State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 09/07/03 Issue NH-CW3603 Volume 23, Number 20 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) September 8, 2003 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary -- MIX OF SUN AND RAIN For the week ending September 7, 2003, there were 5.8 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 1% very short, 17% short, 76% adequate, 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 0% very short, 21% short, 77% adequate, 2% surplus. Pasture condition was rated as 4% very poor, 13% poor, 28% fair, 48% good, 7% excellent. A mix of sun and rain was generally beneficial to New England crops last week, though some areas reported too much rain and others reported too little. Cool, fall- like temperatures continued throughout the week, discouraging insect activity and disease. Major farm activities included: cutting haylage and making dry hay; harvesting broadleaf and shade tobacco, potatoes, small grains, apples, peaches, highbush blueberries and vegetables; completing Maine wild blueberry harvest; desiccating potato vines; spreading manure; irrigating; mowing; pruning; cultivating; monitoring fields; preparing harvest equipment; applying insecticides and fungicides; performing general farm maintenance. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ----------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 1 5 34 Short 17 16 38 Adequate 76 73 28 Surplus 6 6 0 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 0 5 39 Short 21 15 31 Adequate 77 77 30 Surplus 2 3 0 ----------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report -- Hay was harvested between showers last week; second cut progress was on schedule with the five-year average at 90 percent complete, while progress of the third crop harvest was slightly behind normal. The recent cool, moist weather slowed field corn development; harvest has yet to begin, when normally ten percent of the crop would have been harvested. Potato harvest in Maine continued for those harvesting early for direct shipping or processing. Others readied equipment and killed vines in preparation for harvest. Southern New England growers proceeded with potato harvest when weather allowed. Blue mold and brown spot continue to affect broadleaf tobacco crops. Broadleaf tobacco harvest was nearly complete in Massachusetts by week's end. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report -- FRUIT: Apples, peaches and pears were harvested last week, along with highbush blueberries and fall raspberries. Highbush blueberry harvest was completed in Maine and continued to wind down in other states. Maine growers also finished wild blueberry harvest last week, with an above average crop expected. White cranberry harvest began in Massachusetts; recent rain improved berry size and cool nights have started to color the berries. VEGETABLES: Growers harvested an array of vegetables, including beans, beets, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkins, radishes, squash, tomatoes and zucchini last week. Persistent rains and damp conditions have promoted rotting in some areas. Sweet corn harvest progress remained on schedule last week at 80 percent complete. Sales of late season vegetables and mums have begun at local markets. -- Crop Progress Tables -- FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ------------------------------------------------------- -- % Harvested -- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition ------------------------------------------------------- Barley, ME 60 75 75 Good/Fair Oats, ME 40 45 60 Good/Fair Potatoes Maine 5 15 10 Good/Excellent Mass 35 45 50 Good/Fair Rhode Isl 55 60 50 Good/Excellent Silage Corn -- 10 10 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 80 85 80 Good Tobacco Shade 90 99 95 Good/Fair Broadleaf 90 99 95 Fair/Good Dry Hay Second Cut 90 95 90 Good/Fair Third Cut 40 55 50 Good --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- -- % Harvested -- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition -------------------------------------------------------- Apples 20 25 20 Good/Fair Peaches 70 85 85 Good/Fair Pears 15 25 25 Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush 95 99 95 Good/Fair Wild, ME 100 100 99 Good Cranberries,MA -- -- -- Good -------------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary -- For the week ending Sunday, September 7, 2003 -------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 35 79 59 -2 0.00 1.86 NH 35 78 58 -3 0.15 2.41 VT 39 80 60 -1 0.13 2.43 MA 43 79 63 -3 0.56 2.93 RI 51 79 65 -3 2.11 3.20 CT 45 79 63 -4 0.29 3.68 -------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table -- Weather Summary For New England Agricultural Statistics Service Prepared By AWIS, Inc. For the Period: Monday September 1, 2003 To: Sunday September 7, 2003 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 38 75 59 -6 1703 -200 672 -79 Allagash 35 73 54 -4 1197 -58 379 +59 Augusta_State_A 46 76 62 -2 1924 +80 835 +123 Bangor_Intl_Arp 44 77 62 +1 1899 +215 820 +222 Barnard 43 74 58 -2 1568 +108 579 +135 Bath 40 79 60 -3 1704 -21 674 +37 Bethel 40 77 59 -3 1684 +17 653 +77 Brassua_Dam 42 71 57 -2 1376 +161 484 +178 Brunswick_ME 43 77 62 -2 1824 +99 766 +129 Caribou_Municip 40 72 58 +1 1524 +172 570 +196 Corinna 45 75 60 -1 1731 +130 688 +160 Danforth 35 78 58 -2 1606 +47 636 +118 Dover-Foxcroft 42 72 57 -3 1408 -52 489 +45 Durham 41 77 60 -6 1675 -282 707 -99 East_Hiram 40 73 57 -5 1637 -22 630 +60 Eustis 37 72 55 -2 1309 +130 438 +160 Frenchville 38 71 56 -1 1385 +130 476 +156 Gray 45 77 62 -2 1940 +240 850 +236 Greenville_ME 47 71 58 -2 1505 +34 545 +90 Guilford 41 79 56 -4 1343 -117 462 +18 Hollis 39 75 58 -3 1741 +150 697 +174 Houlton 40 74 58 +1 1602 +190 615 +196 Kennebunkport 46 75 61 -5 1684 -384 620 -265 Livermore_Falls 37 75 58 -1 1755 +320 736 +314 Moosehead 38 76 56 -2 1323 +108 441 +135 New_Sharon 45 77 60 +2 1757 +322 731 +309 Patten 40 75 58 -1 1507 +95 551 +132 Portage 42 73 58 +1 1560 +208 594 +220 Portland_ME 46 78 62 -1 1875 +175 790 +176 Rangeley 40 71 57 -2 1333 +189 446 +186 Sebec_Lake 41 75 58 -2 1560 +89 583 +128 Vanceboro 40 75 58 -3 1559 +73 584 +117 Waterville 42 77 61 -4 1807 -96 745 -6 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 47 74 60 -4 1917 +65 822 +110 Benton 43 71 59 -2 1638 +104 611 +146 Berlin_AG 39 75 59 -1 1689 +144 646 +158 Bethlehem 39 71 58 -2 1557 +24 559 +93 Concord 44 78 62 -2 2136 +284 990 +278 Diamond_Pond 38 69 55 -2 1197 +157 371 +167 First_Conn_Lake 37 71 55 -2 1245 +205 389 +185 Greenville 48 74 58 -4 1630 -46 642 +78 Keene_AP 48 73 61 -4 2055 -11 896 +28 Lakeport 45 76 62 +0 2090 +355 954 +326 Marlow 38 70 57 -7 1540 -336 573 -141 Mount_Washingto 35 53 44 +1 226 +165 6 +6 North_Conway 43 74 59 -3 1901 +176 817 +200 Otter_Brook_Lk 42 74 60 -5 1886 -180 779 -89 Plymouth 39 73 59 -1 1653 +133 629 +160 Rochester 45 77 59 -6 1914 -65 825 +16 Weare 46 74 59 -4 1891 +15 776 +62 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 41 73 58 -3 1707 +91 657 +128 Bethel 44 74 62 +2 1908 +372 792 +311 Burlington_Intl 48 75 65 +2 2266 +287 1048 +240 East_Haven 41 76 59 +3 1597 +314 579 +250 Island_Pond 44 75 60 +3 1573 +305 570 +254 Montpelier 44 71 60 -1 1699 +141 646 +153 Morrisville_AG 39 78 61 +2 1824 +270 748 +250 Mount_Mansfield 44 60 52 -1 875 +203 195 +129 Northfield 43 74 60 +1 1715 +296 654 +244 Pownal 48 71 60 -2 1790 +168 662 +132 Rochester 44 74 60 -1 1733 +197 661 +180 Rutland_AG 45 72 60 -4 1859 -185 753 -92 Sunderland 41 71 58 -6 1664 -295 587 -185 Sutton 41 71 58 +0 1569 +286 562 +233 Townshend_Lake 44 76 61 -4 1900 -40 782 +1 Union_Vill_Dam 42 75 61 -4 1870 -86 790 +1 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 49 74 61 -1 2006 +324 867 +286 Boston/Logan_In 57 74 65 -4 2412 +52 1205 +96 Greenfield 49 73 62 -4 2168 -42 966 -10 New_Bedford 50 75 64 -6 2171 -212 1013 -117 Otis_AFB 54 73 64 -2 2167 +226 1038 +239 Plymouth 48 74 63 -3 2092 +92 949 +105 Walpole 51 77 63 -3 2234 +209 1054 +213 West_Medway 49 79 63 -2 2254 +229 1059 +218 Chicopee/Westov 45 77 61 -8 2255 -274 1034 -196 Worcester 52 74 62 -3 2078 +188 911 +172 Worthington 43 75 59 -3 1728 +78 647 +98 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 56 79 66 -3 2397 +145 1177 +147 Woonsocket 51 78 63 -2 2190 +197 1014 +211 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 46 74 60 -8 1855 -580 720 -438 Bridgeport/Siko 56 79 67 -3 2465 +43 1237 +60 Hartford/Bradle 52 78 64 -4 2479 +51 1203 +48 Norfolk 48 70 59 -4 1803 +150 695 +144 Norwich 52 79 64 -3 2359 +96 1145 +128 Thomaston_Dam 45 75 62 -3 2240 +269 1015 +233 Willimantic 48 77 63 -3 2297 +287 1085 +270 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.45 +0.68 2 2.40 -0.90 8 Allagash 0.00 -0.91 0 1.65 -2.07 6 Augusta_State 1.38 +0.67 2 2.33 -0.62 12 Bangor_Intl_A 1.49 +0.70 2 1.88 -1.22 4 Barnard 1.01 +0.10 3 1.73 -1.73 10 Bath 1.86 +1.16 3 2.40 -0.58 9 Bethel 1.55 +0.72 2 2.61 -0.94 9 Brassua_Dam 0.21 -0.64 1 2.07 -1.30 7 Brunswick_ME 1.78 +1.08 3 2.96 -0.02 9 Caribou_Munic 0.04 -0.81 3 1.96 -1.61 13 Corinna 1.67 +0.76 2 3.23 -0.29 6 Danforth 0.38 -0.53 2 1.88 -1.82 8 Dover-Foxcrof 0.39 -0.52 2 1.09 -2.37 5 Durham 0.62 -0.08 2 1.84 -0.96 9 East_Hiram 1.38 +0.61 3 3.42 +0.12 14 Eustis 0.33 -0.44 2 1.45 -1.62 8 Frenchville 0.01 -0.90 1 1.32 -2.40 8 Gray 1.36 +0.66 3 2.30 -0.37 10 Greenville_ME 0.01 -0.90 1 0.49 -2.97 7 Guilford 1.10 +0.19 2 2.43 -1.03 11 Hollis 1.45 +0.73 3 2.56 -0.29 10 Houlton 0.23 -0.68 2 1.52 -2.17 8 Kennebunkport 1.79 +1.09 5 2.53 -0.29 12 Livermore_Fal 1.32 +0.43 2 1.89 -1.82 8 Moosehead 0.11 -0.74 2 2.65 -0.72 9 New_Sharon 1.30 +0.41 2 1.68 -2.03 6 Patten 0.17 -0.74 3 3.13 -0.56 11 Portage 0.03 -0.82 1 2.38 -1.19 7 Portland_ME 1.54 +0.84 2 1.83 -0.84 8 Rangeley 0.77 -0.03 2 1.35 -2.19 7 Sebec_Lake 0.63 -0.28 1 1.43 -2.03 7 Vanceboro 0.64 -0.26 2 2.25 -0.95 11 Waterville 0.92 +0.15 1 2.35 -0.95 6 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.88 +0.18 4 3.34 +0.42 13 Benton 1.81 +1.00 2 3.28 -0.24 8 Berlin_AG 1.57 +0.72 2 1.88 -1.88 7 Bethlehem 1.10 +0.24 2 1.95 -1.95 12 Concord 1.09 +0.39 6 2.03 -0.89 12 Diamond_Pond 0.71 -0.33 3 1.85 -2.65 12 First_Conn_La 0.15 -0.89 1 1.40 -3.10 9 Greenville 0.60 -0.19 4 1.93 -1.58 12 Keene_AP 1.06 +0.29 4 1.69 -1.68 11 Lakeport 1.25 +0.53 3 4.78 +1.58 11 Marlow 1.26 +0.44 5 4.93 +1.62 12 Mount_Washing 2.41 +0.56 2 4.84 -2.68 13 North_Conway 1.24 +0.40 2 2.56 -0.99 9 Otter_Brook_L 1.34 +0.57 6 3.64 +0.27 13 Plymouth 1.46 +0.69 3 2.52 -0.84 11 Rochester 1.28 +0.51 3 2.18 -0.97 8 Weare 1.31 +0.49 5 3.04 -0.27 12 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 1.36 +0.44 5 3.69 -0.16 15 Bethel 2.43 +1.47 2 4.46 +0.38 8 Burlington_In 0.13 -0.71 3 0.52 -3.08 6 East_Haven 0.76 -0.15 2 2.86 -1.23 11 Island_Pond 0.58 -0.33 2 3.16 -0.99 12 Montpelier 0.96 +0.21 2 3.13 -0.25 9 Morrisville_A 0.14 -0.80 2 1.70 -2.49 9 Mount_Mansfie 0.34 -1.25 2 3.02 -3.68 11 Northfield 0.80 +0.01 2 2.55 -0.81 8 Pownal 1.31 +0.39 4 3.63 -0.22 13 Rochester 2.07 +1.11 2 3.13 -0.95 8 Rutland_AG 1.74 +0.83 4 2.56 -1.21 12 Sunderland 1.71 +0.82 5 4.65 +1.04 15 Sutton 1.02 +0.11 2 3.35 -0.74 12 Townshend_Lak 1.41 +0.57 5 3.61 +0.07 14 Union_Vill_Da 1.71 +0.94 3 2.38 -0.89 9 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 1.33 +0.63 4 3.69 +0.68 11 Boston/Logan_ 0.82 +0.06 4 1.14 -1.86 9 Greenfield 1.33 +0.49 5 5.23 +1.92 14 New_Bedford 1.97 +1.10 4 3.29 -0.49 10 Otis_AFB 2.61 +1.84 4 4.83 +1.73 11 Plymouth 1.79 +0.81 5 3.60 -0.18 11 Walpole 1.45 +0.54 4 2.29 -1.35 8 West_Medway 1.56 +0.65 4 3.40 -0.24 9 Chicopee/West 1.60 +0.76 4 2.60 -0.67 12 Worcester 1.17 +0.26 4 3.26 -0.27 11 Worthington 1.81 +0.90 4 3.48 -0.19 11 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 2.29 +1.45 4 3.32 -0.04 10 Woonsocket 2.32 +1.41 4 2.97 -0.67 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 3.68 +2.77 5 5.05 +1.59 10 Bridgeport/Si 1.39 +0.69 4 2.42 -0.42 9 Hartford/Brad 2.73 +1.82 5 3.49 +0.03 10 Norfolk 3.09 +2.08 5 5.02 +0.86 11 Norwich 3.42 +2.51 4 4.58 +0.94 10 Thomaston_Dam 2.07 +1.09 5 3.11 -0.81 12 Willimantic 2.36 +1.45 4 2.79 -0.78 8 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 2003: 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 - Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: A rather damp midweek with sun and dryer conditions over the weekend pushed harvesting of vegetable crops back some more. Broadleaf tobacco harvest resumed Friday. More notices of loss on tobacco due to blue mold and brown spot on broadleaf still in the field. Orders for sweet corn, etc. dropped off significantly after Labor Day. Dairy farmers advertising for truck drivers for corn harvest. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: A glorious weekend, chopping, haying and apple picking. Sharing ideas while selling at the farmers' markets. Field corn beginning to mature. Peaches and most crops are still running late. Vegetables doing well, apples a bit on the small side, but tasty. Nancy Welsh/Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: This week of wet weather did in a lot of producers. Fields had standing water in between plastic. Crops rotted and weeds were uncontrollable. It is bad in this part of the state. Mums are big and beautiful, late flowering but many buds. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Cool days and cold nights are not helping to ripen field corn. Farmers are still waiting for corn to dry down enough to harvest. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Growers busy applying fungicides and pesticides as necessary. Vine dessication continues but growers reluctant to dessicate late maturing varieties of potatoes as they would like to get more size of tubers. Continue to ready equipment and storages for harvest. A few potatoes being harvested for processor. It was a difficult week to harvest grain due to high moisture in the fields. Soil is actually getting somewhat dry. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Canola is being harvested - about 10 percent of acreage. Oats and barley being harvested. Harvesting of potatoes should be starting within the next week. A few potatoes in the area have been dug for direct shipment and processing. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Crops are looking well. There are still a few aphids around. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Farmers were killing potato tops. Rains have kept all crops growing well. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Beneficial rains last week helped to alleviate the dry conditions in this area. Lots of hay being cut and harvested with good weather predicted. Corn silage harvest expected to begin this week with some corn in the dent stage. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Perfect weather for outdoor work continues. Thursday's rain helped crops still in the ground. Weed control on blueberry fields underway. Some winter squash never developed because of poor pollination weather. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Crop harvest finished up the first week of September Downeast. Since harvest went beyond Labor Day, a better than average crop is expected. Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: The nights are cooler and fall is in the air. Third crop hay is very heavy, and the corn is getting close to harvest. The apple harvest has begun and the pumpkins are showing up at the farm stands. This will be a very busy month. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Rain came at an excellent time. There has been more hay harvested in this area than the producers know what to do with. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: The weather is perfect for hay harvest! Producers have been busy gathering the hay crop, pumpkins, squash, and other late vegetables. Potato producers are busy killing vines and starting harvest. Apple producers are reporting a good crop and have received no hail in the upper part of Oxford County. Warm days and cool nights are the norm. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: A bit rainy and dreary this week. Temperatures were a little cooler and seasonal. Some silage harvested and hay cut late in the week with promise of dry weather in the forecast. Farmers' markets beginning to highlight fall veggies and flowers, and the foliage is just starting. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: The cooler weather has slowed crops down a bit. Below normal temperatures this time of year. Still cutting haylage and making hay. Apple picking continues, peaches and pears are coming into harvest. Irrigating, cultivating and monitoring fields continues. Preparing and maintaining farm equipment. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: First white berries harvested, but the bulk of those berries will be harvested next week. Good rainfall continues to aid in the sizing of the berries. Size is very good so far. Fruitworm injury is rampant. So far fruit rot is not a problem. Color coming along with a few cool nights. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Fall harvest is in full swing. Clear and dry weather finally allowed hay producers to start cutting hay this weekend. The tobacco harvest has concluded and the crop is drying quickly. In spite of the nice weather, silage corn is still slow to ripen. This is not expected to start for another two weeks. Potato digging is going along at an even pace but hasn't hit high gear yet, the crop has sized nicely. The same is true with the apple crop. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Cool temperatures with a few rain showers have slowed crop growth. These cooler temperatures have also reduced plant diseases and insect pressure. An array of fall crops are being harvested such as pumpkins, Indian corn, winter squash, potatoes, apples and cabbage. A rye cover crop is being applied to many of the fields already harvested. Gary Guida, Worcester: Another busy week on the farm. Retail sales for locally grown produce booming! Spraying herbicides in fallow fields in anticipation for fall plowing. Winter squash and pumpkins just starting to ripen here. Harvesting second planting of summer squash, cukes, zukes and pickling cukes. Mums selling real well. Corn borer and fall army worm less than one percent in corn. Big seller this weekend - silver queen. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: It was a very good week for field work. Farm stands are busy with summer vegetable and mum sales. Started picking pumpkins and gourds this week. Lots of powdery mildew on vine crops and ear worms in the corn. Early apple harvest is underway - looking good so far. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Producers are getting ready for corn chopping; some early hybrids will be ready to harvest this week. Longer-season hybrids still in milk stage. Third cutting haylage is finishing up; scattered rain in the first part of the week made for poor drying conditions. Regrowth on fields is strong. Early apple harvest continues. Farm stands are getting into late-season sweet corn and tomatoes. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Foggy mornings in lowland areas, along river, feels like early fall. Scattered frosts burning back squash, pumpkin leaves in northern part of county, doesn't appear to have affected vines. Pumpkins coloring up, showing up increasingly along with winter squashes at stands and markets. Sweet corn, other summer veggies abundant yet. Fall mums common sight now. Over an inch of rain this week, field corn looking quite good, lots yet in milk stage, hoping weather will hold. Second cut still taken, close thing with midweek rains. Grass fields growing well. Typical late season pests: powdery mildew, large grasshoppers, etc. showing up. Blister beetles spotted and being brought in for ID. Reports of bears in corn, haven't run into any yet, lots of sightings this year. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Corn continues to mature. Third cutting continues. Quality is good to excellent. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Last week brought anywhere from an inch to two inches of rain mid-week. The later part of the week was cooler and partly cloudy, making it hard to dry hay. Corn generally looks good, some fields are ready to harvest. Some harvesting of corn should start by the 10th of September on the earlier plantings. Apple harvest has begun, and size and quality look good. Some orchardists thought volume might be down a little, but too early to tell. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Vegetables: Harvesting an array of vegetables: beans, beets, cole crops, cucumbers, greens, peas, potatoes, radishes, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini and other vegetables. Mildew can be found on pumpkins and winter squash, farmers need to cut and pick up pumpkins and winter squash to help stop fruit from rotting. Very good demand for produce at local farmers' markets and farm stands. Fruit: Orchardists harvesting early season apple varieties, peaches and raspberries. Orchardists busy applying apple maggot sprays and getting ready for harvest. Field Crops: Hay cutting continued at a rapid pace during the week with the second cut being made. Silage corn looking good, most field are in late milk stage and some are starting to dent. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Excellent field corn crop although ears are a little small. Farmers are preparing to cut early field corn. Farmers are winding up cutting a second and third dry hay harvest. Excellent growing weather for all crops. Early apple harvest continues. Sunny weather needed to improve apple color. Orchardists are mowing. Trees and shrubs are moving out of wholesale nurseries. Garden center sales are good. Sweet corn and other vegetables harvested. Sprays applied for apple maggot. Fall bearing raspberries harvested. As of Monday, September 8, the growing degree days in Merrimack County are 1,815. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: The last week was nice with a few days of rain showers and few days of sunshine. A few farmers were making third cut. Vegetable growers continue to harvest a wide array of vegetables, including tomatoes, beans, cole crops, sweet corn, etc. Fruit growers continue to harvest peaches and early varieties of apples. Some apple growers are experiencing small and seedless fruits. However, all in all the apple crop is good. Harvesting of fall raspberries has also started. Nurseries and greenhouses have started fall mum sales. Sales of pumpkins have also started for most growers. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Abundant corn crop has made for happy tourists making their way through the county's two corn mazes. Corn producers started preparing for corn silage harvest last week. This week should see quite a few acres harvested. Also should be a good week for haying even though foggy mornings are the norm. Lynette Hamilton/Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Another week of inclement weather. This week looks better for some drying of third cutting. Corn needs the dryer weather to start that dry down process and early planted corn is in the early dough stage but the stalks are still too green. The winter squash and pumpkin harvest looks about average this year. Its seems like production will depend on variety. Apple harvest has not reached its peak yet. Blueberry season is all over with smaller than average production. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Harvesting of second cutting of dry hay and third cut of chopped or wrapped haylage simultaneously. Good yields and quality. Corn is not ready for harvest yet, 10% with down and drying ears. Vigorous late season growth, so many tall plants. Wheat headed and ripe. Pasture regrowth good for grasses and clover. Some liquid manure spread on harvested hay fields. Dry hay harvest very good this cut. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Quite a bit of haying going on, once it dried up. Showers brought us an inch and a half of rain, plus a severe thundershower, with some damage just to the south. Turning into fall. Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: Cooler temperatures have slowed starch conversion to sugars in maturing apples. This has set back picking almost a week. Mid-week moisture allowed for good sizing of those maturing apples. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: Lots of great field work weather last week! High quality third cut being harvested. Some early season corn being chopped. The pastures could use some rain. -- 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 Director: Joe Samson 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 ***********************