new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date For week ending 05/13/01 Issue NH-CW1901 Volume 21, Number 2 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) May 14, 2001 - 4 pm Agricultural Summary For the week ending May 13, 2001, there were 6.7 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 26% very short, 40% short, 32% adequate, 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 12% very short, 30% short, 57% adequate, 1% surplus. Pasture condition was rated as 1% very poor, 19% poor, 46% fair, 30% good, 4% excellent. Major farm activities included: planting row crops and vegetables, spreading manure, prepping seed beds for planting, applying fertilizer and lime, plowing, fixing fences, and setting up irrigation systems. Field Crops Report Crops continue to be planted at a fast pace due to the dry weather. Drought is a concern for most areas in New England, so farmers are irrigating where necessary to keep down dust and to aid with seed germination. Warm weather has permitted operators to plant field corn and potatoes, spread manure, apply fertilizer and fix fences. Planting of potatoes in both Maine and Rhode Island was ahead of last year and the 5-year average. Potato planting in Massachusetts was close to last year and equal to the 5-year average. First planted small grains have begun to emerge. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report VEGETABLES: Planting of broccoli, sweet corn, peas, lettuce and cabbage continued, along with some planting of early cucumbers and winter squash. Early week drop in temperatures to below freezing caused some frost damage to sweet corn in southern states. Asparagus currently being harvested. Vegetable growers are irrigating due to dry conditions and high temperatures. Farm stands seem to be doing well so far this year with demand strong for local produce. FRUIT: The extended dry weather has provided good pollinating conditions for most fruit crops this spring. Apples had advanced to the full bloom stage in most areas by week's end, and fruit condition was rated as excellent in the northernmost states. The severe frost which occurred early in the week hit southern states when the fruit trees were at peak bloom, and damage was extensive at some locations. Crop specialists rated fruit set for apples, peaches, and pears in southern New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut from average to below average. Strawberries were starting to grow and irrigating continued on established beds. Fungicide application for mummyberry disease in wild blueberries was active. Winter kill was found on blueberry and raspberry patches at some locations. Cranberry vines looked good as of mid-May, and were developing ahead of schedule. Crop Progress Table FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------------------- --Percent Planted-- 2001 % 2001 Crop 2001 2000 5yr-Avg Emerged Condition --------------------------------------------------------- Potatoes Maine 25 5 20 -- --- Mass 65 70 65 10 Good/Fair Rhode Isl 85 50 60 -- --- Oats, ME 40 15 30 10 --- Barley, ME 45 15 35 10 --- Silage Corn 35 10 15 5 Good/Excellent Sweet Corn 35 25 25 15 Good/Fair Dry Hay -Percent Harvested- First Cut 0 0 0 Fair/Good ------------------------------------------------------ Crop Condition Table FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- Fruit 2001 Crop Stage Set Condition -------------------------------------------------------- Apples Full/Early Blm -- Good Peaches Petal Fall/Full Blm Avg/B.Avg Fair/Good Pears Petal Fall/Full Blm B.Avg/Avg Fair/Poor Strawberries Bud Stage -- Good Cranberries,MA Bud Stage -- Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush Early Blm -- Good/Fair Wild,ME Early Blm -- Good -------------------------------------------------------- Weather Sumary For the Week ending Sunday, May 13, 2001 --------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI -- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 23 87 57 +7 0.00 1.90 NH 21 90 57 +6 0.00 0.75 VT 22 89 57 +6 0.07 1.40 MA 21 90 58 +4 0.00 0.38 RI 26 92 58 +5 0.00 0.00 CT 26 89 59 +3 0.00 0.36 -------------------------------------- Weather Information Table AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 30 84 58 +5 145 +83 37 +37 Allagash 25 82 56 +9 82 +68 10 +10 Augusta_ME 37 83 59 +7 186 +133 64 +64 Bangor 30 83 58 +7 154 +119 48 +48 Barnard 29 84 58 +9 127 +102 30 +30 Bath 28 82 54 +3 127 +95 34 +34 Bethel 29 85 58 +7 149 +109 36 +36 Brassua_Dam 26 82 55 +10 86 +77 9 +9 Brunswick_ME 30 78 55 +4 139 +107 42 +42 Caribou 32 80 59 +11 125 +101 27 +27 Corinna 31 85 58 +8 155 +118 42 +42 Danforth 26 80 56 +7 107 +85 21 +21 Dover-Foxcroft 29 79 56 +7 107 +82 19 +19 Durham 26 83 56 +3 144 +91 42 +42 East_Hiram 28 85 57 +6 141 +101 39 +39 Eustis 28 79 54 +8 82 +70 6 +6 Frenchville 38 79 60 +13 111 +97 26 +26 Gray 38 82 59 +8 187 +155 67 +67 Greenville_ME 30 79 56 +8 110 +79 19 +19 Guilford 25 83 57 +8 123 +98 29 +29 Hollis 28 86 57 +6 153 +123 47 +47 Houlton 27 80 57 +8 117 +93 27 +27 Kennebunkport 23 83 51 -4 139 +72 54 +54 Livermore_Falls 26 87 58 +9 152 +127 48 +48 Moosehead 25 81 55 +10 89 +80 12 +12 New_Sharon 32 86 59 +10 173 +148 59 +59 Patten 27 78 56 +7 94 +70 16 +16 Portage 33 82 59 +11 132 +108 38 +38 Portland_ME 31 77 55 +4 157 +125 49 +49 Rangeley 25 82 53 +8 73 +62 3 +3 Sebec_Lake 26 82 56 +7 119 +88 29 +29 Vanceboro 29 77 56 +8 103 +84 20 +20 Waterville 32 83 59 +6 147 +85 37 +37 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 28 90 60 +8 195 +131 68 +66 Benton 33 82 58 +7 150 +93 34 +31 Berlin_AG 32 82 58 +8 139 +94 27 +27 Bethlehem 28 80 56 +5 125 +70 24 +21 Concord 26 88 58 +6 207 +143 73 +71 Diamond_Pond 28 80 55 +9 96 +82 20 +20 First_Conn_Lake 27 79 53 +8 68 +54 1 +1 Greenville 24 88 58 +6 173 +113 51 +49 Keene_AP 28 84 58 +3 196 +100 64 +54 Lakeport 32 86 60 +9 183 +133 54 +54 Marlow 24 86 56 +3 136 +59 35 +28 Mt_Washington 21 57 42 +10 2 +2 0 +0 North_Conway 29 88 60 +9 194 +143 69 +69 Otter_Brook_Lk 29 85 58 +3 170 +74 48 +38 Plymouth 27 85 56 +6 148 +113 36 +36 Rochester 25 89 59 +6 211 +134 91 +86 Weare 28 83 58 +4 178 +101 58 +51 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 24 84 55 +4 109 +54 21 +18 Bethel 26 89 57 +6 139 +92 35 +35 Burlington_VT 40 85 61 +8 224 +138 79 +69 East_Haven 22 82 54 +6 103 +77 16 +16 Island_Pond 31 81 55 +7 98 +68 17 +17 Montpelier 32 82 57 +6 148 +94 38 +36 Morrisville_AG 26 82 53 +2 86 +39 15 +15 Mount_Mansfield 26 68 51 +9 71 +64 4 +4 Northfield 29 85 56 +8 132 +94 26 +26 Pownal 32 82 58 +7 184 +125 54 +49 Rochester 29 80 56 +6 127 +80 21 +21 Rutland_AG 31 82 57 +2 150 +41 33 +19 Sunderland 27 82 55 +0 130 +25 24 +13 Sutton 33 83 58 +10 121 +95 30 +30 Townshend_Lake 28 84 57 +4 155 +78 39 +32 Union_Vill_Dam 28 83 57 +4 146 +66 30 +23 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 34 85 59 +7 205 +157 73 +73 Boston 38 88 61 +5 285 +173 118 +117 Greenfield 28 89 59 +4 214 +102 75 +67 New_Bedford 29 86 56 +1 200 +85 67 +65 Otis_AFB 30 86 56 +4 172 +122 63 +63 Plymouth 26 87 56 +4 191 +134 60 +60 Walpole 28 90 60 +6 263 +182 110 +109 West_Medway 25 90 60 +6 257 +176 103 +102 Westover 28 88 60 +3 281 +115 109 +92 Worcester 35 86 61 +8 257 +191 101 +101 Worthington 22 82 56 +5 181 +126 59 +59 RHODE ISLAND Providence 33 90 60 +6 267 +173 108 +108 Woonsocket 26 92 60 +7 258 +181 106 +106 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 26 87 57 -1 214 +61 80 +63 Bridgeport 38 84 60 +5 263 +141 88 +78 Hartford_AP 28 89 60 +3 295 +150 115 +99 Norfolk 27 83 58 +6 211 +160 76 +76 Norwich 31 89 59 +3 252 +126 88 +77 Thomaston_Dam 28 88 58 +4 218 +126 77 +71 Willimantic 28 89 60 +6 278 +189 103 +98 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.08 -0.76 1 0.20 -3.13 3 Allagash 0.52 -0.18 1 0.74 -1.90 3 Augusta_ME 0.08 -0.80 1 0.20 -3.40 5 Bangor 0.00 -0.84 0 0.19 -2.99 5 Barnard 0.22 -0.59 1 0.42 -2.91 4 Bath 0.01 -0.83 1 0.28 -3.33 6 Bethel 0.25 -0.54 1 0.30 -3.01 2 Brassua_Dam 0.66 -0.11 1 0.86 -2.15 4 Brunswick_ME 0.04 -0.80 1 0.36 -3.25 6 Caribou 0.04 -0.66 1 0.17 -2.35 4 Corinna 0.15 -0.65 1 0.37 -2.95 3 Danforth 0.00 -0.84 0 0.63 -2.63 4 Dover-Foxcroft 0.20 -0.61 1 0.37 -2.96 4 Durham 0.17 -0.67 1 0.36 -3.17 5 East_Hiram 0.16 -0.70 1 0.39 -3.22 6 Eustis 1.90 +1.20 2 2.03 -0.84 4 Frenchville 0.07 -0.63 1 0.40 -2.24 5 Gray 0.13 -0.71 1 0.29 -3.35 3 Greenville_ME 0.24 -0.57 1 0.46 -2.87 5 Guilford 0.11 -0.70 1 0.39 -2.94 4 Hollis 0.14 -0.72 1 0.25 -3.51 4 Houlton 0.00 -0.76 0 0.08 -2.67 3 Kennebunkport 0.18 -0.73 1 0.54 -3.23 5 Livermore_Fall 0.36 -0.48 1 0.43 -3.09 4 Moosehead 0.69 -0.08 1 0.84 -2.17 4 New_Sharon 0.35 -0.49 1 0.41 -3.11 2 Patten 0.11 -0.65 1 0.17 -2.58 3 Portage 0.07 -0.63 1 0.30 -2.22 4 Portland_ME 0.01 -0.83 1 0.15 -3.49 3 Rangeley 0.23 -0.47 1 0.38 -2.17 4 Sebec_Lake 0.12 -0.69 1 0.57 -2.76 4 Vanceboro 0.13 -0.71 2 1.29 -2.07 6 Waterville 0.01 -0.83 1 0.13 -3.20 2 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.20 -0.50 1 0.49 -2.31 4 Benton 0.55 -0.20 1 0.75 -2.04 4 Berlin_AG 0.16 -0.61 1 0.26 -2.95 4 Bethlehem 0.59 -0.11 1 0.74 -2.06 4 Concord 0.03 -0.67 1 0.18 -2.62 3 Diamond_Pond 0.62 -0.22 1 1.12 -2.00 4 First_Conn_Lak 0.50 -0.34 1 0.94 -2.18 5 Greenville 0.02 -0.82 1 0.02 -3.34 1 Keene_AP 0.00 -0.84 0 0.99 -2.22 2 Lakeport 0.18 -0.59 1 0.29 -2.82 3 Marlow 0.11 -0.82 1 0.17 -3.49 2 Mt_Washington 0.59 -1.09 1 1.51 -5.61 5 North_Conway 0.31 -0.60 1 0.36 -3.42 3 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.18 -0.66 1 0.42 -2.79 5 Plymouth 0.24 -0.67 1 0.29 -3.08 2 Rochester 0.11 -0.80 1 0.56 -3.31 5 Weare 0.03 -0.90 1 0.10 -3.56 3 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.18 -0.81 1 0.22 -3.91 2 Bethel 0.10 -0.88 1 0.19 -3.59 4 Burlington_VT 0.78 +0.08 1 1.00 -1.71 3 East_Haven 0.12 -0.65 1 0.36 -2.55 3 Island_Pond 0.80 +0.02 1 1.06 -1.77 4 Montpelier 0.17 -0.53 1 0.22 -2.30 4 Morrisville_AG 0.76 -0.01 1 0.89 -2.19 3 Mount_Mansfiel 1.40 +0.21 2 1.97 -3.07 5 Northfield 0.15 -0.62 1 0.30 -2.65 3 Pownal 0.21 -0.78 1 0.26 -3.87 2 Rochester 0.12 -0.86 1 0.25 -3.53 4 Rutland_AG 0.25 -0.52 1 0.52 -2.29 4 Sunderland 0.39 -0.38 1 0.55 -2.39 3 Sutton 0.77 +0.00 1 1.11 -1.80 3 Townshend_Lake 0.19 -0.65 1 0.24 -2.93 2 Union_Vill_Dam 0.31 -0.46 1 0.47 -2.49 5 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.05 -0.72 1 0.12 -3.05 3 Boston 0.00 -0.77 0 0.16 -3.07 4 Greenfield 0.00 -0.84 0 0.02 -3.43 1 New_Bedford 0.00 -0.84 0 0.37 -3.22 3 Otis_AFB 0.00 -0.84 0 0.72 -2.83 4 Plymouth 0.00 -0.91 0 0.92 -2.95 4 Walpole 0.00 -0.77 0 0.23 -3.35 2 West_Medway 0.00 -0.77 0 0.16 -3.42 1 Westover 0.09 -0.82 1 0.17 -3.47 4 Worcester 0.20 -0.78 1 0.24 -3.54 2 Worthington 0.00 -1.05 0 0.07 -4.00 2 RHODE ISLAND Providence 0.00 -0.85 0 0.13 -3.52 4 Woonsocket 0.00 -0.91 0 0.18 -3.66 3 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.36 -0.56 1 0.50 -3.15 3 Bridgeport 0.04 -0.87 1 0.31 -3.33 3 Hartford_AP 0.28 -0.64 1 0.41 -3.24 4 Norfolk 0.11 -0.90 1 0.25 -3.91 3 Norwich 0.01 -1.04 1 0.34 -3.92 4 Thomaston_Dam 0.06 -0.98 1 0.17 -3.93 3 Willimantic 0.00 -0.98 0 0.10 -3.82 2 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. Other Agricultural Comments and News CONNECTICUT - Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Most fruit crops were in a bountiful full bloom thoroughly enjoying the warm sunny days, then mother nature decided to shock everyone with a big drop in temperatures down as low as 22 degrees, with a freeze one night followed by a frost the next. Will fruits make it, wait and see what the set ends up! Does not look good right now with black centers in many blossoms. Fresh asparagus being harvested and marketed, bedding plants and nursery crops selling well. Field crops continue to go in with only man-made delays. Ah, the smell of a farming community, what delight compares with the hefty aroma of chicken manure wafting through the air. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Cultivation, rock picking on vegetable land. Nancy Welsh/Karen Lockman (FSA) New Haven: Weather conditions have been bad. On Monday and Tuesday a full moon and cool weather created a heavy frost. This in turn has created heavy fruit damage to apples, pears, peaches, and strawberries. Blueberries and raspberries appear to have been damaged as well. Farmers have stopped planting due to the severe dry weather conditions. Herbicides are also ineffective. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes: Most growers got into the fields and began planting this week. Extremely dry field conditions are making the planting process move along very rapidly. Some first planted small grains have emerged. Some areas still have frost left in the ground which is causing some concern. Erin Chadbourne (Ext), Aroostook: Potato planting is in full swing. Central Aroostook county could use some rain. Frost pockets are giving some growers problems, but other than that, the planting season has been tolerable and manageable. Barley and oats are being planted, too. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: It has been very dry. Able to work all of last week. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Manure is mostly spread. Lack of rain allowing manure that is top- dressed to lose nitrogen into the atmosphere. Farmers are tilling; ready for corn and potato planting. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: Manure spreading and tillage are the main farm activities this past week. Some farmers have been able to get some corn planted. Pastures and hayfields have started greening up. Jennifer Zweig (FSA), Somerset: Plowing and fertilizing have started. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Dry weather continues. Crop planting/manure spreading and tillage operations are in full force - with dusty dry conditions. Apples will be in full bloom soon. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Bees have been put out on blueberry fields. Some burning continues. Row crops being planted. Lack of rain affecting pastures. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild Blueberries: Fields being pruned by burning and mowing. Pre-emergence herbicide application being made to non-bearing fields. Fungicide applications being made for mummyberry disease. Insecticide applications being made for spanworm larvae. Fields extremely dry. Development normal. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: Fixing pasture fences and getting machinery ready to go. Fertilizing and tilling underway. Trees are starting to bud. Need rain, its too dry! Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: All manner of spring activities happening at a furious pace, weather has been perfect for all outdoor work, however it is starting to dry out, we need rain. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: We have had only one good shower in a month. We need some rain. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Producers are busy spreading manure, tilling, spreading fertilizer and lime, and planting. Busy, busy, busy. The week's warm weather activities helped in warming the soil for planting. Bedding plants are out in full array. Need rain. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Field preparation for planting all crops (sweet corn, field corn, vegetables and strawberries), as well as liming and fertilizing. Ground is very dry all over the county. Many previous wet areas are now very dry, planting right across wet lands. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Conditions continue to be very dry. Many vegetable growers are irrigating after planting. Cranberry growers are getting ready to drop late water from their bogs, those that did not hold late water are irrigating for frost protection. Shellfish growers are preparing to plant seed. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Sunny and dry, with two frost nights and negligible rainfall on Saturday and Sunday in most of the area. Vines continue to develop ahead of schedule. Later varieties have lost most of their winter color. Early varieties are pushing new growth from the buds. Weeds are beginning to show their ugly presence. Growers are less in evidence, as many are working other jobs. Scouting has begun, with some of the early-season Lepidopteran larvae feeding already. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Weather extremes have affected crop conditions in Franklin County. Frosts Monday and Tuesday followed by 90 degree weather. Many fruit farms have reported at least some frost damage. Asparagus growers have been irrigating their acreage to sustain this year's crop. These dry conditions have been compounded by very dry and windy weather. Most farms are planting forage crops and early vegetables. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Hot and very dry week with a killing frost at the beginning of the week. Some growers reported morning temperatures in the high teens to mid 20's which caused serious freeze damage to apples, peaches, and asparagus spears. Planting of field and sweet corn and potatoes is moving very rapidly along because of the dry conditions. Sweet corn under plastic is six inches tall. Some planting of early cucumbers and winter squash. Many growers are irrigating their early crops because it is so dry. Harvesting asparagus and fiddleheads. Gary Guida, Worcester: Finally some rain after five weeks! Laying plastic, planting corn and harrowing fields are principal farm activities . Farm stands having busy weekend with very strong demand for hanging baskets, perennial and annual flowers . People this year so far, have strong desire to support local farm operations in lieu of large chain stores . NEW HAMPSHIRE - Bruce Clement (Ext), Cheshire: Warm weather has really brought on the bloom. Little spacing between different species. Seems like everything is in bloom at the same time - very unusual. Dry conditions prevail. Grass is green but growing slowly. Manure spreading, seeding, corn planting and vegetable planting all progressing well. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Rain this weekend, heavy at times, breaks long stretch of dry weather. Field conditions helped by dry weather spell allow for much ground preparation, including manure spreading. Some corn now being planted throughout county. Cows being pastured. Mulching, cleaning out, fertilization around blueberries. Frost Sunday night. Still experiencing cool evenings at times. Apple, Blueberry blossoms unopened. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Very dry conditions have farmers concerned, many farmers having to irrigate planted crops. Hard Frost on the morning of May 7, did severe damage to apple blossoms in southern part of the county and southern New Hampshire. This was followed by light frost conditions the next two days. Some strawberry growers had to irrigate for frost protection. Fruits: Apples and pears are at petal fall. All peaches are well past petal fall. Starting to move bees out of orchards. Blueberries are blooming and strawberries starting to bud and show signs of blooming. Fruit growers applying sprays for pest control. Continue to see blueberry and raspberry patches showing signs of winter kill. Damage from root weevils is showing up in some strawberry fields. Field Crops: Planting and weed spraying corn fields. Fertilizing hayfields. Vegetables: Plowing, disking, and fertilizing fields and planting vegetables. Laying down plastic and drip irrigation. Regular plantings of sweet corn germinated. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Liming and fertilizing hay fields; spreading manure, disking, plowing and fertilizing corn fields. Planting early vegetables. Seeding new pastures and hayfields. We had very little rain on Saturday and very strong winds. A soaking rain is badly needed. Apple and peach orchards were hit by two frosts on two consecutive nights, killing blossoms. RHODE ISLAND -Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: The lack of rain continues to be of concern. Frost hit blueberries, corn and strawberries. Potatoes are pretty close to planted, if not completed. Some early haying being done and fields being prepared for field corn. Roadside stands were doing a booming business, encouraged by the weather and Mother's Day. Cole crops doing well, but everything could use a drink. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: The three-day heat wave brought all varieties of fruit bearers into a lush and full bloom simultaneously. Overnight on Monday and Tuesday, the state was hit with freezing temperatures in the 20s for several hours. Fruit producers are phoning in, describing devastating damage. Some with loss estimates of 90%. Also reported lost in the freeze were sweet corn, bedding plants, cabbage, cauliflower and hay. Animal operations are spreading manure. Potato planting continues. The ground is very dry. We're beginning to hear concerns about seed germination. Is there enough moisture in the ground? VERMONT - John St. Onge (FSA), Lamoille: Conditions have been ideal and farmers have been very busy planting corn, spreading manure, seeding fields, and fixing fence. Rain on the weekend should help with grass growth. Bill Snow (Ext), Orange: Continue spreading of manure, fertilizer, cornland plowing and disking and planting by larger farm acreages. Concern about lack of rain, only a tenth of an inch fell on Saturday. Larry Hamel (NRCS), Orleans: Excellent spring weather working conditions in Orleans County this week. Corn silage plantings are taking place. A lot of fence repair due to heavy snow, especially along roads. Manure being spread along with fertilizers over hay fields and corn fields. Nice and warm (but dry conditions) for spring plantings. Good rain on Saturday, in the evening. This should give the grassland farmers some encouragement because conditions were becoming too dry. Trees have pretty well leafed out except for Oaks, Ash and Butternut. Seems too early! Lynette Hamilton (FSA), Windham: We had very little rain over the weekend in southern Vermont. Alfalfa is starting to show lack of rain. Hay fields have stopped growing and are turning brown from lack of moisture. There are no pastures growing. A lot of corn has been planted but without rain there will be no germination. Apple trees and other fruit trees are doing great. Bees should be working their magic with the dry weather. Veggie farmers are using a lot of irrigation in order to get their crops started. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Continued planting corn and newly seeded hay crops. Fertilizing hay fields, some manure spread. Corn spraying. Pasture coming along fine with first grazing done. Short soil moisture, little rain on Saturday. Richard Noell (FSA), Grand Isle/Franklin: Seedings came out of the ground beginning of week, corn and soybean came towards the end of the week on early planted fields! First crop hay may be short, but quality should be high if weather cooperates! Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Another very warm (mid-80's) week of spring. Top soil is very dry. Spring's work coming along well: fencing, spreading manure, forage crops seedings, preparing corn ground, and some corn planted. Some animals out on pasture, but there is not a lot of feed there yet. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Early corn still being planted at intervals to keep crops coming. Late peas also being planted. First planting of early vegetables in ground. New bed of strawberries went in this week. Started cutting asparagus May 8. First planting of early sweet corn is up with good germination, also early peas came up well. Has been drier than a cork all week. Surface soil has very little moisture. No rain to report this week. Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS),or other knowledgeable individuals. Contact Information To receive this report every Monday evening, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type subscribe usda-new-eng-crop-weather Statisticians: Emily McAllister, Robin Helrich 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 ***********************