NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 6/19/05 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 25, Number 8 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) June 20, 2005 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary Summer Tease? GENERAL CONDITIONS: For the week ending June 19, 2005, there were 4.1 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 4% short, 55% adequate, and 38% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 5% short, 58% adequate, and 34% surplus. Pasture condition was rated 2% poor, 11% fair, 52% good, and 35% excellent. Temperatures reached the 90 degree mark early in the week in many parts of New England, warming soils and promoting plant growth. Cooler weather with sporadic rains moved into the region by mid-week, making field work difficult and hay-making nearly impossible. Farmers are hoping for dry, sunny weather for this week for final planting and hay making. Pasture forage was very good, but farmers were concerned that livestock grazing on the paddocks may have done some damage due to wet soils. Major farm activities included chopping grass silage, planting and tilling fields, spreading manure and fertilizer on fields, cultivating weeds, scouting for pests, applying pesticides and herbicides to fruit trees and berries, working in greenhouses, brush cutting, planting sweet corn and vegetables, and harvesting spinach, lettuce, and radishes. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 3 3 0 Short 4 6 12 Adequate 55 77 81 Surplus 38 14 7 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 3 3 0 Short 5 10 6 Adequate 58 76 84 Surplus 34 11 10 --------------------------------------------- FIELD CROPS: Although still behind schedule, warm weather early in the week helped field corn and small grains to emerge and grow rapidly across New England. First cutting of hay continued throughout the region, but farmers were challenged by sporadic rains during the week. Maine potatoes, oats, and barley have emerged, but wet conditions prevented farmers from applying herbicides and insecticides. Potato growers were worried about wet soil conditions and crops rotting in the field. Excessive rain in northern Maine throughout the week sparked a pest alert for late potato blight, where extension specialists urged frequent application of low to mid-grade protectant. Tobacco growers reported that the crop looked good so far, as cultivating and side dressing tobacco continued. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Fruit growers spent the week monitoring pests and applying sprays for pest control. Unpredictable rains and high winds in the past week made spray timing difficult. Good weather for applications finally arrived over the June 18-19 weekend. Fruit were sizing up quickly and considerably in some areas, although fruit set appeared lighter than normal for this time of year. Maine growers report that strawberries were in poor condition and apples were in very poor condition for this time of year. In the other New England states, apples ranged from good to fair condition, while strawberries were in good condition. Some strawberries grown under floating row cover were ready for picking this past week, while other strawberries should be ready for harvest within the next week or two. Wet weather caused spotty pollination of apple trees in some areas of New England, but pollination of Maine wild blueberries looked good. Bees were removed from wild blueberry fields in midcoast Maine this week. VEGETABLES: Growers across New England spent the week trying to catch up with transplanting and direct seeding. Harvesting of early season vegetables, including asparagus, lettuce, radishes, summer squash, and spinach, continued while peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and pumpkins were planted in between rain showers. Sweet corn was tasseling, but growing slowly in many areas due to the cool, wet conditions. Maine sweet corn was reported to be in very poor condition for this time of year, while in other New England states, sweet corn ranged from good to fair condition. Growers were also busy side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating weeds, scouting for pests, and spraying as needed. Flower sales continued to be strong at local farm stands. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2005 2004 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- --Percent Emerged -- Potatoes Maine 55 55 65 Good/Fair Mass. 95 100 100 Good Rhode Isl. 100 100 100 Good Barley, ME 85 100 100 Good/Excellent Oats, ME 85 100 100 Good/Excellent Silage Corn 75 90 80 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 65 80 70 Good/Fair -- Percent Planted -- Oats,ME 99 100 100 Good/Excellent Barley,ME 99 100 100 Good/Excellent Potatoes 95 100 100 Good/Fair Silage Corn 95 95 90 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 80 90 85 Good/Fair Tobacco Broadleaf 85 90 75 Good -- Percent Harvested -- Dry hay, 40 60 45 Good/Fair 1st cut ---------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage Fruit Set Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples PF Avg Good/Fair Peaches PF Avg/Below Good/Fair Pears PF Avg Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush PF Avg Good/Excel Wild, ME PF Above/Avg Good/Excel Cranberries,MA Bud/EB Avg Good/Fair Strawberries PF Avg Good/Poor ----------------------------------------------------- EB - Early Bloom, PF- Petal Fall -- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, June 19,2005 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 36 91 58 -5 0.84 3.71 NH 35 98 62 -1 0.94 4.91 VT 41 92 64 +1 1.35 4.20 MA 45 93 65 +0 0.02 1.83 RI 49 93 66 +1 0.33 0.75 CT 50 94 68 +2 0.11 1.38 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday June 13, 2005 To: Sunday June 19, 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 85 58 -7 301 -154 115 +20 Allagash 41 88 56 -5 226 -16 75 +56 Augusta_State_A 45 87 59 -6 345 -72 127 +48 Bangor_Intl_Arp 46 91 60 -5 366 +11 120 +65 Barnard 41 88 56 -6 279 -7 105 +74 Bath 46 88 58 -6 272 -77 87 +33 Bethel 43 81 61 -3 323 -47 112 +51 Brassua_Dam 41 83 56 -4 223 +13 83 +72 Brunswick_ME 45 88 57 -7 250 -99 74 +20 Caribou_Municip 45 85 57 -4 280 +2 93 +62 Corinna 45 89 59 -5 317 -34 112 +60 Danforth 43 84 57 -7 253 -57 85 +42 Dover-Foxcroft 41 84 55 -7 235 -51 81 +50 Durham 46 89 59 -7 308 -133 115 +23 East_Hiram 46 85 59 -4 328 -41 126 +66 Eustis 41 85 57 -3 247 +33 90 +80 Frenchville 44 81 55 -6 266 +24 93 +74 Gray 46 89 59 -5 354 +19 138 +95 Greenville_ME 40 82 55 -6 261 -37 99 +65 Guilford 40 90 57 -5 245 -41 96 +65 Hollis 46 87 60 -4 322 -6 121 +79 Houlton 38 84 56 -5 283 -2 90 +57 Kennebunkport 47 90 57 -9 279 -206 93 -12 Livermore_Falls 46 85 59 -3 320 +29 123 +90 Moosehead 40 86 55 -5 216 +6 75 +64 New_Sharon 44 88 58 -4 293 +2 112 +79 Patten 43 87 56 -6 230 -55 76 +43 Portage 44 86 57 -5 272 -6 99 +68 Portland_ME 48 89 59 -4 326 -9 114 +71 Rangeley 43 84 57 -2 239 +36 89 +81 Sebec_Lake 40 88 57 -5 278 -20 103 +69 Vanceboro 44 81 57 -6 243 -37 74 +45 Waterville 44 87 59 -7 307 -148 110 +15 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 42 87 59 -7 351 -94 132 +36 Benton 46 82 61 -2 350 -24 122 +63 Berlin_AG 47 87 61 -1 357 +1 133 +76 Bethlehem 47 86 62 +0 366 -8 133 +73 Concord 48 90 64 -1 483 +38 187 +91 Diamond_Pond 42 78 56 -3 239 +48 84 +79 First_Conn_Lake 43 81 59 +1 258 +67 81 +76 Greenville 40 98 64 +2 502 +99 198 +127 Keene_AP 48 90 65 -1 488 -60 182 +36 Lakeport 48 88 62 -2 449 +48 164 +87 Marlow 47 89 64 -2 419 -62 171 +61 Mount_Washingto 35 60 49 +6 58 +58 1 +1 North_Conway 48 87 61 -4 368 -36 132 +55 Otter_Brook_Lk 47 89 65 -2 447 -101 172 +26 Plymouth 47 85 62 +0 357 +21 133 +83 Rochester 46 85 60 -6 383 -111 135 +17 Weare 46 86 62 -4 402 -79 146 +36 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 45 89 63 +2 402 +23 154 +90 Bethel 48 88 63 +2 407 +57 154 +96 Burlington_Intl 53 89 67 +2 568 +60 224 +95 East_Haven 48 86 63 +3 363 +95 129 +95 Island_Pond 48 83 61 +2 348 +78 129 +94 Montpelier 49 87 63 +2 447 +78 166 +103 Morrisville_AG 50 86 63 +2 359 +5 131 +71 Mount_Mansfield 41 74 54 -1 182 +78 37 +37 Northfield 49 89 63 +3 396 +84 144 +98 Pownal 53 87 67 +5 485 +99 178 +110 Rochester 49 87 63 +2 414 +64 155 +97 Rutland_AG 52 91 66 +1 453 -105 171 +18 Sunderland 51 89 66 +1 448 -81 167 +34 Sutton 45 84 60 +1 338 +70 129 +95 Townshend_Lake 49 89 64 -2 458 -24 175 +60 Union_Vill_Dam 48 86 61 -5 403 -94 147 +26 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 47 87 64 +1 466 +81 171 +104 Boston/Logan_In 49 90 64 -5 501 -103 178 +20 Greenfield 49 89 66 -2 522 -76 194 +29 New_Bedford 50 88 66 -3 447 -146 132 -15 Otis_AFB 54 93 68 +4 570 +161 202 +128 Plymouth 48 89 64 -2 426 -19 150 +58 Walpole 49 90 66 +1 527 +30 185 +71 West_Medway 49 88 65 -2 477 -20 165 +51 Chicopee/Westov 50 90 68 -2 657 -63 248 +23 Worcester 46 87 64 -1 521 +75 190 +101 Worthington 48 88 64 +2 435 +48 154 +86 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 51 93 68 +2 577 +25 200 +62 Woonsocket 49 91 67 +2 549 +59 195 +94 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 51 88 66 -4 516 -171 180 -34 Bridgeport/Siko 56 92 70 +3 654 +37 206 +30 Hartford/Bradle 52 92 69 +1 705 +25 273 +62 Norfolk 51 84 65 +3 467 +84 162 +97 Norwich 52 94 69 +3 608 +2 229 +65 Thomaston_Dam 53 89 68 +4 572 +64 206 +89 Willimantic 50 90 68 +3 597 +83 212 +94 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 2.64 +1.80 6 23.21 +10.55 55 Allagash 1.97 +1.26 6 13.38 +3.54 48 Augusta_State_A 2.24 +1.47 7 20.55 +7.57 52 Bangor_Intl_Arp 1.76 +0.99 4 14.49 +2.25 38 Barnard 1.97 +1.06 4 22.05 +9.48 54 Bath 2.19 +1.35 6 24.03 +9.89 48 Bethel 3.71 +2.76 7 26.48 +13.37 46 Brassua_Dam 2.40 +1.49 7 16.59 +4.95 52 Brunswick_ME 3.17 +2.33 6 30.28 +16.14 44 Caribou_Municip 1.92 +1.26 6 14.16 +4.37 51 Corinna 2.00 +1.16 5 21.91 +9.34 43 Danforth 2.14 +1.30 7 18.96 +6.92 56 Dover-Foxcroft 1.32 +0.41 5 15.29 +2.72 41 Durham 2.51 +1.61 5 25.28 +11.06 45 East_Hiram 2.00 +1.09 7 25.95 +12.03 54 Eustis 2.16 +1.39 6 17.69 +6.34 49 Frenchville 2.53 +1.82 6 12.27 +2.43 52 Gray 2.83 +2.00 5 26.83 +13.11 48 Greenville_ME 1.69 +0.78 5 17.86 +5.29 52 Guilford 2.52 +1.61 6 21.95 +9.38 50 Hollis 2.79 +1.93 7 27.35 +13.21 55 Houlton 2.12 +1.35 7 14.71 +4.35 54 Kennebunkport 1.49 +0.65 5 24.95 +10.82 46 Livermore_Falls 2.37 +1.39 7 25.32 +11.48 49 Moosehead 2.00 +1.09 6 16.15 +4.51 52 New_Sharon 3.13 +2.15 7 25.07 +11.23 51 Patten 2.37 +1.60 7 20.40 +10.04 55 Portage 1.22 +0.56 7 15.90 +6.11 52 Portland_ME 2.21 +1.38 6 22.85 +9.13 47 Rangeley 2.41 +1.51 7 18.43 +7.94 59 Sebec_Lake 2.16 +1.25 6 22.56 +9.99 53 Vanceboro 2.07 +1.35 7 18.64 +5.92 55 Waterville 2.30 +1.46 7 21.23 +8.57 46 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 1.98 +1.21 7 21.52 +10.65 53 Benton 3.46 +2.55 6 15.84 +4.81 49 Berlin_AG 1.88 +0.90 6 17.03 +4.57 44 Bethlehem 2.93 +1.95 6 14.62 +3.33 55 Concord 2.84 +2.07 7 16.59 +5.72 49 Diamond_Pond 3.50 +2.39 7 19.66 +6.92 64 First_Conn_Lake 3.60 +2.49 5 16.38 +3.64 56 Greenville 0.94 +0.07 4 17.88 +4.58 39 Keene_AP 2.22 +1.38 7 17.06 +4.83 47 Lakeport 2.38 +1.54 7 18.67 +6.38 48 Marlow 2.13 +1.29 6 17.24 +3.20 45 Mount_Washingto 3.57 +1.70 7 32.62 +2.64 65 North_Conway 2.11 +1.17 7 21.56 +7.08 53 Otter_Brook_Lk 1.91 +1.07 7 15.39 +3.16 49 Plymouth 2.79 +1.95 6 17.52 +4.57 42 Rochester 1.57 +0.73 6 22.75 +8.34 44 Weare 1.66 +0.82 7 20.51 +6.47 48 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 1.67 +0.62 7 15.77 -0.04 49 Bethel 2.04 +1.17 6 14.00 +0.25 48 Burlington_Intl 2.81 +1.97 6 10.25 -0.08 44 East_Haven 2.72 +1.70 7 13.42 +1.39 59 Island_Pond 4.16 +3.13 7 14.42 +2.92 57 Montpelier 2.78 +1.94 7 12.78 +2.44 53 Morrisville_AG 1.83 +0.86 6 11.90 -0.43 50 Mount_Mansfield 3.12 +1.52 6 19.14 -1.42 59 Northfield 3.17 +2.47 5 15.02 +4.07 41 Pownal 1.35 +0.30 6 14.43 -1.38 51 Rochester 3.78 +2.91 6 17.67 +3.92 47 Rutland_AG 4.20 +3.36 7 13.25 +2.50 46 Sunderland 2.15 +1.38 7 15.85 +4.59 56 Sutton 3.86 +2.84 6 16.11 +4.08 59 Townshend_Lake 1.80 +1.08 6 15.51 +3.43 52 Union_Vill_Dam 2.60 +1.83 7 15.58 +4.31 52 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 1.76 +0.92 6 20.20 +7.73 54 Boston/Logan_In 0.20 -0.51 2 11.96 -0.70 42 Greenfield 1.00 +0.09 5 14.35 +1.02 46 New_Bedford 1.08 +0.24 3 16.08 +1.66 44 Otis_AFB 0.07 -0.70 2 15.85 +2.49 41 Plymouth 0.68 -0.12 2 18.33 +3.77 39 Walpole 0.42 -0.49 3 16.71 +2.83 41 West_Medway 1.05 +0.14 7 16.38 +2.50 52 Chicopee/Westov 1.31 +0.35 6 12.06 -2.18 52 Worcester 0.60 -0.31 3 15.15 +0.35 43 Worthington 1.39 +0.50 7 15.97 +1.57 54 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 0.51 -0.26 3 13.70 -0.48 39 Woonsocket 0.75 -0.23 6 18.04 +3.30 47 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 1.26 +0.37 4 15.48 +1.31 50 Bridgeport/Siko 0.27 -0.50 1 10.36 -3.35 45 Hartford/Bradle 1.22 +0.33 5 12.03 -2.14 47 Norfolk 0.92 -0.17 4 12.72 -3.58 47 Norwich 0.17 -0.59 2 14.06 -1.68 37 Thomaston_Dam 1.38 +0.41 5 14.14 -1.23 51 Willimantic 0.11 -0.73 4 11.55 -3.09 43 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. 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 2004: 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: A cold, wet week. First cutting of hay has been hard to get, because of the frequent rain showers. Jude Boucher (Ext), Tolland: Scattered showers on Sunday evening and Thursday evening restored soil moisture on some farms, but others haven't seen rain for over three weeks. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London: Field Corn: last of the fields being planted now. Emergence has been excellent since the hot weather warmed soils. Growth is excellent in most places as well. Spraying of total post treatments in glyphosate resistant corn needs to be done in many fields that were planted at least four to six weeks ago. Delaying treatment beyond the 3 to 5 leaf stage, 8-12 inches in height of the crop reduces yield depending on weed pressure in fields. Other than the slow start in May it?s shaping up to be a good year for the crop so far. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Temperatures dropped dramatically, dry conditions a concern, then scattered showers gave crops a boost; hay varies from short and over mature, to cuttings with excellent tonnage and nutrient value, irrigating strawberry crops until showers came, picking about a week behind waiting for more berries to ripen, field corn up to 8" while some fields are just starting to show corn pushing out of the ground. Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Fruit set on peaches looks bad. Strawberries came all at once with the heat spell. Cool weather is back. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Racing to get hay in each day before the thunderstorms move through with short downpours. Corn being scouted for insects. European Corn Borer damage but not fresh. Grubs around the roots of scattered corn plants. Warm weather resulting in healthy plants able to fight damage. Burcucmber emerging with the corn. May need to respray with herbicide. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Brush cutting and other maintenance tasks were the order of business this week. Cold and damp weather brought hay harvesting and other field work to a halt. Thundershowers made PSNTing unwise in some areas as rain flushed nitrogen out of fields. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Producers taking advantage of dry, warm days to finish haying. Final planting of silage corn. Vegetable plants need rain. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: This past week has been discouraging to growers, persistent rain has kept them out of the fields. In many cases potatoes have emerged and growers have been unable to get herbicides on. Also heavy showers have caused numerous wash-outs. Crops have developed slowly due to the low temperatures. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Due to significant rainfall, farmers are just finishing planting for the coming week with more favorable weather predicted. Plants are emerging and crops are growing rapidly. Crops that have been already planted, (oats, barley, etc.) are all emerged. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Heavy rains much of the week. A lot of hay is lodged. Farmers are waiting out the weather to finish planting. Kathy Hopkins (Ext), Somerset: Another Department of Tourism Banner Week! Cold rain for 5 days and standing water in some fields again. Some hay that was down was ruined by heavy thunderstorms and the heavy rain lodged hay that wasn't cut. What a mess! Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberry bloom is finished up. Warmer weather accelerated crop development. Pollination looks very good, had a window with the crop blooming all at once. Midcoast is starting to pull bees out of the field. Mummyberry has occurred, but is spotty. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Water is a good thing. Too much of a good thing is bad! There will be some prevented planting, some failed plantings and some low yields due to skips caused by poor germination. No hay was harvested here last week. Hay quality is dropping. Marcia Hall (FSA), O xford: Last week was another very wet and soggy week. Potato farmers have reported having their crop under water and not being able to spray as needed. They also have reported not being able to cultivate. Other crops that were getting planted were put on hold due to the weather. The wet weather just made things more muddy and left the soils more saturated with moisture. Several hay fields have lodging due to the rains. Animals are enjoying the pastures and some are still waiting to be let out. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Rented bees are being taken off blueberry fields. There was a two week period when they were able to work between showers. Some grass has been cut for green chop, but any hay cut was ruined. Wet weather prevented most farming activities during the week. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Cold, wet weather for the past week. Many silage growers are as much as 2 weeks behind schedule and are having to replant acreage. Crops planted are slow to emerge due to lack of warmth and sun. Strawberry growers are anticipating about 1-2 weeks behind schedule. Potato growers are worried about wet soil conditions, crops rotting in the field, and blight. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Fields are very wet from a week of on and off rain. Pasture forage is very good, but the livestock grazing on the paddocks have done some damage to the wet soils. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Weather changed this week from unseasonably hot to unseasonably cool. Rain fell as the fronts passed through dropping variable amounts of moisture on the county up to 3 inches. The unpredictable weather kept hay cutting down and strawberries seem behind as the pick-your-own stands have not opened yet despite the scheduling of strawberry shortcake events! Corn and hayfields look good overall. Summer officially begins this coming week and the strawberry moon will be full. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Early season harvesting continues in Franklin County. Strawberries, greens and summer/zucchini squash are available at farm stands this week. Heat and scattered showers have helped crops catch up from cool May weather. These scattered showers are delaying the cutting of first-cut hay. Farmers have reported that they were within an hour of baling real nice hay before a 10 minute rain storm turned everything to mulch. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Rain showers throughout the week. Vegetable producers planting peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and pumpkins, and harvesting asparagus, spinach, lettuce and strawberries. Potatoes are flowering and sweet corn is tasseling. Cultivating and side-dressing tobacco continues and crop looks very good. Sweet corn growers scouting fields for European Corn Borer. Gary Guida, Worcester: Summer weather sure ended quickly. Unstable weather made making dry hay a very risky venture. Most farmers cut only parts of their fields even though crop is at peak. Vegetable growers still trying to catch up with transplanting and direct seeding-window of opportunity closing fast. Let's hope for long fall. Flower sales very strong still at local farmstands. Jason Otto (FSA), Bristol: Scattered thundershowers were around this week. Most of the week was good for field work. Silage corn still being planted. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: We just can't catch a break! A week of cold, wet weather put the brakes on any chance at first cutting. Ground is very wet, most will need a few days of dry weather before they can even consider cutting and drying hay. Hay supplies very tight as last year's hay supply is fed out. Crops that are in the field need some sun and some warmth to get any significant growth. Apple pollination looks spotty; despite an apparent lack of bee activity, some orchards have decent pollination. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Hot & muggy, cool & rainy, clear & sunny - a little bit of everything this week. Field corn is growing rapidly; earliest planted fields above knee-high. Sunny weather has enabled some farms to cut grass for hay late in the week. Regrowth on fields harvested for haylage/baylage looks great. Vegetable crops seem to be doing OK; farms stands now offering the first strawberries of the season along with lettuce, high-tunnel tomatoes, and radishes. Very poor fruit set on many orchards, but blueberries so far seem to have great crop. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Lots of rain again, quite heavy at times, making most field work difficult, shutting down hay/haylage activities, difficult for spray applications. Ponding in some low lying corn and hay fields. Early season veggies coming slowly, cooler temps this week. White clover beginning to bloom, good sign to the bee keepers. A great year if you are a mosquito! Looking for sunny weather this week to get dry hay in. Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: The last couple of weeks have given us more rain than we need for a while. We need some dry weather and some heat. First cut hay is behind schedule, some fields still can?t be hayed due to water on the surface, or saturated soil conditions. The corn has had a slow start due to cool temperatures this year. Last week we received over 2 inches of rain in many areas of the county. Flash flooding has occurred, with severe erosion damage on some sties. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Wet weather continues to hamper field work, especially hay harvest. Corn continues to grow slowly but needs some sun. Some fields along major rivers are under water due to rainfall this past week. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit: Growers started to harvest strawberries that were grown under floating row cover. Regular grown strawberries should be ready to be harvested this coming week. Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and apply sprays for pest control, along with mowing orchard floor. Field Crops: Farmers trying to make haylage and baled hay, along with trying to finish planting and weed spraying corn fields. Vegetables: Continuing successive planting of several vegetables and finishing transplanting peppers. Growers continued harvesting early season vegetables such as lettuce and radishes. Growers busy side dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating weeds, scouting for pests and spraying if needed. Insect pest: asparagus beetle, cabbage maggot, seed corn maggot, Colorado potato beetle, cut worms, cucumber, and flea beetle have been seen. Sadie Puglisi (Ext), Merrimack: People are starting to pick strawberries, but later than usual. This dry week coming up will help get hay cut. Corn is a little behind. Hopefully this coming week will help some crops catch up on GDD and growers catch up on planting. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Mixed weather with very hot days, showers, cool nights and hail in some areas with gusty winds. Doing some field works between showers. Haylage being done. Planting vegetable, field corn in dry fields. Some fields are wet. Harvesting lettuce and other early green vegetables. Pick-Your-Own strawberries operation now open. Spraying protective fungicides and insecticides in fruit orchards. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: Cool weather through the week. Grass in pastures and hay fields are doing very well. Farmers busy cutting hay for hay making and haylage making. Sweet corn and corn for silage is growing slowly because of cool weather. Vegetable growers busy weeding their crops, scouting for insect pests and diseases and applying control sprays where necessary. Fruit growers busy thinning fruit in peaches and apples, and applying fungicides and insecticides where needed. Most of the fruit crops doing well. Nurseries, greenhouses and garden centers were complaining of slow business due to cool weather. Growers busy planting fall mums. RHODE ISLAND - Melissa Turrisi: The warm dry weather over the weekend made for great growing conditions. Producers around the state continue to bring in their first cutting hay. Strawberry season is beginning and this year's crop looks good. Vegetable farmers are finally able to finish planting after a cool, wet spring. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Last week was pretty much a bust for most field activities. However, there was a significant amount of manure that was spread on first cut fields. The cold rainy weather put us on the receiving end of about two inches of rain. It didn't do much for corn or vegetables but did make the grass grow despite the lack of sun. By Sunday, folks were back mowing again. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: The weather has turned back to cool and wet. We have had a lot of rain in the past 3 days. Rivers are at full bank and may flood if the rain continues. The weather has put a stop to farm activities. Most farms have at least started first cut haylage and a few have finished. No dry hay has been harvested so far. The forages have headed out so the quality of feed has decreased. I have noticed a lot of muddy areas in fields indicating a surplus of moisture. The corn is doing well. Germination is uniform on all fields I looked at and the stocks are an average of 6" high. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Hot early in week, then wet and cool. No haying during most of the week. Very wet, lodged hay, no flooding. Some people spreading manure. George Cook (Ext), Lamoille: 5 days of rain, bringing 2.2 inches needed precipitation. Now, need sun to go with it. 1st cut 1/2 in, looks good. 2nd cut coming along well. Terence Bradshaw, Univ of Vermont: Hot weather following petal fall allowed for fast development of plum curculio. In most orchards in the state, egg laying by this insect should be completed. Codling moth is active. Primary scab ascospore development should be complete by now. Unpredictable rains and high winds in the past week made spray timing difficult, with good weather for application finally arriving over the June 18-19 weekend. Fruit set appears moderate if a bit light. Thinning sprays at petal fall were affected by hot post-application weather and some over thinning may have occurred. Fruit are sizing up quickly and considerably, with McIntosh fruits in South Burlington approaching one inch in diameter. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Strawberries are ready in Windham with PYO starting this week. But back at the hay fields is another story with rain everyday, quality is going down with each passing day. Sweet corn has started to tassel and looks good. Some field corn is knee high but farmers are having trouble with late season weeds with all the rain. trouble with late season weeds with all the rain. 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 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 ***********************