still dry despite showers. Grass hay headed out. Regrowth on second cut looks good to excellent. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit: Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and applying sprays for pest control, if needed. Orchardists applying thinning sprays to apple orchards. Mowing orchard floor and weed spraying under trees. Harvested first strawberry fruit over the weekend. Field Crops: Planting and weed spraying corn fields. Farmers are continuing trying to make haylage and baled hay between rain showers. Vegetables: Transplanting tomato and pepper plants, and making successive planting vegetable crops. Harvesting asparagus and rhubarb. Cabbage seed maggot damage seen, striped cucumber beetles can be found in vine crops and asparagus beetles are all over asparagus. Weather: Evaluating damage caused by hail this past week in localized areas. Some concern one night about a possibility of frost had growers cover frost-sensitive crops like tomatoes. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Rhubarb and asparagus harvested. Blueberries fertilized. Vegetables planted on well-drained soils. Established vegetables sidedressed. Some herbicide applications ineffective. Orchards spraying for apple scab and plum curculio. Some pasture and hayland seedings on well-drained soils. Delayed planting of pumpkins and squash on upland soils due to wet conditions. Growth very slow on warm season vegetables due to cold temperatures. Frost injury reported on tomato and pepper transplants. Some hail damage, root rot on strawberries. Cold, wet weather has slowed growth of most crops. The blueberry crop looks good on sites that escaped the earlier frost. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: On and off rain making it difficult to get final corn and vegetable fields planted. Lots of haylage being harvested between rain showers. Strawberry fields looking good for picking soon. Some small areas were hit by frost a few weeks ago. First cut of baled hay also being done, again between rain storms. Geoffery Njue (Ext), Strafford: The week started off cold. Vegetable growers were worried about frost damage to the newly transplanted vegetable plants. Vegetable growers were using slitted row covers and floating rows covers to protect the plants from frost. Fruit growers were not sure of the fruit set due to cold nights. Most producers were busy making the first cut on their hay fields. Fruit growers were busy monitoring and spraying for plum curculio. Most of planted corn fields have germinated. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Rains and cool weather have put a damper on strawberry picking and haying. Field corn being planted, along with sweet corn. Planting vine crops and field work being done mid-week. Roadside stands still busy. Pastures look good. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Mother Nature caught some producers with their hay down this week. Spotty rain showers have been problematic. Violent lightening storms crossed the state mid-week at night. Reports of cows loose were received. Strawberry spot picking is underway. Peach set was much heavier than originally thought. Producers thinning fruit as needed. Sweet corn is up and rallying with the rain. Crops in general look pretty good at the moment. Roadside markets were busy with sunny weekend weather. VERMONT - John St. Onge (FSA), Lamoille: Improved weather conditions allowed corn planting to wind down and first cut to really get going. Custom herbicide applicators had a busy week. A light frost early in the week had vegetable growers very nervous. Bill Snow (Ext), Orange: Hay and haylage harvest in full swing. Rain during the week was on the light side; heavier rainfall occurred north and south of the center of the state. Hay crop yields seem to be variable. Corn planted in early May is same height as corn planted the third week of May. Lynette Hamilton (FSA), Windham: While the heifers were strolling up Main Street in Brattleboro, farmers were taking advantage of a few day of sunshine trying to get their first cut in. With the warmer weather the vegetable growers have reported that their crops are looking better. The cool weather didn't help them get the early start they wanted. Richard Noel (FSA), Grand Isle/Franklin: Aftermath of a wild week of weather in Franklin County still doesn't look too good. Fields are flooded in some areas, erosion and washouts have occurred and some corn not even planted as of yet! Farmers are trying to cut hay and are rutting up the fields something terrible. The extended forecast doesn't look that good, hope they're wrong! Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Plenty of sun and warmth, now comes the rain. Good start on first cut hay, seems like yields are lower than hoped for. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Peas looking good, starting to bud. Summer squash germination good. Green beans looking good, too, for this time of year. Asparagus cutting steady. 1.02 inches of rain. Small vegetable crops slow but beginning to grow. Radishes ready by weekend. Rhubarb doing great. All and all, market garden begins to show promise. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext), Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), or other knowledgeable individuals. MAY 2002 CROP WEATHER SUMMARY: Cool, damp weather conditions prevailed during the month of May, placing planting schedules behind normal, causing delayed bloom on fruit crops and slowing germination. As of mid-May, planting progress for most crops was behind last year and normal. The cool conditions forced growers to irrigate and protect from frost at many locations. Above average precipitation during May gave some relief to low soil moisture levels from drought conditions beginning last summer. This season's hay crop has a good chance of producing above average yields, if the saying, 'A cold, wet May means a barn full of hay,' holds true. Potato planting progress was at, or ahead, of the five-year average as of May 28 in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, while Maine's progress trailed normal by ten percent. The potato crop was rated as good or better by month's end in all states. Growers were active planting field corn and sweet corn during the month, and progress had passed the halfway mark for both by the end of May. Shade tobacco transplanting was 20 percent complete as of May 28, and broadleaf growers had just begun to set out seedlings near month's end. A number of hard frosts that hit throughout the month caused localized damage to fruit crops, particularly peaches and pears. Below average temperatures during May were not conducive to good pollination. Cranberry plants remained in bud stage by month's end, and growers kept continually on the alert for frost. Maine's wild blueberry crop development was slightly behind schedule as of late May, due to delayed bloom. Contact Information To receive this report every Monday evening, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statisticians: Emily McAllister, Robin Helrich Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt Deputy: David Luckenbach New England Agricultural Statistics Service National Agricultural Statistics Service United States Department of Agriculture Aubrey R. Davis, Director 22 Bridge St, 3rd Floor PO Box 1444 Concord, NH 03302-1444 Phone: (603) 224-9639 Fax: (603) 225-1434 Internet: http://www.usda.gov/nass/ E-Mail: nass.nh@nass.usda.gov ****************** end of report ***********************