new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 6/5/05 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 25, Number 6 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) June 6, 2005 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary Cool start ends warm and sunny! For the week ending June 5, 2005, there were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture was rated 8% short, 63% adequate, 29% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 8% short, 63% adequate, 29% surplus. Pasture condition was rated 2% poor, 23% fair, 57% good, and 18% excellent. The week began with cool, wet conditions that limited farm activities. By mid week, dry, cool days allowed field entry in well drained fields. The sun finally arrived on Friday, improving soil temperatures and growth throughout the region. Fieldwork shifted into high gear over the weekend to catch up on planting; most crops were still two or more weeks behind schedule at week's end. Major farm activities: chopped grass silage, baled hay, planted and tilled fields, spread manure and fertilizer on fields, let animals out to pasture, placed bees in fields and orchards, applied pesticides and insecticides to fruit trees and berries, pruned trees, mowed orchard floors, planted sweet corn and vegetables, harvested asparagus, spinach, and rhubarb, and worked in greenhouses. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 0 0 0 Short 8 2 1 Adequate 63 53 57 Surplus 29 45 42 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 0 0 0 Short 8 9 2 Adequate 63 47 70 Surplus 29 44 28 --------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report Warm, dry weather finally arrived to help improve field conditions. Farmers continued to put cattle out to pasture where conditions were dry enough, however, grass had become too mature in some fields. First cut of dry hay was underway and on schedule with previous year. More dry days were needed since morning fog and cool nights hampered drying conditions early during the week. Hay yields were reported low to average for first cutting hay. Warm weather enhanced soil temperatures thus improving germination. Farmers continued to plant field corn in fields that were too wet earlier in the year. Rhode Island and Massachusetts finished planting potatoes. Maine potato growers increased plantings to 75% complete by week's end, the best week of weather this spring but remained behind schedule. Shade tobacco acreage was all planted at week's end while broadleaf tobacco trailed normal due to cool, wet spring. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: In Downeast Maine, bees continued to be moved into wild blueberry fields and symptoms of Monilinia and Botrytis blight were spotted. Last week's conditions were ideal for bees to pollinate fruit trees and blueberries. Orchardists applied pesticides, insecticides and fungicides to fruit trees. Maine Apple trees advanced to full bloom or petal fall by week's end. Elsewhere in New England, apple trees were in petal fall stage. New Hampshire peach producers reported peach curl disease in some orchards. Peach condition was rated in fair condition in Massachusetts, while Connecticut was mostly fair to good. Strawberry development ranged from early bloom to petal fall north to south, and berries should be ready to pick next week in Connecticut. Although crop conditions were generally good region wide, an area in Massachusetts suffered severe frost damage, and crop condition there was very poor. Cranberry producers applied fungicides to bogs. VEGETABLES: Vegetable growers were glad for the rain to stop and continued to transplant tomatoes, peppers, and plant cucumbers, pumpkins, and sweet corn. Producers harvested asparagus, spinach, and rhubarb. Early planted vegetables were growing well in response to warmer temperatures and sunshine. Growers have noticed some beetle and seed maggot damage in some vegetable crops. Producers continued to prepare and plant fields. Warm, sunny days at week's end also provided excellent conditions for greenhouse sales. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Avg Percent Condition Emerged -------------------------------------------------- Barley, ME 90 99 95 55 Good/Excel Oats, ME 90 99 95 55 Good/Excel Potatoes Maine 75 99 95 -- Good/Fair Mass 100 99 99 50 Good RhodeIsl 100 90 99 85 Good/Excel Silage Corn 80 75 70 35 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 55 75 70 35 Good/Fair Tobacco Shade 100 99 85 -- Good/Fair Broadleaf 25 45 35 -- Good/Fair Dry Hay First Cut 15 15 15 -- Good/Fair ------------------------------------------------ FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ------------------------------------------------ Crop Stage Fruit Set Condition ------------------------------------------------ Apples PF Avg/Below Good/Fair Peaches PF Avg/Below Fair/Good Pears PF Avg Fair/Good Blueberries Highbush EB/PF Avg Good Wild, ME EB/FB Avg Good/Excel Cranberries,MA Bud Avg Good/Fair Strawberries EB/PF Avg/Below Good ------------------------------------------------ EB = Early Bloom, FB = Full Bloom, PF = Petal Fall Weather Summary State Table Summary For New England Agricultural Statistics Prepared By AWIS, Inc. For the Period: Monday May 30, 2005 To: Sunday June 5, 2005 AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI -- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 36 90 60 +3 0.04 2.48 NH 34 92 61 +3 0.13 1.90 VT 42 89 63 +4 0.02 1.27 MA 42 88 61 +0 0.00 0.57 RI 48 82 61 -1 0.04 0.98 CT 44 87 63 +1 0.00 0.45 Copyright 2005: 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. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday May 30, 2005 To: Sunday June 5, 2005 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 43 88 60 -2 112 -148 22 -15 Allagash 38 86 61 +5 102 -10 23 +22 Augusta_State_A 44 88 61 +1 145 -87 24 -4 Bangor_Intl_Arp 45 88 62 +3 167 -19 22 +5 Barnard 46 87 62 +6 120 -25 30 +19 Bath 41 82 58 -1 94 -86 8 -7 Bethel 45 87 62 +3 131 -68 24 +2 Brassua_Dam 37 84 60 +5 83 -9 20 +20 Brunswick_ME 42 78 57 -3 92 -88 8 -7 Caribou_Municip 42 87 62 +6 136 -5 32 +20 Corinna 45 88 62 +4 141 -46 25 +8 Danforth 43 85 61 +3 105 -46 24 +13 Dover-Foxcroft 46 84 60 +4 93 -52 24 +13 Durham 40 88 60 -2 115 -127 20 -9 East_Hiram 44 87 61 +2 124 -74 25 +4 Eustis 41 83 59 +4 81 -18 16 +16 Frenchville 43 86 63 +8 138 +26 39 +38 Gray 44 84 61 +4 153 -19 32 +23 Greenville_ME 47 83 62 +5 112 -44 30 +16 Guilford 45 83 60 +3 83 -62 20 +9 Hollis 40 88 60 +2 116 -51 19 +10 Houlton 36 86 61 +5 140 -4 31 +18 Kennebunkport 42 78 59 -4 104 -173 13 -22 Livermore_Falls 42 90 61 +5 122 -24 25 +14 Moosehead 37 87 59 +4 81 -11 17 +17 New_Sharon 43 87 60 +3 112 -34 22 +11 Patten 39 85 61 +4 102 -42 25 +12 Portage 44 87 63 +7 127 -14 37 +25 Portland_ME 44 80 59 +2 128 -44 19 +10 Rangeley 41 83 59 +5 74 -20 16 +16 Sebec_Lake 43 89 61 +5 112 -44 23 +9 Vanceboro 43 84 60 +4 101 -33 21 +15 Waterville 43 88 60 -2 121 -139 22 -15 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 39 86 60 -1 143 -112 24 -16 Benton 46 84 61 +4 133 -84 19 -8 Berlin_AG 46 85 62 +4 133 -62 26 +3 Bethlehem 45 85 62 +4 140 -75 26 -2 Concord 43 90 63 +3 219 -36 47 +7 Diamond_Pond 44 80 59 +6 76 -16 18 +18 First_Conn_Lake 45 81 59 +6 84 -8 15 +15 Greenville 40 90 62 +3 227 -7 43 +11 Keene_AP 48 86 62 -2 210 -123 30 -39 Lakeport 48 88 64 +5 201 -20 37 +7 Marlow 45 89 62 +1 156 -132 30 -21 Mount_Washingto 34 61 46 +6 9 +9 0 +0 North_Conway 46 88 62 +3 149 -76 28 -3 Otter_Brook_Lk 47 87 63 -1 182 -151 32 -37 Plymouth 47 85 62 +4 134 -46 24 +6 Rochester 42 86 60 -2 168 -123 29 -22 Weare 45 83 62 +1 168 -120 31 -20 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 44 86 62 +4 153 -65 26 -3 Bethel 47 87 63 +5 161 -34 30 +6 Burlington_Intl 52 87 67 +6 274 -31 67 +6 East_Haven 42 84 61 +6 131 -9 17 +3 Island_Pond 48 83 62 +6 126 -16 24 +10 Montpelier 47 84 63 +5 195 -16 38 +10 Morrisville_AG 44 85 61 +4 121 -75 17 -8 Mount_Mansfield 42 69 56 +6 61 +13 5 +5 Northfield 46 86 62 +6 157 -13 26 +8 Pownal 46 85 63 +5 199 -25 31 -2 Rochester 49 87 64 +6 166 -29 31 +7 Rutland_AG 46 84 63 +0 176 -170 30 -49 Sunderland 42 86 62 +0 175 -151 30 -36 Sutton 46 85 62 +6 127 -13 26 +12 Townshend_Lake 46 86 63 +2 194 -89 36 -16 Union_Vill_Dam 47 89 64 +3 180 -114 37 -18 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 49 86 63 +4 209 -2 37 +13 Boston/Logan_In 48 78 61 -3 245 -121 45 -15 Greenfield 46 85 63 -1 242 -126 42 -32 New_Bedford 45 79 61 -3 197 -167 17 -40 Otis_AFB 50 79 63 +3 274 +52 42 +21 Plymouth 47 82 60 -2 172 -73 21 -8 Walpole 49 83 62 +0 244 -48 31 -14 West_Medway 49 83 62 +0 209 -83 27 -18 Chicopee/Westov 48 86 65 -2 342 -122 66 -43 Worcester 48 84 62 +2 250 -7 44 +10 Worthington 43 84 61 +2 176 -44 20 -9 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 50 80 63 -1 278 -49 36 -14 Woonsocket 48 82 63 +2 260 -28 38 +1 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 48 86 63 -3 238 -201 34 -71 Bridgeport/Siko 53 77 63 -1 347 -34 39 -42 Hartford/Bradle 50 86 66 +2 368 -64 72 -30 Norfolk 46 80 61 +2 200 -15 24 -2 Norwich 51 87 65 +2 288 -93 47 -31 Thomaston_Dam 48 83 63 +2 265 -43 39 -13 Willimantic 47 84 64 +2 292 -18 42 -9 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ---------------- - TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- --- --- ----- ---- -- - MAINE Albion 0.31 -0.53 4 20.41 +9.43 45 Allagash 0.34 -0.36 3 10.91 +2.48 40 Augusta_State_A 0.46 -0.36 2 17.89 +6.45 40 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.23 -0.58 2 12.68 +1.98 33 Barnard 0.13 -0.71 3 19.50 +8.69 48 Bath 0.39 -0.45 2 21.61 +9.20 38 Bethel 0.31 -0.59 2 21.64 +10.41 37 Brassua_Dam 0.31 -0.54 2 13.71 +3.89 42 Brunswick_ME 0.28 -0.56 1 26.73 +14.32 34 Caribou_Municip 0.40 -0.28 2 11.95 +3.45 44 Corinna 2.48 +1.64 2 19.48 +8.59 34 Danforth 0.46 -0.38 3 16.18 +5.82 44 Dover-Foxcroft 0.20 -0.64 1 13.70 +2.89 34 Durham 0.59 -0.25 2 22.36 +9.89 36 East_Hiram 1.16 +0.29 2 23.30 +11.20 41 Eustis 0.52 -0.25 2 15.13 +5.32 40 Frenchville 0.20 -0.50 2 9.08 +0.65 43 Gray 0.83 +0.05 2 23.24 +11.19 38 Greenville_ME 0.63 -0.21 2 15.87 +5.06 45 Guilford 0.33 -0.51 2 19.01 +8.20 39 Hollis 0.30 -0.54 2 23.76 +11.36 43 Houlton 0.31 -0.46 2 12.36 +3.54 45 Kennebunkport 0.65 -0.24 2 23.05 +10.65 37 Livermore_Falls 0.50 -0.44 2 19.62 +7.74 38 Moosehead 0.04 -0.81 1 13.96 +4.14 42 New_Sharon 0.39 -0.55 4 21.58 +9.70 40 Patten 0.12 -0.65 2 17.36 +8.54 43 Portage 0.38 -0.30 3 14.17 +5.67 44 Portland_ME 0.25 -0.53 2 19.43 +7.38 38 Rangeley 0.53 -0.31 2 15.38 +6.64 47 Sebec_Lake 0.12 -0.72 2 19.69 +8.88 44 Vanceboro 0.45 -0.32 3 15.99 +4.7643 Waterville 0.12 -0.72 2 18.51 +7.53 34 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 1.44 +0.72 2 18.18 +8.82 42 Benton 1.12 +0.27 3 11.30 +2.09 40 Berlin_AG 0.65 -0.26 2 14.90 +4.39 35 Bethlehem 1.52 +0.65 3 10.81 +1.41 45 Concord 0.38 -0.34 2 13.03 +3.67 39 Diamond_Pond 1.17 +0.15 4 15.80 +5.22 55 First_Conn_Lake 1.12 +0.10 3 12.10 +1.52 48 Greenville 0.47 -0.39 2 16.00 +4.48 33 Keene_AP 0.19 -0.66 3 13.10 +2.55 36 Lakeport 0.38 -0.46 2 14.30 +3.69 36 Marlow 0.14 -0.77 1 13.90 +1.60 36 Mount_Washingto 1.79 +0.00 4 26.40 +0.15 53 North_Conway 1.15 +0.24 3 17.53 +4.94 41 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.13 -0.72 3 12.74 +2.19 39 Plymouth 0.99 +0.12 2 11.75 +0.48 32 Rochester 0.40 -0.44 2 20.42 +7.69 36 Weare 0.87 -0.04 2 18.57 +6.27 38 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.16 -0.89 3 12.68 -0.96 38 Bethel 0.44 -0.49 2 11.27 -0.70 38 Burlington_Intl 0.07 -0.70 1 6.77 -1.95 36 East_Haven 0.83 -0.12 3 9.81 -0.22 48 Island_Pond 0.59 -0.38 3 9.95 +0.46 48 Montpelier 0.38 -0.46 3 9.47 +0.81 43 Morrisville_AG 0.29 -0.62 2 10.00 -0.45 43 Mount_Mansfield 0.52 -0.92 2 15.62 -1.80 50 Northfield 0.57 -0.20 2 11.13 +1.65 33 Pownal 0.28 -0.77 3 11.67 -1.97 40 Rochester 0.15 -0.78 3 12.19 +0.22 37 Rutland_AG 0.28 -0.53 2 7.70 -1.37 35 Sunderland 0.42 -0.42 3 12.12 +2.44 44 Sutton 0.28 -0.67 3 10.69 +0.66 50 Townshend_Lake 0.53 -0.24 3 12.02 +1.43 41 Union_Vill_Dam 1.27 +0.50 3 11.32 +1.59 41 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.05 -0.76 2 16.09 +5.30 45 Boston/Logan_In 0.18 -0.54 3 10.71 -0.47 38 Greenfield 0.18 -0.73 3 12.50 +0.99 38 New_Bedford 0.43 -0.41 1 14.99 +2.29 40 Otis_AFB 0.20 -0.58 1 15.59 +3.77 38 Plymouth 0.18 -0.66 1 17.65 +4.73 37 Walpole 0.31 -0.51 2 15.98 +3.87 37 West_Medway 0.32 -0.50 3 14.68 +2.57 42 Chicopee/Westov 0.07 -0.91 3 10.59 -1.71 42 Worcester 0.07 -0.86 2 13.86 +0.88 39 Worthington 0.11 -0.84 2 14.26 +1.66 44 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.98 +0.17 1 13.19 +0.55 36 Woonsocket 0.04 -0.87 2 17.29 +4.49 41 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.21 -0.70 3 14.09 +1.72 44 Bridgeport/Siko 0.45 -0.39 3 10.07 -2.07 42 Hartford/Bradle 0.00 -0.91 0 10.74 -1.63 40 Norfolk 0.19 -0.86 2 11.61 -2.48 40 Norwich 0.11 -0.75 2 13.89 -0.32 35 Thomaston_Dam 0.15 -0.83 3 12.05 -1.37 42 Willimantic 0.11 -0.80 2 11.44 -1.50 39 Summary based on NWS data. DFN = Departure From Normal (Using 1961-90 Normals Period). Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precip of 0.01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright 2005: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For detailed ag weather forecasts and data visit the 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: Finally got warm temperatures to grow crops. Many started transplanting tomatoes, peppers, and broadleaf tobacco this week. Cattle are out on pastures doing well. A few tried cutting dry hay but will need extra days for drying. Most finished planting field corn and went on to chopping grass and alfalfa. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London: Field Crops- Some much needed warm weather finally arrived having a positive effect on corn emergence and early growth. Wetter fields are finally being planted. Good corn emergence observed despite the harsh weather conditions experienced most of the month of May. Some growers still will not finish planting for two more weeks. Due to the slow corn emergence in May, I predict there will not be a long window of opportunity in the fall to harvest all corn at maximum quality levels since most fields planted within the last six weeks will probably mature at the same time. Post emergence weed control will have to be watched carefully as the initial slow growth of the corn will not allow it to get a jump on emerging warm season annual weeds. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Warmer, dry weather has allowed producers to do final corn planting, start green chopping and haying. Vegetables being planted, cool weather in the beginning has put everything about a week behind. Strawberries will be ready next weekend and looking good. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Excellent week to get work done, greenhouse sales picked up on glorious sunny hot weekend, nights cooler still, cutting hay, finishing corn planting, summer pruning continues, crops are looking good. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Finally some warm weather. Now maybe we will see some crops start to grow. Some strawberries came in this week although most plants are only in flower. Legumes - alfalfa and trefoil in particular are in full bloom. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Growers got a good week for planting. Fields drying out quite well. High daytime temperatures have warmed the soils up, so rapid germination is expected. Growers have put in some pretty long days. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Farmers were busy planting crops all week with the warmer temperatures. Some farmers are cultivating. Some farmers still planting grain crops. Planted grain crops are mostly emerged. Approximately 15% left of potatoes to plant. Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Good weather. Pastures are looking good. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Farmers began planting corn and potatoes Wednesday and were in full swing throughout the week. Temperatures were in the mid 80's Saturday. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: What a difference a little sun makes. Fields are drying out and being tilled. Some sweet corn planting going on. Kathy Hopkins (Ext), Somerset: Some sun and warmth at last. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Last week helped the farmers to plant their crops, but still a wet early summer. Donald Burke (FSA), Waldo: Silage corn is now being planted as the ground dries out, but planting is still behind from all the rain. A sunny weekend was what we all needed! Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Vegetables are now being planted as the ground dries out. Bees have had some good weather to pollinate blueberries and apples. Hay crop now needs the sun to catch up. A sunny weekend was good news to greenhouses. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Bees still being moved into fields downeast. Bees finally active with warmer weather. Bloom was delayed because of cool weather conditions so good pollination is still possible. Symptoms of Monilinia and Botrytis blight beginning to show. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: First hay harvested here. The weather was much better. Row crops are being planted at full tilt. Farmers are putting in some long hours to catch up. Marcia Hall (FSA), Oxford: Oxford County welcomed the sunshine last week with the warm temperatures. Producers tried to catch up on some field work as the week progressed. Some animals were let out to pasture and some pastures still wet. Producers are planting around wet areas in crop fields just to get the crops in as some have reported being at least two weeks behind normal planting dates. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: What a week! Early rain during the first part of the week has hampered farming activities. Those farmers with heavy, wet soil have not been able to plant and will be waiting for soil to dry for a few days. Farmers with well-drained soils have been able to pick and choose where to plant. Silage corn is just now getting in the ground. The later part of the week was glorious but the ground so saturated that most farming activities were in slow mode. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Warm weather finally arrived in Berkshire County this past week. Corn is growing, rain was light and spotty but there is more in the forecast. Lots of field work was accomplished with haylage being cut selectively throughout the county. Corn is up and as the soil is warming, looks good, but could use some water. Farmer's markets and nurseries remain busy. FAV growers are out straight. Pesticide application has been somewhat complicated in orchards where some trees got hung up in full bloom and bees were still working. It appears pollination picked up this week, we will see how it turns out soon enough. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Weather Conditions have improved and planting will commence however all crops are 25 days behind schedule. Northeast storm early last week has created a perfect environment for Red Tide which has stopped any harvest of Quahogs and Oysters. Cranberry growers are applying fertilizers and watching for insect pressure as vines finally move out of their dormant state. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: With a break in the weather, things started moving in the cranberry beds. Plants began pushing new growth and some flower pods are even visible in the warmest places. Weeds started to become a nuisance. Insect populations exploded. In addition to black-headed fireworms and gypsy moth caterpillars, cranberry weevils are now widespread. Although winter moth larvae are decimating foliage on trees around the beds, so far there are no reports of significant damage being inflicted on cranberry plants. The cranberry vines look good throughout the area, especially since everything is greening up nicely. Jason Otto (FSA), Bristol: Very good week for field work. Some scattered showers in the evening. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Summer heat finally arrived over the weekend! Sun and heat allowed most producers to catch up with farm activities. Field crops look good although they could use some rain. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Warm weather finally arrived. Vegetable growers are planting all type of crops such as cucumbers, pumpkins, tomatoes and peppers. Broadleaf tobacco is also being planted in the fields. Harvesting hay, straw, asparagus, spinach and rhubarb. Tree fruit growers are adding a protective spray to their orchards. Growers are scouting fields for insects due to an increase in air temperatures. Gary Guida, Worcester: Race is on! Trying to do a month's worth of work in one week. Plowing, harrowing, laying plastic, transplanting, planting, making hay, moving plants from greenhouses,keeping all us growers busy. Plant sales now incredibly strong with all categories leading the charge. Very large consumer demand for quality plants. Hail reported in Westminster damaging tree leaves and flowers but none here last week. Strawberries are toast as frost damage becomes more evident. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Better weather this week. Dried out a lot. Summer arrived at the end of the week (at least temporarily.) Strawberries at 30-40% bloom. Raspberries at pre-bloom. Weeds starting to do well. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Week began cold and wet but ended hot and sunny. Most Apples at petal fall, soon we will know what effect the low bee numbers had on pollination. A small amount of first cutting done this weekend on well drained soils. Grass quality declining due to maturity. Garden Center business finally picking up as folks get their gardens in at last. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Now this is a little more like it! Apart from a few brief showers early on, gorgeous weather most of the week. More corn emerging, some at 3- leaf stage. Farms began first cutting haylage/baleage in grass and alfalfa/grass, with some initial reports of lower than average yields. Fruits and vegetables benefited from warm weather. Garden centers and greenhouses doing a brisk business. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Rainy start to the week gives way to warm sunny weather by Wednesday. Coincides nicely with full bloom of apples beginning of highbush blueberries. Excellent conditions for pollination. Most field corn now in although still some fields wet with ponding along the Androscoggin River where seem to have had more rain, some flooding. Vegetable transplant going in. Tomatoes in high-tunnel blossom. Nurseries doing brisk business. Farms working hard to catch up this week as better field conditions will allow. Black flies have arrived in abundance. Should really see grass pastures and hayfields shoot up this week! Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: During the month of May, we received 3.11 inches of rain. The sun and warmer temperatures were just what we needed to make things grow. Most of the corn is planted, and a good share of that which was planted earlier has emerged. Farmers are taking off their first cut hay. The later half of the week and good weather over the weekend was a big help. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Vegetables: Transplanting tomato and pepper plants, and making successive planting vegetable crops. Harvesting spinach, asparagus and rhubarb. Flea beetle, striped cucumber beetles, and seed maggot damage have been seen. With all the cool rainy cloudy weather prior to the past week, sweet corn plantings and many other crops are yellow and not growing very well. Seeing the SUN and having warmer temperatures has helped to start growing. Fruit: Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and applying cover sprays for pest control. Orchardists wondering if they should be applying thinning sprays to apple orchards. Mowing orchard floor and weed spraying under trees. Blueberries and most strawberries were blooming during week. Field Crops Planting and weed spraying corn fields. Farmers started trying to make haylage. Sadie Puglisi (Ext), Merrimack: A great weather weekend allowed some to catch up. Soil temps are warming. People who stayed away from garden centers last weekend went this weekend. Looks like the season can finally get started. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Georgous weekend. Finally, a week with more sun than rain. Laying black plastic, preparing vegetable fields, weeding and planting sweet corn and an array of vegetables. Spraying protective fungicide and insecticide in fruit orchards and protective fungicides in small fruit patch. Peach leaf curl diseases observed in peach orchards. Botrytis canker, cane and spur blight seen in raspberry fields. Frost damages (mid May) seen in strawberries and damages resulting from localized hail storm (5/30) are showing in strawberries and other crops. Picking the first ripened strawberries, asparagus and rhubarb. A very busy weekend for greenhouse operations and garden centers. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Great weather for all kinds of outdoor field work. Most of the silage corn planting is done. First cut of haylage was started this past week with good yields showing despite some winter kill. Manure spreading ongoing after first cut. Early vegetables being harvested. Peach crop was hit by late frost in May. Blueberry and strawberries seem to have made it through. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: Excellent weather most of the week. Grass in pastures and hayfields doing great. A few producers were making the first cut hay. Early planted corn germinating and more being planted. Vegetable growers busy transplanting different kinds of vegetable transplants. Cut flower growers also transplanting cut flower seedlings into growing beds. Greenhouses and garden centers were busy with customers due to improved weather conditions. Fruit growers continued to apply protective spray and checking for fruit set. Most growers were worried about the effects of the wet and cold May weather on pollination. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Wonderful week of sunshine, heat and good weather. Amazing how the corn has turned green, summer vegetables are looking good and cole crops are doing great. Lots of field work being done. Sweet corn and Field corn still being planted, and some hay being cut. Roadside stands are full and busy. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: The weather finally decided to cooperate last week so many farms started harvesting first cut grass mainly as haylage. Several farms were wrapping up corn planting over the weekend and soybean planting also was finished. It appears that first cut grass yields may be down somewhat. One veggie grower was irrigating his lettuce due to the hot weather. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: A drier, warm week brought on a lot of farm activity. Farmers are finishing planting their corn. I saw some corn emergence late last week. First cut haying is under way. Yields look good and I expect the quality is high right now. I noticed some mud in the hay fields indicating the water table is still high. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Haylage harvest is under way with early reports of low yields. Alfalfa is in bud stage with good yields. Field corn has started to grow after this weekend high heat. Some producers are plowing more land to plant late corn to make up the differece in low hay production. Terence Bradshaw, Univ of Vermont: Apples: Hot weather and sunshine have allowed for a good growth spurt in tree fruit plantings. Primary scab control measures will continue for a couple of more weeks. Petal fall and cover sprays are being applied. Insect activity which was delayed by the previous cooler weather is rebounding. Growers are looking at moderate thinning strategies after a cool, cloudy bloom. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Summer finally hit. Most everyone was working on that first cut hay. Yields seem a bit light. Quite a bit of corn has emerged. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Planting mid-season corn. Beans and early vine crops. Early planting of cole crops have also been planted. Fertilizing early corn spraying for weed control. 0.172 short on water for the week. Last few days of sun and warm weather, all crops show new life and color. Asparagus cutting good news. Now a nice rain would help a lot. 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, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statistician: Travis Averill Stat Assistant: Deirdre Davis Deputy Director: Gerald Tillman New England Agricultural Statistics 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 ***********************