new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 06/16/02 Issue NH-CW2402 Volume 22, Number 8 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) June 17, 2002 - 4 pm Agricultural Summary FIELD ACTIVITIES HINDERED BY WET CONDITIONS For the week ending June 16, 2002, there were 3.3 days suitable for field work across New England. Pasture condition was rated as 0% very poor, 1% poor, 13% fair, 64% good, 22% excellent. Cool, wet weather continued in the six-state region, hindering planting and harvesting activities. Crop growth has slowed and fruit bloom has been extended due to the below normal temperatures. Major farm activities included: planting field corn, vegetables, sweet corn and tobacco; finishing planting potatoes, oats and barley; harvesting strawberries and early vegetables; cutting dry hay and chopping haylage; thinning fruit; cultivating weeds; side dressing fields with fertilizer; applying fungicides, herbicides and insecticides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ---------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 0 4 9 Short 7 10 6 Adequate 49 68 71 Surplus 44 18 14 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 0 7 8 Short 17 22 7 Adequate 71 65 77 Surplus 12 6 8 ---------------------------------------------- Field Crops Report Less than optimum weather conditions have made baling dry hay difficult due to the wet weather, so most of the harvest has been for haylage. Maine farmers wrapped up the planting of potatoes, oats and barley last week, and the latter two crops are almost completely emerged. A few farmers in Massachusetts have yet to finish planting their potatoes; the task should be done next week if dry weather arrives. Rhode Island potatoes have all emerged. The rainy weather caused field corn planting to halt last week. Shade tobacco planting is now complete in Massachusetts and still progressing in Connecticut. Planting progress for both shade and broadleaf tobacco remains well behind last year and normal. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: The strawberry crop remains just under ten percent harvested; harvest has been delayed by wet weather, and some of the berries have started to rot in the field. Orchardists continued to apply thinning sprays last week and monitored for disease and pests. Maine wild blueberry bloom has been extended from the recent cool temperatures, and growers continue to treat for mummy berry disease. Massachusetts cranberry growers applied the first fungicides as the beds progressed into early bloom. VEGETABLES: Crop growth is slow throughout New England due to the prolonged cool, wet weather. The rainy conditions also caused the planting of some vegetable crops to be further delayed last week. When weather allowed, farmers planted sweet corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, peppers and other vegetables. Early sweet corn is tasseling and as of June 16, seventy percent of the crop had emerged. Farmers harvested asparagus, radish, lettuce and rhubarb last week. Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- Crop 2002 2001 5-yr Avg Condition -------------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Emerged -- Barley, ME 99 99 90 Fair/Good Oats, ME 95 99 90 Fair/Good Potatoes Maine 30 75 65 Excellent/Good Mass 85 99 95 Good Rhode Isl 100 95 95 Good/Excellent Silage Corn 70 90 80 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 70 75 70 Good/Fair -- Percent Planted -- Silage Corn 85 99 90 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 85 85 85 Good/Fair Tobacco Shade 85 99 100 Good Broadleaf 65 80 75 Good/Fair Dry Hay -- Percent Harvested -- First Cut 35 50 45 Good --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage Fruit Set Fruit Size Condition ---------------------------------------------------------- Apples PF Avg/B.Avg Avg/B.Avg Fair/Good Peaches PF Avg/B.Avg Avg/B.Avg Fair Pears PF B.Avg/Avg B.Avg/Avg Fair/Poor Blueberries Highbush PF Avg Avg/A.Avg Good/Fair Wild, ME PF/FB Avg -- Fair/Good Cranberries,MA Bud/EB Avg -- Good Strawberries PF Avg Avg/B.Avg Fair/Good ---------------------------------------------------------- * PF = Petal Fall, FB = Full Bloom, EB = Early Bloom Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, June 16, 2002 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 29 85 56 -6 0.10 3.67 NH 24 90 57 -6 0.66 5.65 VT 36 90 59 -4 0.68 5.34 MA 44 91 60 -5 0.50 2.02 RI 48 87 60 -5 0.00 0.61 CT 45 91 63 -3 0.55 1.93 ---------------------------------------------- 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 10, 2002 To: Sunday June 16, 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 46 79 57 -8 251 -158 29 -51 Allagash 29 71 53 -7 105 -105 19 +6 Augusta_ME 47 82 57 -7 310 -63 53 -12 Bangor 45 79 58 -6 262 -52 30 -14 Barnard 43 78 56 -5 211 -40 25 +0 Bath 45 79 56 -7 231 -77 32 -11 Bethel 45 78 56 -7 272 -57 41 -9 Brassua_Dam 40 72 54 -5 131 -49 5 -3 Brunswick_ME 46 80 57 -7 267 -41 39 -4 Caribou 37 70 55 -6 178 -67 21 -4 Corinna 46 81 58 -5 290 -22 51 +8 Danforth 33 74 54 -8 183 -88 19 -15 Dover-Foxcroft 42 72 54 -7 152 -99 6 -19 Durham 46 82 57 -8 279 -114 53 -22 East_Hiram 46 82 57 -6 309 -19 61 +12 Eustis 38 72 53 -6 150 -36 9 +2 Frenchville 39 67 54 -6 139 -71 20 +7 Gray 46 83 57 -5 328 +32 59 +26 Greenville_ME 43 72 54 -7 196 -67 27 -1 Guilford 42 75 55 -7 154 -97 5 -20 Hollis 46 83 57 -5 340 +51 72 +39 Houlton 31 71 54 -7 212 -38 29 +2 Kennebunkport 47 84 58 -8 258 -178 41 -46 Livermore_Falls 43 83 58 -4 270 +15 44 +17 Moosehead 37 74 54 -5 151 -29 8 +0 New_Sharon 46 79 59 -2 331 +76 64 +37 Patten 39 73 55 -5 145 -105 9 -18 Portage 40 72 56 -5 167 -78 19 -6 Portland_ME 48 83 58 -5 310 +14 46 +13 Rangeley 39 74 54 -5 145 -31 12 +7 Sebec_Lake 39 76 56 -5 206 -57 20 -8 Vanceboro 39 71 55 -7 179 -65 14 -8 Waterville 47 81 58 -7 269 -140 42 -38 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 46 80 59 -6 400 +0 85 +4 Benton 44 77 58 -5 319 -18 72 +22 Berlin_AG 44 77 55 -7 271 -46 42 -6 Bethlehem 42 77 55 -7 254 -82 44 -7 Concord 47 84 60 -5 486 +86 152 +71 Diamond_Pond 39 69 51 -7 137 -30 10 +8 First_Conn_Lake 39 70 51 -7 129 -38 9 +7 Greenville 40 86 58 -5 377 +14 79 +19 Keene_AP 46 90 60 -6 491 -7 147 +20 Lakeport 47 80 60 -4 434 +76 107 +42 Marlow 44 84 57 -8 329 -107 81 -14 Mt_Washington 24 52 40 -4 2 +2 0 +0 North_Conway 45 83 58 -6 361 -1 87 +22 Otter_Brook_Lk 46 89 60 -6 417 -81 111 -16 Plymouth 45 79 58 -4 317 +18 63 +22 Rochester 47 82 59 -7 435 -11 108 +8 Weare 44 80 59 -6 390 -46 92 -3 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 44 89 59 -3 385 +45 98 +43 Bethel 42 84 61 +0 408 +95 118 +69 Burlington_VT 47 82 61 -5 473 +13 143 +32 East_Haven 41 76 57 -3 258 +21 47 +19 Island_Pond 41 73 55 -5 258 +19 47 +18 Montpelier 45 77 58 -5 363 +32 92 +38 Morrisville_AG 40 78 57 -6 258 -58 44 -7 Mount_Mansfield 36 66 50 -4 134 +45 20 +20 Northfield 42 80 59 -2 357 +79 79 +41 Pownal 45 84 60 -2 387 +40 96 +37 Rochester 44 83 60 -2 334 +21 85 +36 Rutland_AG 47 84 60 -6 388 -121 102 -33 Sunderland 46 87 61 -4 359 -122 89 -27 Sutton 45 75 56 -4 263 +26 47 +19 Townshend_Lake 45 90 60 -5 435 +0 118 +19 Union_Vill_Dam 46 82 60 -6 375 -74 101 -3 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 47 86 60 -4 448 +105 116 +61 Boston 50 89 62 -6 618 +70 189 +56 Greenfield 44 91 62 -5 526 -19 147 +5 New_Bedford 47 79 60 -7 545 +6 129 +5 Otis_AFB 48 75 59 -5 460 +96 88 +29 Plymouth 48 82 60 -5 492 +95 125 +50 Walpole 48 89 60 -5 545 +96 164 +68 West_Medway 48 89 61 -4 568 +119 172 +76 Westover 48 91 63 -7 644 -17 224 +28 Worcester 45 85 58 -7 470 +69 128 +54 Worthington 45 86 60 -3 398 +50 106 +49 RHODE ISLAND Providence 50 86 62 -5 603 +104 173 +58 Woonsocket 48 87 60 -5 548 +106 165 +81 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 48 88 62 -6 509 -121 153 -34 Bridgeport 54 84 66 -2 646 +84 193 +41 Hartford_AP 50 91 64 -5 695 +72 247 +63 Norfolk 45 85 62 -1 486 +143 138 +84 Norwich 50 87 62 -4 588 +34 178 +36 Thomaston_Dam 50 91 65 +2 587 +126 189 +89 Willimantic 49 86 62 -3 587 +121 187 +87 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.93 +1.09 5 3.30 -0.06 12 Allagash 0.10 -0.60 2 1.09 -1.74 9 Augusta_ME 2.52 +1.75 5 3.62 +0.39 11 Bangor 1.54 +0.77 4 3.05 -0.08 11 Barnard 1.51 +0.62 5 2.61 -0.79 12 Bath 3.08 +2.21 5 4.59 +1.20 13 Bethel 3.67 +2.70 4 4.99 +1.40 10 Brassua_Dam 1.16 +0.25 3 3.64 +0.23 10 Brunswick_ME 3.57 +2.70 6 5.31 +1.92 13 Caribou 0.31 -0.32 3 1.74 -0.93 16 Corinna 1.67 +0.83 4 2.80 -0.52 10 Danforth 1.75 +0.91 4 3.11 -0.26 10 Dover-Foxcroft 1.15 +0.26 5 1.75 -1.65 12 Durham 3.30 +2.41 5 4.47 +1.10 11 East_Hiram 2.46 +1.55 5 3.91 +0.41 11 Eustis 2.05 +1.28 4 3.90 +0.82 12 Frenchville 0.37 -0.33 3 2.39 -0.44 15 Gray 2.75 +1.91 4 4.12 +0.92 10 Greenville_ME 1.26 +0.37 5 2.90 -0.50 16 Guilford 1.87 +0.98 5 3.14 -0.26 15 Hollis 2.04 +1.15 5 3.87 +0.45 12 Houlton 1.06 +0.29 4 2.59 -0.49 14 Kennebunkport 2.56 +1.71 4 5.60 +2.14 14 Livermore_Falls 2.52 +1.54 4 4.10 +0.39 11 Moosehead 1.11 +0.20 3 2.94 -0.47 11 New_Sharon 1.96 +0.98 3 3.73 +0.02 11 Patten 1.23 +0.46 5 2.69 -0.39 13 Portage 0.61 -0.02 3 1.93 -0.74 14 Portland_ME 2.17 +1.33 4 4.31 +1.11 11 Rangeley 2.09 +1.20 4 4.51 +1.19 13 Sebec_Lake 1.84 +0.95 5 3.07 -0.33 13 Vanceboro 1.31 +0.56 5 2.59 -0.50 12 Waterville 1.92 +1.08 6 3.24 -0.12 13 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 1.98 +1.21 4 4.51 +1.59 15 Benton 2.62 +1.71 4 4.20 +0.75 17 Berlin_AG 5.65 +4.67 4 7.51 +3.86 13 Bethlehem 3.05 +2.10 5 5.31 +1.84 17 Concord 1.54 +0.77 5 3.84 +0.92 15 Diamond_Pond 2.62 +1.54 4 7.66 +3.60 15 First_Conn_Lake 2.11 +1.03 5 5.39 +1.33 16 Greenville 1.44 +0.54 4 4.32 +0.80 11 Keene_AP 0.66 -0.18 5 3.34 -0.09 15 Lakeport 1.18 +0.34 4 3.17 -0.19 10 Marlow 0.70 -0.16 4 3.51 -0.08 15 Mt_Washington 4.90 +3.01 5 9.81 +2.66 19 North_Conway 3.06 +2.09 5 4.38 +0.67 13 Otter_Brook_Lk 1.72 +0.88 4 5.55 +2.12 15 Plymouth 1.33 +0.49 4 2.18 -1.31 11 Rochester 2.66 +1.82 5 5.27 +1.91 14 Weare 1.74 +0.88 4 5.25 +1.66 13 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 2.80 +1.72 5 6.69 +2.42 13 Bethel 2.31 +1.41 4 3.46 -0.29 10 Burlington_VT 3.08 +2.27 5 5.12 +2.08 12 East_Haven 4.65 +3.66 4 7.91 +4.16 15 Island_Pond 4.54 +3.54 4 8.26 +4.45 17 Montpelier 3.59 +2.75 5 5.24 +1.98 15 Morrisville_AG 3.97 +3.03 5 5.56 +1.98 14 Mount_Mansfield 5.34 +3.77 5 9.09 +3.33 16 Northfield 2.73 +2.00 3 3.49 +0.43 9 Pownal 0.68 -0.40 5 7.38 +3.11 17 Rochester 2.88 +1.98 4 4.66 +0.91 12 Rutland_AG 1.78 +0.94 4 4.32 +1.00 11 Sunderland 1.87 +1.10 5 7.37 +4.08 17 Sutton 4.76 +3.77 5 7.98 +4.23 15 Townshend_Lake 2.00 +1.25 4 4.61 +1.55 13 Union_Vill_Dam 1.20 +0.43 3 2.53 -0.64 15 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 1.05 +0.21 3 3.95 +0.62 12 Boston 1.18 +0.44 4 3.86 +0.96 11 Greenfield 0.63 -0.28 5 4.96 +1.32 18 New_Bedford 0.66 -0.20 3 4.60 +1.22 10 Otis_AFB 0.97 +0.20 3 4.10 +0.93 10 Plymouth 0.88 +0.05 3 4.17 +0.80 11 Walpole 0.75 -0.15 4 4.25 +0.95 13 West_Medway 0.79 -0.11 3 4.02 +0.72 10 Westover 0.50 -0.48 4 3.31 -0.57 15 Worcester 0.56 -0.35 4 4.40 +0.64 15 Worthington 0.90 -0.01 3 5.63 +1.78 16 RHODE ISLAND Providence 0.56 -0.21 3 3.28 +0.07 11 Woonsocket 0.61 -0.37 3 3.91 +0.18 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 1.35 +0.44 4 7.11 +3.45 12 Bridgeport 1.24 +0.47 4 4.19 +0.89 11 Hartford_AP 1.93 +1.02 3 6.17 +2.51 13 Norfolk 1.37 +0.25 3 5.64 +1.33 12 Norwich 0.55 -0.22 3 3.49 +0.06 8 Thomaston_Dam 0.69 -0.29 4 4.81 +0.89 13 Willimantic 1.20 +0.36 3 4.08 +0.53 12 Summary based on NWS data. DFN = Departure From Normal (Using 1961-90 Normals Period). Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precip of 0.01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright 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 was a very rainy week. Many fields are too wet to work. Hail fell in some areas of the county on Friday and Saturday. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Early in the week hay and green rye straw were baled. Planting of tobacco continued. Mid-week rains put a halt to all field work as several towns received two inches of rain. DEP called off the drought advisory on Monday. It appears as though a lot of sweet corn will be maturing at the same time in July as the cool soil temperatures. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Weather continues to be cold and wet. Strawberries delayed with picking conditions poor. Asparagus cutting is winding down. Farmers markets have begun with early vegetables. Corn is pale green and motionless, awaiting needed sunshine and heat. Weed control is poor, spray rigs can't get into the slick fields. Over mature hay also awaits dry weather to be harvested; demand for dry hay is good, but difficult to provide at present. Nancy Welsh/Karen Lockman (FSA), New Haven: Producers discouraged with excess rain. Rotting lettuce and disease on plants in field. Not good haying weather. Corn looks good. Filling in the fields. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Angry hay farmers are cursing the sun when it is supposed to be raining, and cursing the rain that keeps appearing. It's tough to call the time to mow. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Nitrate testing and spreading urea on corn. Trying to cut hay/haylage, but multiple days of rain hampering hay harvest. MAINE - Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Farmers are finishing up planting of grains and potatoes. The weather has been cold and wet. Emergence has been slow. Some herbicides are being applied. Some cultivation being done. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: Potato crop looks good, but is growing slow due to cool temperatures. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Farmers have been harvesting green chop. Some seed potatoes that were to be hand planted haven't been yet. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Cool, wet weather has delayed crop growth. Most of the grass harvest has been for haylage since on-and-off rain has made dry hay harvesting too difficult. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Wet, cold weather continues to slow crop progress and hay harvest. Fields are now extremely wet with standing water in some corn fields. Very few armyworm moths captured in monitoring traps. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Too wet to do much farming this past week. Crop harvest predicted to be later than normal due to lack of degree days. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild Blueberries: Primary blight symptoms of mummy berry disease wide-spread, secondary infection occurring. Cool temperatures are extending bloom. A very uneven ripening in the crop is expected. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: A damp week. Cool weather persists. Need sunshine and heat for crops. Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: Hay crop is looking good if you can find the weather to harvest. It is still very cold and rainy. Planting is mostly done and rhubarb, asparagus, and some greens are being harvested. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Cattle are smiling as they stand deep in belly high hay! We need sun to harvest hay and have some fun. It is so cool that the black flies and mosquitoes have disappeared. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Farmers have been busy between the rain drops! Wet weather has prevailed during the week, however, crop activities continue. Potatoes are being cultivated and look good at this point. Corn silage and sweet corn are in the ground and have emerged. First crop hay looks to be abundant, if only producers can get it harvested. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Some hay was made Monday and Tuesday this week. Wet weather the rest of the week. Tough getting haying equipment ready in the rain. Still have corn to be planted yet. Not good for some chemicals being used in the rain. Another wet week, over three inches of rain. Strawberry crop rotting on the vine, too wet to pick. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Cool, wet weather continues. Vegetable growers have slowed their planting until it warms up. Hay growers are struggling to make first cutting between showers. Cranberry growers continue to apply first fungicide as bogs head into bloom, cool damp weather will reduce keeping quality of fresh cranberries. Shellfish growers are harvesting and reporting excellent growth and stable market. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: Herbicide - planted more corn. Fungicide applied for more tender crops, fungus control, cucumbers, squash, raspberries. Reapplied nitrogen to corn - it was looking a little pale. Appearance of fruits and vegetables look ok just now, as far as disease, insect problems, rate of growth and weather effects. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Early Black and Ben Lear beds will explode with blossoms this week; Stevens and Howes already have some open blooms, too. Bees began arriving at the end of last week. Ample rainfall has occurred on a regular basis. Cranberry weevil resistance to Lorsban has expanded its geographic area. Very high counts of black-headed fireworm continue to be reported. First fruit rot fungicides have been applied in many early varieties, although the weather has been far from cooperative. Due to the cool weather, we are almost back on a "normal" phenological schedule. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Another week of lousy weather has put field work farther behind. Hay crop quality is deteriorating due to over maturity. Fruit crop is smaller than normal. Pick-your-own strawberry operations not doing well. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Heavy rains and cool temperatures have slowed plant growth on most crops in the Valley. These conditions have also caused Phytophthora problems in onions and armyworm problems in forage crops. Potatoes are the only crop that are doing well in these conditions. Some of the early fields were starting to flower this week. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Cloudy, rainy and a very cool week. Overall, crops look good but need lots of heat and sunshine. Started harvesting lettuce and strawberries. Early potatoes are being hilled up and early sweet corn starting to tassel. Planting of all summer crops in full swing. Gary Guida, Worcester: Still plowing and planting sweet corn. Plant sales at farm stands strong this weekend despite miserable weather. Last of summer crops transplanted and beginning of fall transplants has started. About two weeks behind now in field work. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: A wet, cold week hampering most farm activities. Very heavy rain in mid-week. Three plus inches results in flooding of low lying corn and meadowlands along the Connecticut River and other waterways. Some newly planted and early stage corn under water for two or more days. Difficult weather has put season behind. Concerns for survival of flooded corn. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Showers and rain have hampered haying. Heavy rains in the north caused flooding along the Connecticut River. Much of the river bottom under water for several days. Finally going down over the weekend. Corn is growing, but slowly due to wet, cool weather. Early planted corn looks best. Regrowth on grass and alfalfa is good to excellent. Cool weather has pushed grass regrowth. New seedings are coming along, but slowly. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit: Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and applying sprays for pest control. Apple scab is seen in some orchards. They are harvesting strawberry fruit this week with rainy weather dampening customers at pick-your-own operations. Field Crops: Between rain showers, farmers are continuing trying to make haylage and baled hay, also trying to finish planting and weed spraying corn fields. Vegetables: Continuing successive plantings and finishing transplanting peppers. Growers continued harvesting early season vegetables such as lettuce and radishes. Asparagus harvest winding down. Growers busy side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating weeds, scouting for pests and spraying if needed. The year of the insect pest: Asparagus beetle, cabbage maggot, Colorado potato beetle, cut worms, cucumber beetle, four-lined plant bug, flea beetle, and tortoise beetle have all been seen. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Farmers are still planting muddy fields. Orchardists are spraying between showers. Some strawberries were harvested. Garden center sales affected by bad weather. Haylage being made. Mowing between rows of tree fruits and small fruits. Spraying for black cutworm in sweet corn. Crops are growing slowly due to cold wet soils. Botrytis showing up in tunnel tomatoes. Tomato yields expected to be less than normal this year due to loss of lower clusters. The rain has benefitted high bush blueberries with large sized berries and shoots. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: The temperatures were still below average for this time of the year. Most vegetable produces were busy transplanting field vegetable crops. Most growers were using slitted row covers and reemay to protect the plants from cold nights. Fruit growers were busy with fruit thinning. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: A rainy, damp week led to some ruined hay and delay in field work. Hilling potatoes, cultivating, planting field and still some sweet corn, also pumpkins and hard squash being planted. Lots of fungicides being applied. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Cranberries are about 15% in bloom - about two weeks behind schedule. Rain has been welcomed and has nearly brought us back to normal precipitation for this time of year, though periodically slows planting and makes drying hay difficult. Still, word about dry soils down deep are a concern. Lakes and ponds are mostly all at normal levels. Farmers are wrapping up plantings, trying to make hay, and starting strawberry harvest. VERMONT - John St. Onge (FSA), Lamoille: Just when crop conditions were starting to perk up, Mother Nature decided we needed a big dose of rain. Flooding occurred in all the usual places and grass fields were ruined. The jury is still out on exactly how much corn may need to be replanted. Lack of post event drying weather and weekend showers have only made conditions worse. Last week's wet conditions will give weeds the upper hand everywhere. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: A very wet week in Orleans county. The county received 4.5 inches of rain on Wednesday which caused widespread flooding. Many acres of hay and corn were destroyed by this flood. Some landowners have been able to start the cleanup process; however, many fields still have standing water in them. A lot of fields have debris and silt deposits from the flooding. Lynette Hamilton (FSA), Windham: STOP the rain and turn up the heat! We have had enough rain, the fields are too wet to harvest crops. The strawberries are spoiling on the plants, too wet to pick. We need warmer and dryer weather. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Some hay harvest, some chopping for first cut haylage. Spraying corn that is already planted; little corn planting, fields too wet. Little manure spreading. Some insect reports. Richard Noel, Grand Isle/Franklin: Will it ever stop raining? Franklin/Grand Isle looks pretty soggy. The area looks like a soggy dog shortly after a bath. The lake level is higher than it was in April. Corn is not growing, at least 25% isn't even planted, and hay isn't being harvested because of the bad weather. Many farmers are beginning to wonder what they are going to have for crops? Quality is slowly going downhill. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Rain. Four to seven inches. Some destructive flooding along Passumpsic and Connecticut Rivers. Dozens of homes and businesses damaged. Some mown first cut hay swept away, some that was standing has flood debris. Corn was up two to four inches, most appears OK - will have to see what some sunshine does, it was under water less than 24 hours. Some corn fields with gullies from the force of the water. Localized damage along these rivers. Have not heard of damage to upland fields. Crop work at a standstill. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Soil heavy in some fields, but still workable. Started cultivating small vegetable crops. Asparagus still cutting good. Surplus rhubarb. 2.01 inches of rainfall; plenty of rain at present time. Peas in blossom, early peas starting to pod. Last week's showers made big improvements on all vegetable crops. Radishes, scallions, asparagus, rhubarb in the market. Early green beans looking good. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext), Farm Service Agency(FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), or other knowledgeable individuals. Contact Information To receive this report every Monday evening, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statisticians: 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 ***********************