new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date For week ending 05/06/01 Issue NH-CW1801 Volume 21, Number 1 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) May 7, 2001 - 4 pm New England Agricultural Statistics Service - - - a field office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service United States Department of Agriculture Aubrey R. Davis, Director Phone: (603) 224-9639 22 Bridge St, 3rd Floor Fax: (603) 225-1434 PO Box 1444 Internet: http://www.usda.gov/nass/ Concord, NH 03302-1444 E-Mail: nass.nh@nass.usda.gov To align columns in the following tables, use a non-proportional or fixed font. Use a smaller font to prevent rows from wrapping to a second line. Heat Wave Dries out Wet Fields Agricultural Summary For the week ending May 6, 2001, there were 6.8 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 21% very short, 38% short, 38% adequate, 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 16% very short, 16% short, 66% adequate, 2% surplus. Pasture condition was rated as 11% very poor, 12% poor, 51% fair, 25% good, 1% excellent. Major farm activities included: planting field corn, sweet corn, and potatoes; spreading manure, prepping seed beds for planting, applying fertilizer, plowing, fixing fences, and setting up irrigation systems. FIELD CROPS: Record-breaking temperatures in some areas have dried up wet fields and crops are being planted at a fast pace. Drought is a concern in some areas and farmers are irrigating where necessary to keep down dust. Warm weather has permitted operators to plant field corn and potatoes, spread manure, apply fertilizer and fix fences. Planting of potatoes in Rhode Island was above last year but behind the 5-year average. Potato planting in Massachusetts was behind both last year and the 5-year average. Alfalfa is looking good after a well-protected winter. Some animals have been put onto pastures. VEGETABLES: Planting of broccoli, sweet corn, peas, lettuce and cabbage has begun. Plastic sweet corn has germinated. Tomatoes are being transplanted into high tunnels. High temperatures have affected early planting and harvest schedules. FRUIT: Apples were in the bud to early bloom stage. Orchards are putting their first sprays on trees. Strawberries are starting to grow and irrigating has started on established beds. Fungicide application for mummy berry disease in blueberries has begun in some areas of the region. Cranberry vines look good; early varieties are green and later varieties starting to take on color. Pollination going well due to the abundant number of bees for this time of the year. FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------------------- --Percent Planted-- 2001 Crop 2001 2000 5yr-Avg Condition --------------------------------------------------------- Potatoes Maine 5 <5 5 Mass 40 55 50 Rhode Isl 35 30 45 Oats, ME 5 10 15 Silage Corn 10 45 10 Good/Excellent Barley, Me 5 15 15 Sweet Corn 25 15 15 Good Dry Hay First Cut Fair/Good ------------------------------------------------------ FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- Fruit 2001 Crop Stage Set Condition -------------------------------------------------------- Apples Bud/Early Bloom -- Fair/Good Peaches Early Bloom -- Fair/Good Pears Bud/Early Bloom -- Good/Fair Strawberries Bud Stage -- Fair/Good Cranberries,MA Bud Stage -- Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush Bud/Early Bloom -- Fair/Good Wild,ME Bud Stage -- Good -------------------------------------------------------- Weather Information Table STATE WEATHER SUMMARY For the Week Ending Sunday, May 6, 2001 ------------------------------------------ AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ----- --- --- --- --- ----- ------ ME 22 93 56 +10 0.00 0.32 NH 19 96 58 +10 0.00 0.98 VT 22 91 57 +9 0.00 0.09 MA 23 94 63 +12 0.00 0.06 RI 33 95 64 +13 0.00 0.01 CT 29 93 64 +12 0.00 0.01 ------------------------------------------ Prepared by AWIS, Inc. AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 25 92 58 +8 86 +55 26 +26 Allagash 22 84 51 +7 36 +31 7 +7 Augusta_ME 39 91 63 +14 120 +94 47 +47 Bangor 35 91 60 +12 96 +80 37 +37 Barnard 31 88 56 +10 68 +58 19 +19 Bath 25 89 58 +9 88 +74 28 +28 Bethel 27 87 57 +9 90 +73 25 +25 Brassua_Dam 23 82 51 +9 43 +41 6 +6 Brunswick_ME 32 89 60 +11 100 +86 36 +36 Caribou 30 87 55 +10 58 +48 17 +17 Corinna 32 93 58 +10 92 +76 28 +28 Danforth 28 88 54 +9 59 +50 15 +15 Dover-Foxcroft 29 87 56 +10 59 +49 14 +14 Durham 29 93 59 +9 96 +70 33 +33 East_Hiram 26 90 58 +10 86 +69 28 +28 Eustis 27 83 52 +9 46 +42 6 +6 Frenchville 30 85 53 +9 42 +37 12 +12 Gray 40 91 63 +15 125 +111 51 +51 Greenville_ME 32 84 53 +7 56 +42 11 +11 Guilford 27 86 55 +9 63 +53 16 +16 Hollis 29 92 60 +12 99 +86 37 +37 Houlton 25 89 55 +10 65 +55 21 +21 Kennebunkport 30 91 60 +9 105 +72 42 +42 Livermore_Falls 25 91 58 +12 91 +81 31 +31 Moosehead 26 88 53 +10 48 +46 8 +8 New_Sharon 30 92 60 +14 107 +97 39 +39 Patten 25 85 53 +8 48 +38 14 +14 Portage 29 85 55 +10 57 +47 19 +19 Portland_ME 33 92 61 +13 115 +101 42 +42 Rangeley 25 85 51 +8 40 +36 3 +3 Sebec_Lake 23 90 55 +9 69 +55 22 +22 Vanceboro 29 85 54 +9 55 +47 16 +16 Waterville 32 92 58 +8 82 +51 22 +22 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 30 96 61 +12 121 +88 46 +46 Benton 29 85 58 +10 94 +63 28 +28 Berlin_AG 30 87 57 +10 83 +60 23 +23 Bethlehem 26 86 56 +8 74 +45 19 +19 Concord 27 91 60 +11 142 +109 54 +54 Diamond_Pond 28 86 55 +13 57 +51 17 +17 First_Conn_Lake 22 82 50 +8 40 +34 1 +1 Greenville 30 92 60 +11 113 +82 39 +39 Keene_AP 27 90 60 +8 134 +81 48 +45 Lakeport 32 90 60 +12 110 +85 34 +34 Marlow 22 89 57 +6 83 +43 22 +22 Mt_Washington 19 58 39 +11 2 +2 0 +0 North_Conway 28 91 61 +13 118 +93 46 +46 Otter_Brook_Lk 29 88 59 +8 110 +57 33 +30 Plymouth 27 90 58 +10 97 +81 28 +28 Rochester 26 95 63 +12 144 +103 67 +67 Weare 31 90 61 +10 119 +79 44 +44 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 22 88 55 +7 68 +39 13 +13 Bethel 25 91 58 +10 88 +64 25 +25 Burlington_VT 32 89 62 +11 142 +94 55 +52 East_Haven 26 87 55 +10 65 +54 11 +11 Island_Pond 28 84 54 +9 61 +46 12 +12 Montpelier 28 85 58 +10 98 +69 31 +31 Morrisville_AG 25 85 55 +7 62 +38 15 +15 Mount_Mansfield 29 70 53 +14 42 +42 4 +4 Northfield 27 87 57 +10 83 +63 21 +21 Pownal 30 87 61 +13 129 +96 47 +47 Rochester 25 89 57 +10 81 +57 19 +19 Rutland_AG 27 87 58 +7 102 +38 29 +22 Sunderland 22 86 57 +5 92 +27 22 +18 Sutton 27 84 56 +11 65 +54 19 +19 Townshend_Lake 28 90 59 +8 100 +57 28 +28 Union_Vill_Dam 27 90 57 +7 92 +48 23 +23 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 30 89 62 +13 141 +117 54 +54 Boston 44 92 68 +15 203 +136 86 +86 Greenfield 23 92 62 +9 145 +80 51 +50 New_Bedford 34 91 64 +11 145 +75 45 +45 Otis_AFB 37 90 62 +12 118 +92 41 +41 Plymouth 30 90 62 +12 136 +107 41 +41 Walpole 34 94 66 +14 188 +143 80 +80 West_Medway 31 94 65 +14 180 +135 75 +75 Westover 30 91 65 +10 204 +97 80 +73 Worcester 42 87 66 +15 178 +143 71 +71 Worthington 30 87 61 +12 125 +95 44 +44 RHODE ISLAND Providence 37 92 67 +14 190 +135 72 +72 Woonsocket 33 95 66 +15 178 +137 73 +73 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 29 93 63 +9 157 +60 64 +57 Bridgeport 39 86 65 +12 188 +114 57 +54 Hartford_AP 32 93 66 +11 219 +130 85 +78 Norfolk 35 87 62 +13 151 +125 60 +60 Norwich 35 93 65 +12 186 +109 63 +59 Thomaston_Dam 30 91 62 +11 157 +104 58 +58 Willimantic 32 93 66 +14 204 +154 75 +75 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.11 -0.70 1 1.01 -2.25 4 Allagash 0.00 -0.69 0 1.19 -1.31 5 Augusta_ME 0.10 -0.81 2 1.01 -2.55 6 Bangor 0.17 -0.62 4 0.80 -2.31 8 Barnard 0.11 -0.73 2 0.80 -2.56 6 Bath 0.19 -0.68 2 1.33 -2.42 7 Bethel 0.00 -0.84 0 1.01 -2.35 3 Brassua_Dam 0.12 -0.63 2 0.51 -2.43 6 Brunswick_ME 0.22 -0.65 1 1.72 -2.03 7 Caribou 0.01 -0.65 1 0.74 -1.64 6 Corinna 0.10 -0.74 1 0.82 -2.54 5 Danforth 0.32 -0.52 2 1.16 -2.02 7 Dover-Foxcroft 0.05 -0.79 2 0.50 -2.86 5 Durham 0.10 -0.76 2 1.19 -2.48 6 East_Hiram 0.18 -0.73 3 1.37 -2.29 7 Eustis 0.05 -0.66 1 0.61 -2.26 5 Frenchville 0.01 -0.68 1 0.98 -1.52 6 Gray 0.14 -0.75 1 1.14 -2.64 4 Greenville_ME 0.16 -0.68 2 0.47 -2.89 8 Guilford 0.22 -0.62 2 0.97 -2.39 6 Hollis 0.06 -0.86 1 1.10 -2.78 5 Houlton 0.03 -0.67 1 0.76 -1.80 6 Kennebunkport 0.27 -0.64 2 1.31 -2.53 7 Livermore_Fall 0.05 -0.81 1 0.80 -2.79 5 Moosehead 0.10 -0.65 2 0.41 -2.53 6 New_Sharon 0.00 -0.86 0 0.64 -2.95 3 Patten 0.02 -0.68 1 0.48 -2.08 5 Portage 0.05 -0.61 1 0.96 -1.42 6 Portland_ME 0.10 -0.79 1 1.15 -2.63 7 Rangeley 0.02 -0.62 1 0.64 -1.77 6 Sebec_Lake 0.31 -0.53 2 1.03 -2.33 5 Vanceboro 0.12 -0.72 1 1.44 -1.92 6 Waterville 0.12 -0.69 1 0.90 -2.36 3 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.22 -0.48 2 0.81 -1.98 4 Benton 0.04 -0.66 1 0.61 -2.06 5 Berlin_AG 0.02 -0.76 1 0.50 -2.71 4 Bethlehem 0.01 -0.69 1 0.56 -2.24 6 Concord 0.07 -0.63 1 0.73 -2.06 6 Diamond_Pond 0.04 -0.76 1 0.88 -2.10 6 First_Conn_Lak 0.10 -0.70 2 0.87 -2.11 7 Greenville 0.00 -0.84 0 0.74 -2.62 4 Keene_AP 0.98 +0.15 1 1.00 -2.07 3 Lakeport 0.05 -0.73 1 0.70 -2.41 5 Marlow 0.00 -0.91 0 0.48 -3.13 5 Mt_Washington 0.00 -1.72 0 1.70 -5.70 6 North_Conway 0.03 -0.88 1 0.73 -3.12 5 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.09 -0.74 2 0.75 -2.32 8 Plymouth 0.00 -0.85 0 1.20 -2.03 3 Rochester 0.35 -0.60 2 1.42 -2.53 7 Weare 0.02 -0.89 1 0.72 -2.89 6 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.00 -1.05 0 0.39 -3.73 4 Bethel 0.04 -0.94 2 0.64 -3.00 6 Burlington_VT 0.02 -0.66 1 0.45 -2.19 4 East_Haven 0.00 -0.74 0 0.75 -2.06 5 Island_Pond 0.03 -0.70 1 0.46 -2.21 5 Montpelier 0.01 -0.64 1 0.53 -1.85 7 Morrisville_AG 0.00 -0.77 0 0.55 -2.53 6 Mount_Mansfiel 0.00 -1.25 0 1.04 -4.14 5 Northfield 0.00 -0.77 0 0.76 -2.05 4 Pownal 0.00 -1.05 0 0.32 -3.80 5 Rochester 0.05 -0.93 1 0.65 -2.99 5 Rutland_AG 0.08 -0.64 1 0.43 -2.21 5 Sunderland 0.02 -0.75 1 0.35 -2.45 5 Sutton 0.00 -0.74 0 0.71 -2.10 5 Townshend_Lake 0.00 -0.79 0 1.27 -1.83 4 Union_Vill_Dam 0.08 -0.69 2 0.89 -1.93 6 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.06 -0.72 1 0.97 -2.20 6 Boston 0.01 -0.77 1 0.44 -2.86 8 Greenfield 0.00 -0.87 0 0.82 -2.63 5 New_Bedford 0.01 -0.85 1 1.39 -2.34 7 Otis_AFB 0.01 -0.88 1 1.41 -2.21 9 Plymouth 0.00 -0.97 0 1.65 -2.29 8 Walpole 0.00 -0.86 0 0.74 -3.09 6 West_Medway 0.00 -0.86 0 0.95 -2.88 5 Westover 0.01 -0.90 1 0.71 -2.93 7 Worcester 0.00 -0.98 0 0.45 -3.26 5 Worthington 0.00 -1.05 0 0.88 -3.05 6 RHODE ISLAND Providence 0.00 -0.91 0 1.17 -2.61 8 Woonsocket 0.01 -0.96 1 1.27 -2.64 7 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.00 -0.91 0 0.95 -2.69 6 Bridgeport 0.00 -0.91 0 1.41 -2.16 6 Hartford_AP 0.01 -0.90 1 0.57 -3.07 7 Norfolk 0.00 -1.05 0 0.84 -3.36 6 Norwich 0.00 -1.06 0 1.17 -3.09 7 Thomaston_Dam 0.00 -1.05 0 0.82 -3.22 6 Willimantic 0.00 -0.98 0 0.69 -3.23 6 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 2001: 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. CONNECTICUT - Howard Rood (FSA), Fairfield/Litchfield: Fields are drying out after a cool, late, spring. Planting of field corn is about two weeks behind last year. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Sweet corn and field corn planting has begun. Orchards are putting first sprays on trees. Hay and pasture development is delayed due to lack of rain. Tobacco seedlings in beds and green houses are looking very good. Bedding plants and flowers moving at farm stands. Richard Meinert (Ext), Litchfield: Crops are going in the ground at record pace. Grass is growing rapidly. No major problems reported by anyone. Karen Lockman ( FSA), New Haven: Unusual weather conditions resulted in a heat wave, with temperatures in the 90s for more than 3 consecutive days. Lack of rain has caused some problems and farmers are irrigating very dry soils. Early planted sweet corn and silage corn have emerged. Bedding plants are flowering and are ready to go. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: First year alfalfa looking good after a well protected winter. Plowed corn fields creating lots of dust for the neighborhoods, with no rain expected until Thursday. Dust seems to be the topic of the suburbanites, more than the manure odor. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Dry, Dry, Dry....third driest April in 100 years according to Connecticut News Station, farmers are spreading manure and harrowing with a lot of powder, temperatures in the 80's and 90's have brought on full blossoms in peaches with other fruits right behind. Bees have to get to work to pollinate while the flowers are on the trees, only for a short while if the heat continues. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Practically no field work as yet. Minimal tillage last couple of days. Next week field planting should begin. Erin Chadborne (Ext), Aroostook: Currently, potatoes, oats, barley, and broccoli are being planted. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Dry weather has allowed farmers to start tilling the fields that have good drainage. Some farmers have started turning out a few animals on pasture, but most pastures are just starting to green up. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Dry Conditions have allowed a lot of early field work. Lots of manure being spread. Some corn already planted. We need some significant rain. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Planting has begun. Some early corn has emerged. Burning continues on blueberry fields; unusually late due to the weather we had. We went from heavy snow cover to extremely dry conditions in record time! Fire danger is high! David Yarborough (UM), Washington: Fields being pruned by burning and mowing. Pre-emergence herbicide application being made to non-bearing fields. Fungicide applications being made for mummyberry disease. Strawberry root worm adults and early instar span worm larvae found in sweeps. Fields extremely dry. Development normal. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: The warm, dry weather has allowed many farmers to start spreading manure and preparing the land for planting. Some of the early crops are in the ground. It is very dry and we are in need of some moisture for all crops. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Field preparation has started with manure spreading. Strawberries are being irrigated. Maple sap production is down 50% or more. Despite record setting heat, there is still snow left in the woods and on roadsides in some areas. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Its been a long snowy winter! Oxford county has just started to receive weather to permit ground preparation. Seed beds are being tilled and prepped for planting. A few cold crops have been planted. Snow melt was slow and no rain in sight. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Planting corn, applying fertilizer. Overly dry. William Graham (FSA), Worcester: Plowing corn and vegetable areas and spreading manure on fields. So far, crops are looking normal for this time of year. Not too wet. Soil moisture high. Fields are workable. Still a bit early in the season. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Very low temperatures Sunday night into Monday morning. Running the sprinklers on a frost night is one way to irrigate, something growers have needed to do since it has not rained appreciably here since April 18. Quite a contrast from the record-breaking rainfall we had in March. Cranberry vines look good for the most part. Things advanced significantly last week with Wednesday through Friday in the low 90's. Early varieties are all greened up and later varieties are taking on color slowly but surely. I have never seen so many bumblebees at this time of the year; boding well for subsequent pollination. Of course, at this point the industry is waiting for word on whether there will be a marketing order to reduce the crop or not. Many more beds than usual are being held under a late water flood at the present time. This may be to compress the bloom into a shorter period in order to destroy the bloom with a June flood. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Record breaking high and low temperatures have affected early planting and harvest schedules. It's been a difficult week for any crops grown under plastic row covers. Frosty weather at the beginning of the week was followed by 90 degree heat. Asparagus is still in short supply. Farm tillage and manure spreading are ahead of schedule. Ted Smiarowski Jr (FSA), Hampshire: Preparing land for spring seeded crops, spreading manure, top-dressing hay fields, subsoiling and fixing fences. Planting corn, potatoes, peas, lettuce and cabbage. Harvesting fiddleheads and asparagus. It is dry and farmers are irrigating their early crops. Fruit trees are in bloom. Strawberry growers have lain remay over strawberry beds for earlier production. Nursery growers are very busy harvesting their stock for spring sales. Greenhouse growers have had a good growing season and sales are very good. Most of the week was very dry, warm and sunny. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Bruce Clement (Ext), Cheshire: Hot, dry weather for much of April and early May has helped to dry out fields but is raising concerns about drought. Crops have wintered well with the exception of rhododendrons. Manure and fertilizer spreading, seedings, plowing and harrowing, fence repair, fruit spraying and all other usual spring activities going on. Need rain! Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: After a long winter, summer came. Had rain on Friday. Spreading manure and fertilizer ongoing. Preparing seed beds. Some seeding being done. Early vegetables being planted. Pruning blueberry bushes. Need rain. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Liming and fertilizing hayfields. Spreading manure, plowing, disking, fertilizing and planting corn. Making new pasture and hayfield seedings. Vegetables: Transplanting tomatoes into high tunnels. Early season vegetables (peas, lettuce, greens) are being planted, along with sweet corn. Plastic sweet corn germinated. Fruits: Bloom is one week ahead. Apples were in full bloom in the Hollis area on Sunday. Peaches are at full fall. Strawberries starting to grow and irrigating established beds. Planting fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Fertilizing orchards. Protective fungicide sprays applied. Winter-kill seen on highbush blueberries and some apple trees. Weather: From snow-covered field, three to four weeks, ago to extremely dry condition for beginning of the growing season. Some growers have started to irrigate fruit crops and early season vegetables that have been planted. RHODE ISLAND - Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: We have already experienced record temperatures, up to 90 degrees in the past week. Top soils are very dry from breezy days and lack of rain. Market crops are being planted earlier than usual. The fruit tree bloom is magnificent. Sunny, warm days will hopefully bring us good pollination. Potato planting was underway as of last week. No rain in the extended weather forecast. It is much too dry for early May! VERMONT - John St. Onge (FSA), Lamoille: Recent weather has been great for fieldwork. Everyone busy spreading manure and commercial fertilizer, fixing fences, and getting ready to plant. Larry Hamel (NRCS), Orleans: We need rain. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Land preparation for planting corn, manure spreading, fertilizer spreading on hay fields. Some corn planted, some new seedings of hay crop. Warm dry weather for two weeks has dried out soil nicely. Pasture growth slow, little winter injury. Richard Noel (FSA), Franklin: Manure being spread all over, seedings being done; 25% of corn in the ground. Surface moisture is lacking, but subsurface moisture is good . Alfalfa came through the winter very well and grass is good, but needs a good rain right now or farmers are looking at a half a crop! Pastures are green, but are short. Grass starting to brown were ledge is close! Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Record temperatures (80's) melted the rest of the snow, except in the woods. Gentle warming before this week made for very minor flooding this spring after the record winter snow. Even after all of this melted snow, the ground is dry, allowing for a furious start to spring's work- fixing fences, spreading manure, seeding hay ground, and harrowing ground for corn. Sherwin Williams (Other), Rutland: Plowing under winter rye. Planting early sweet corn. Fertilizing. Soil dry on surface, but moist underneath need rain. George Cook (Ext), Lamoille: Dry weather for spring activities: manure spreading, top dressing with commercial fertilizer, plowing, harrowing, etc. Need rain. Bill Snow (Ext), Orange: We finally lost most of the patches of snow that were in shaded areas. The 80 degree temperatures did a lot to get rid of it fast. Despite the deep snow pack in April ground moisture is low because of no rainfall in several weeks. Saw the first grazing of cows this weekend. A lot of manure being spread, a lot of new seeding were also put in last week. Fencing may take longer then usual due to a lot of tree damage during the winter. Sounds like above normal temperatures and no rain for most of the week ahead. 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: Suzanne Adams, Robin Helrich 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 ***********************