State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 07/13/03 Issue NH-CW2803 Volume 23, Number 12 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) July 14, 2003 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary -- MOST CROPS NEED RAIN For the week ending July 13, 2003, there were 5.8 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 9% very short, 25% short, 62% adequate, 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 9% very short, 23% short, 67% adequate, 1% surplus. Pasture condition was rated as 0% very poor, 7% poor, 46% fair, 40% good, 7% excellent. Mixed rain and sunshine, along with average temperatures, helped speed up crop growth. Areas that have not received much rain need relief soon; growers are irrigating their crops. Major farm activities included: planting sweet corn and field corn; finishing transplanting broadleaf tobacco; cutting haylage and making dry hay; harvesting highbush blueberries, strawberries and vegetables; spreading manure; mowing; cultivating; hilling potatoes; irrigating; top-dressing and side-dressing fields with fertilizer; monitoring fields; applying herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ----------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 9 12 7 Short 25 25 21 Adequate 62 59 62 Surplus 4 4 10 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 9 11 7 Short 23 22 20 Adequate 67 65 70 Surplus 1 2 3 ----------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report -- Mostly dry weather last week allowed for the making of hay in areas of low humidity and sunshine. Hay drying in other areas was limited by small rain showers. The condition of second crop hay worsened slightly because of the general lack of rain. Field corn leaves continued to curl in some locations due to a lack of moisture, while turning yellow in other locations due to too much moisture. Large infestations of European corn borers have been reported in potato fields in Aroostook County, Maine; growers sprayed for control. Despite pest problems, potatoes were rated in excellent to good condition in Maine and good elsewhere. Growers finished transplanting broadleaf tobacco in Connecticut last week. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report -- FRUIT: Tree fruit size was rated average across the region, with good to fair crop conditions reported. Rain was needed in most areas to aid crop growth and development. Orchardists continued to mow and apply fungicides, as well as gear up for harvest. Strawberry harvest progressed at full speed, reaching 85 percent complete by the week's end. Wild blueberry growers sprayed for fruit flies in Maine fields. The pollination of cranberries in Massachusetts continued last week amidst fungicide applications. Applications for fruitworm were also made, as above average infestations are expected this year. VEGETABLES: Growers harvested beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, lettuce, peas, radishes, summer squash, hothouse tomatoes and zucchini last week. Irrigation took place in areas where minimal rain was received. Weeding and cultivating continued. Farmers were winding down on sweet corn planting and getting ready for harvest. -- Crop Progress Tables -- FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ------------------------------------------------------- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition ------------------------------------------------------- -- % Harvested -- Barley, ME -- -- -- Excellent/Good Oats, ME -- -- -- Excellent/Good Potatoes Maine -- -- -- Excellent/Good Mass -- -- -- Good Rhode Isl -- -- -- Good Silage Corn -- -- -- Good/Fair Sweet Corn -- <5 5 Good/Fair Tobacco Shade -- 5 5 Fair/Good Broadleaf -- -- -- Fair/Good Dry Hay First Cut 80 85 85 Good/Fair Second Cut 10 25 25 Good/Fair -- % Emerged -- Silage Corn 90 99 99 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 95 95 95 Good/Fair --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------- -- % Harvested -- Crop 2003 2002 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------------- Apples -- -- -- Good/Fair Peaches -- -- -- Good/Fair Pears -- -- -- Good/Fair Blueberries Highbush 5 5 10 Good/Fair Wild, ME -- -- -- Good Cranberries,MA -- -- -- Good Strawberries 85 85 90 Good/Fair ---------------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary -- For the week ending Sunday, July 13, 2003 -------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 39 91 65 -3 0.00 1.75 NH 35 96 66 -1 0.13 1.81 VT 40 91 67 +0 0.51 1.82 MA 51 93 71 +1 0.04 1.63 RI 55 92 73 +3 0.01 1.01 CT 51 93 71 +0 0.00 1.52 -------------------------------------------- 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 July 7, 2003 To: Sunday July 13, 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 44 84 65 -5 732 -160 234 -52 Allagash 39 81 61 -5 514 -48 158 +49 Augusta_State_A 52 87 68 -2 852 +9 319 +58 Bangor_Intl_Arp 48 87 67 -2 826 +78 300 +95 Barnard 46 83 64 -3 679 +41 217 +69 Bath 47 91 67 -2 710 -40 227 +17 Bethel 46 87 66 -3 760 -4 267 +56 Brassua_Dam 43 78 62 -3 573 +63 185 +91 Brunswick_ME 51 91 69 +2 780 +30 277 +67 Caribou_Municip 48 78 63 -3 682 +70 237 +101 Corinna 49 87 66 -3 765 +29 268 +73 Danforth 42 83 64 -4 688 -8 240 +55 Dover-Foxcroft 45 87 63 -4 588 -50 182 +34 Durham 47 90 67 -5 689 -206 262 -37 East_Hiram 46 89 67 -2 739 -23 255 +45 Eustis 43 81 61 -4 545 +36 164 +80 Frenchville 49 75 62 -4 632 +70 212 +103 Gray 50 89 68 -1 856 +124 322 +127 Greenville_ME 48 78 63 -5 650 +1 212 +61 Guilford 43 87 62 -5 556 -82 185 +37 Hollis 45 91 67 -1 771 +61 265 +83 Houlton 40 82 63 -3 702 +72 237 +91 Kennebunkport 50 89 66 -6 735 -215 227 -100 Livermore_Falls 43 90 66 +0 773 +136 287 +144 Moosehead 43 81 62 -3 547 +37 162 +68 New_Sharon 47 87 66 +1 756 +119 279 +136 Patten 49 84 64 -3 658 +28 214 +68 Portage 47 80 63 -2 707 +95 251 +115 Portland_ME 50 89 68 +0 809 +77 280 +85 Rangeley 44 83 62 -2 553 +71 162 +87 Sebec_Lake 44 83 64 -3 664 +15 213 +62 Vanceboro 45 83 64 -3 669 +32 221 +73 Waterville 50 85 67 -3 777 -115 267 -19 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 52 94 69 -1 856 -15 315 +38 Benton 46 85 65 -1 744 +15 247 +72 Berlin_AG 46 84 65 -2 773 +47 263 +77 Bethlehem 44 85 65 -2 693 -36 210 +33 Concord 48 93 70 +2 967 +96 377 +100 Diamond_Pond 42 77 61 -2 519 +69 152 +96 First_Conn_Lake 40 79 62 -2 522 +72 137 +81 Greenville 50 96 67 -1 688 -100 242 +27 Keene_AP 55 90 70 -2 949 -59 341 -22 Lakeport 54 90 70 +2 959 +145 381 +135 Marlow 46 84 64 -5 659 -245 210 -78 Mount_Washingto 35 62 49 +2 98 +85 6 +6 North_Conway 47 89 68 +0 884 +74 345 +104 Otter_Brook_Lk 52 89 69 -2 853 -155 299 -64 Plymouth 45 88 66 -1 736 +33 254 +76 Rochester 52 90 69 -2 852 -85 314 -4 Weare 52 89 69 -1 862 -42 295 +7 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 51 88 68 +1 762 +11 255 +59 Bethel 45 88 67 +1 879 +173 305 +124 Burlington_Intl 51 90 71 +1 1080 +123 414 +79 East_Haven 40 88 65 +1 716 +134 215 +89 Island_Pond 43 83 64 +1 697 +121 211 +96 Montpelier 45 84 66 -2 755 +19 237 +41 Morrisville_AG 46 89 68 +2 810 +87 270 +76 Mount_Mansfield 45 70 58 -1 375 +98 94 +74 Northfield 47 87 66 +1 777 +123 248 +90 Pownal 51 88 67 -1 802 +45 231 +29 Rochester 46 85 65 -2 765 +59 242 +61 Rutland_AG 50 86 67 -4 854 -154 291 -68 Sunderland 53 85 67 -4 752 -217 209 -122 Sutton 49 83 65 +0 709 +127 216 +90 Townshend_Lake 55 89 68 -2 850 -76 290 -22 Union_Vill_Dam 46 91 68 -2 840 -100 306 -13 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 53 90 70 +3 904 +123 325 +104 Boston/Logan_In 59 93 73 +0 1090 -32 443 +10 Greenfield 56 89 70 -2 1004 -83 362 -50 New_Bedford 53 90 73 -1 928 -177 330 -82 Otis_AFB 57 90 74 +4 888 +39 319 +54 Plymouth 55 89 72 +3 901 +1 316 +15 Walpole 56 91 73 +3 1015 +59 394 +66 West_Medway 54 92 72 +2 1024 +68 389 +61 Chicopee/Westov 57 91 72 -2 1056 -201 394 -125 Worcester 58 87 70 +2 953 +76 344 +67 Worthington 51 85 66 -1 767 +3 230 +26 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 57 90 74 +2 1064 +10 404 +11 Woonsocket 55 92 73 +4 984 +46 368 +62 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 51 85 67 -7 835 -381 254 -246 Bridgeport/Siko 63 90 74 +1 1093 -40 425 -23 Hartford/Bradle 58 91 73 -2 1181 -28 465 -32 Norfolk 51 83 66 -1 798 +33 239 +32 Norwich 59 93 74 +3 1063 -30 409 +2 Thomaston_Dam 54 90 71 +2 1050 +104 385 +73 Willimantic 56 90 73 +3 1044 +87 392 +74 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.56 -0.21 2 1.89 -1.31 10 Allagash 0.35 -0.49 2 1.90 -1.24 11 Augusta_State_A 0.38 -0.32 2 0.70 -2.28 8 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.27 -0.50 1 0.46 -2.62 5 Barnard 0.99 +0.15 3 1.68 -1.73 13 Bath 0.27 -0.42 2 1.27 -1.79 8 Bethel 1.13 +0.33 4 1.20 -2.27 6 Brassua_Dam 0.76 -0.15 3 2.01 -1.69 12 Brunswick_ME 0.55 -0.14 3 1.63 -1.43 10 Caribou_Municip 0.75 -0.13 3 3.52 +0.41 15 Corinna 0.72 -0.05 3 1.48 -1.73 8 Danforth 0.77 -0.10 3 2.31 -1.13 13 Dover-Foxcroft 0.60 -0.24 3 1.98 -1.43 10 Durham 0.40 -0.37 2 1.43 -1.87 9 East_Hiram 0.97 +0.13 3 1.33 -2.10 8 Eustis 0.95 +0.11 4 2.31 -0.95 11 Frenchville 0.69 -0.15 3 2.60 -0.54 12 Gray 0.33 -0.37 2 1.50 -1.54 8 Greenville_ME 0.19 -0.65 3 2.28 -1.13 9 Guilford 0.95 +0.11 6 2.30 -1.11 15 Hollis 0.31 -0.46 1 1.17 -2.08 7 Houlton 0.54 -0.30 3 1.60 -1.58 14 Kennebunkport 0.67 -0.03 3 2.48 -0.63 10 Livermore_Falls 0.83 +0.06 5 1.04 -2.46 10 Moosehead 0.70 -0.21 3 3.38 -0.32 12 New_Sharon 1.28 +0.51 3 2.59 -0.91 11 Patten 0.52 -0.32 4 1.76 -1.42 14 Portage 1.21 +0.33 3 3.48 +0.37 12 Portland_ME 0.47 -0.23 3 1.18 -1.86 8 Rangeley 1.28 +0.51 5 1.69 -1.61 9 Sebec_Lake 1.14 +0.30 3 2.35 -1.06 11 Vanceboro 0.73 -0.04 4 2.12 -0.89 15 Waterville 0.78 +0.01 3 2.34 -0.86 9 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.91 +0.21 4 1.76 -1.13 14 Benton 0.82 +0.05 3 1.97 -1.36 8 Berlin_AG 1.81 +0.97 4 2.27 -1.35 7 Bethlehem 1.14 +0.29 5 1.75 -1.91 11 Concord 0.54 -0.16 5 0.87 -2.02 10 Diamond_Pond 1.35 +0.33 4 2.91 -1.35 10 First_Conn_Lake 0.94 -0.08 5 2.38 -1.88 11 Greenville 0.55 -0.29 3 1.74 -1.62 9 Keene_AP 0.13 -0.64 1 1.42 -1.85 8 Lakeport 0.99 +0.22 4 1.29 -1.84 8 Marlow 0.69 -0.08 3 1.26 -2.02 9 Mount_Washingto 1.55 -0.03 5 2.50 -4.35 11 North_Conway 1.61 +0.77 5 2.00 -1.53 10 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.66 -0.11 3 1.48 -1.79 11 Plymouth 1.35 +0.51 4 1.56 -1.80 8 Rochester 0.72 -0.05 3 2.39 -0.77 9 Weare 0.80 +0.03 3 1.69 -1.59 12 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 1.40 +0.49 4 2.05 -1.91 10 Bethel 1.65 +0.81 3 2.57 -0.79 8 Burlington_Intl 0.75 -0.03 3 1.51 -1.76 8 East_Haven 0.51 -0.41 3 1.30 -2.62 10 Island_Pond 0.98 +0.06 5 1.75 -2.16 11 Montpelier 1.06 +0.36 4 1.47 -1.51 11 Morrisville_AG 0.63 -0.28 4 1.59 -2.14 9 Mount_Mansfield 1.54 +0.09 4 2.38 -3.72 8 Northfield 1.22 +0.45 4 1.59 -1.36 9 Pownal 1.74 +0.83 4 2.93 -1.03 11 Rochester 1.82 +0.98 4 3.85 +0.49 7 Rutland_AG 0.92 +0.08 2 2.08 -1.28 8 Sunderland 0.80 +0.16 5 1.55 -1.28 10 Sutton 1.05 +0.13 3 1.85 -2.07 12 Townshend_Lake 1.19 +0.46 4 1.94 -0.89 9 Union_Vill_Dam 0.89 +0.19 5 1.42 -1.48 10 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.61 -0.23 3 2.44 -0.92 14 Boston/Logan_In 0.30 -0.33 2 2.46 -0.23 6 Greenfield 0.57 -0.27 3 2.47 -0.98 11 New_Bedford 1.40 +0.74 2 3.68 +0.68 7 Otis_AFB 0.33 -0.30 2 1.90 -0.88 6 Plymouth 1.63 +0.86 2 4.60 +1.52 9 Walpole 0.39 -0.38 2 3.19 -0.14 8 West_Medway 0.10 -0.67 1 3.93 +0.60 6 Chicopee/Westov 0.89 +0.05 4 5.41 +1.85 15 Worcester 1.08 +0.17 3 3.91 +0.30 8 Worthington 0.53 -0.45 3 1.76 -1.93 9 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 1.01 +0.31 3 3.81 +0.86 10 Woonsocket 0.81 -0.10 2 4.62 +0.94 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 1.29 +0.58 4 3.92 +0.75 13 Bridgeport/Siko 1.10 +0.23 4 3.15 -0.17 11 Hartford/Bradle 1.09 +0.38 4 3.87 +0.70 13 Norfolk 0.59 -0.37 4 3.86 -0.19 13 Norwich 0.72 -0.12 3 2.72 -0.39 10 Thomaston_Dam 0.82 -0.09 4 2.27 -1.40 10 Willimantic 0.71 -0.21 2 2.74 -0.86 9 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 - Howard Rood (FSA), Fairfield/Litchfield: Field corn is looking better, with the warm weather this week. Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: With surface soil moisture dried out, showers mid-week and Friday kept crops growing. Tobacco kept being over set and cultivation continued. Field corn that was not drowned out took off. Limited hay was made. Limited sweet corn could be found at farm stands. Strawberries, summer squash and hot-house tomatoes could be found in good supply at farm stands. Marsha Jette (FSA), New London: Still trying to harvest hay, blueberries are ready to pick, vegetables looking better. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Busy with baling first and a little second cutting of hay. Corn all planted. Heat is boosting growth but now getting a bit dry. Blueberries look abundant and beginning to ripen for harvest. Vegetables coming into farmers' markets are tasty and appealing. A week of glorious sunshine and blue sky. Nancy Welsh/Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Sunny, warm days helping crops pick up. Local sweet corn should be ready in five days. Tomato plants have many blossoms and some small fruit. Silage corn shadowing fields. Some vegetables have not even flowered yet. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: A great week for growers to get things done in the fields. Many growers finishing up final hilling. Spraying fungicides and insecticides. Process growers with refrigerator storage still moving last season's crop to processors. Crops growing rapidly. Probably growth stage normal or even a little ahead of normal. Nearly all growers having to spray potatoes for European corn borer. This is the worst infestation we have ever seen in Northern Aroostook. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Crops are growing rapidly with plenty of recent moisture. Potatoes are still being hilled. Herbicides and insecticides are still being applied as needed. Growers and scouts monitoring potato fields for European corn borer egg masses. Canola crop is flowered and starting to look excellent in fields. Harvesting of hay is continuing. Crops are looking excellent. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: We still have a significant amount of corn borers in the area, hopefully we will have them under control in another week. Crop is looking very good after getting some much needed moisture Friday and Saturday. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Rain slowed hay harvest down. Some areas had 1.25 inches the first of the week and heavy rain again Friday. Potatoes are in bloom. Strawberry harvest was in full swing. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Rain has been a variable throughout mid-Maine. Some places in Central Maine are too wet with yellow corn and lots of ruts in hayfields where tractors have had a tough time harvesting first cutting haylage. Further east the situation is dry and rain is needed. Strawberry harvest seems to be going by quickly. Some early sweet corn beginning to tassel. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Crop conditions are dry throughout most of Knox and Lincoln Counties. Showers have been hit or miss in most areas. Rain is needed. Dr. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Fly traps are catching fruit flies and applications are being made for control. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: We agriculture people are never happy. Now it's too dry. We do need rain for the crops. Corn is starting to curl and grass isn't growing. Farmers have been able to bale some hay. The dry weather has allowed field work to be done. The strawberry crop was a little late but appears to be a good one. Apples are suffering some from the cold, wet spring and the hot, dry summer. Farmers just have to keep on doing what they can and see what develops. Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: While most crops are a little late, producers are reporting good yields of cucumbers, beet greens, summer squash, strawberries, hay and raspberries. Strawberry season is winding down and raspberries and the fairs are starting. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Moisture and heat have things growing nicely. Second cut hay harvest has begun. Showers have been somewhat of a problem with hay harvest. Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Finally, the less humid conditions have allowed hay to be harvested with a vengeance. You know the saying... Some fields have turned completely brown due to lack of moisture after first cut. Crop irrigation on potatoes and others are a must. Strawberries and peas are being harvested. Farm stands are reporting a pick up in plant sales, however, are having a difficult time keeping the inventory watered. Received one day of much needed rain. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Top-dressing corn crop with nitrogen, both sweet and field corn. First cutting continues. Vegetable harvesting continues full force. No news on insect or disease problems for our crops so far. We had a week of cloudy weather, it was hard to get dry hay. Lots of vegetables were harvested, a very good crop. Sweet corn harvest is 2-3 weeks away yet. An inch of rain. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: The day or so of rain gave the crops a boost. Hopefully we'll get a few more like it. Side-dressing corn and most vegetables. Farmers taking advantage of the sun and getting caught up with haying. A lot of mulch hay this year. The warm, humid days gave a boost to the vegetables. Farm stands almost in full gear. Overall crops are picking up. Hope it stays this way. Strawberry crop all harvested. Blueberries beginning to ripen. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Bloom continues, with good pollination weather for the most part. Bees have been working some beds well, less than desired in other beds. Tremendous numbers of syrphid flies have added to the pollination this year; I have never seen so many working the flowers. Rainfall amounts in Friday's storms varied from a trace to more than two inches in a band from New Bedford to Plymouth. Fungicide applications will be nearly completed this week. Fruitworm applications have been begun. It looks like there will be above-average infestations of fruitworm this season. Things are setting up well so far. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Lots of rain this week about an inch on Wednesday and 2.5 inches on Friday. Harvesting of strawberries is just about over. Squashes and peas and lettuce continued to picked. Hay harvest slowed by all the rain. Sweet corn harvest is still a week away. Fruit continues to look good but will be late. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: The sudden change in the weather over the past several weeks is having a huge effect on crop conditions. You can literally watch the corn, second hay, and potatoes grow. Other crops have not faired as well because of disease pressure and/or drought. Many farms started irrigating at the beginning of July and haven't stopped yet. Blue mold, phytopthora and nematode problems surfaced this week. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: The week was hot and sunny with a few rain showers. Vegetable growers were busy top-dressing with fertilizer, cultivating, applying fungicides and scouting for insects. The sweet corn harvest began and beets, cabbage, cucumbers, greens, radishes, summer and zucchini squash harvest continue. Gary Guida, Worcester: A great week to finish the strawberry season. Top dressing corn and spraying for cuke beetles. Everyone making hay. Harvesting cukes, zukes and the rest of early summer crops. All crops look real good and weather really cooperating this year. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Still picking strawberries and now raspberries. Several vegetable crops are being harvested including squash, greens, broccoli and new potatoes. Growers are busy with weed control and pest monitoring. White mold and leaf mold seen on greenhouse tomatoes. We could use some rain. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Lots of sun all week, with some nice rain on Friday. More rain wouldn't hurt. Most field corn looks good, some showing moisture stress on drought soils. First cutting dry hay winding down, producers progressing well into second cut for haylage, baleage, and some dry hay. Strawberries are just about done, PYO raspberries starting. Sweet corn should be available soon. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Colder, wetter weather this week, nicely timed for top-dressing of hayland and corn. First cut hay basically completed with high quality overall. Corn now growing well thanks to rains at beginning and end of the week. Well over waist high in some places. Sweet corn - earliest showing first signs of tassel. Second cut of haylage beginning. Lots more vegetables coming on to market. Earliest high tunnel tomatoes starting to ripen. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Second cutting progressing at a quick pace as weather permits. Scattered showers continue to hamper harvest but do provide some very needed moisture. Despite dryness, corn continues to grow. Still some leaf curling on dryer soils. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruits: Strawberry harvest is nearly over (95% harvest) and getting to renovate harvested beds. First raspberries and blueberries harvested during the end of the week. Some blueberry patches have only a third of a crop. Orchardists busy monitoring for pests, spraying and mowing orchard floor. Vegetables: Growers concerned about irrigating crops. Continued harvesting vegetables such as beets, broccoli, greens, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes and summer squash. With dry, hot weather, lettuce and other crops are bolting. Growers busy side-dressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating, mowing weeds around edges of fields, scouting for pests and spraying accordingly. Field Crops: Side-dressing fertilizer to field corn and harvested hayfields. Farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage. Weather: Rain during week was welcomed, but more rain is needed. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Harvesting green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, potatoes, strawberries. This weekend began the harvest of raspberries, blueberries and sour cherries. Pleasant weather for pick-your-own operations. Cultivating, side- dressing with fertilizer and monitoring for pests in vegetable fields. Monitoring apple orchards for pests too. We had some rain last Friday but crops could use more. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: A couple of days with rain was more than welcomed. Will help the second crop of hay along as well as watering fruits and vegetables. The second round of haylage cutting is well on its way. A strong wind on Saturday tore up some squash and pumpkin plants in a few areas. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: It was a dry and hot week. However there were rain showers over the weekend. Strawberry harvesting was winding down. Raspberry harvesting was starting by the end of the week. Blueberry growers have an average crop. Tree fruit growers continue to monitor for pests. Vegetable growers continued to harvest an assortment of vegetables. Second cut hay crop is growing well, though there was a slow down due to hot and dry weather. Bedding plant season is winding down and nurseries were shifting sales to perennials and shrubs and trees. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Good early week weather conditions were helpful to those working on second cut of grass. Corn crop continues to look great and the rain at the end of the week couldn't have come at a better time. Not enough rain to perk up pastures. Vegetable crops with access to water are doing very well, otherwise they're very thirsty. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Much needed rain last week should help to push the corn and second crop hay. Reports on first cut hay is that it was a large yield but the quality is not very good. Second crop has been stunted from lack of rain. Some corn looks really good while other fields are poor, due probably to the lack of moisture. Lynette Hamilton/Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Windham County in the past week had a real mixed bag of weather - it depended where you were. Field corn liked the hot, humid temperature some early planted corn is over 6 feet and dark green in color. Second cut alfalfa is being harvested. Manure is being spread on hay land along with some fertilizer. We received about a third of an inch of rain last Friday. That made the veggie growers happy. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Dry hay harvest. Good dry weather. High yield of grass. Alfalfa regrowth good. Grass regrowth slowed down. Some manure spread on hay fields. Pasture growth fast, then slow. Dry sections showing up. Corn crop good, 15 percent never planted. Late corn looks poor. Eric Winchester (FSA) Orange/Windsor: This past week finally brought some much needed rain. Corn which had started to curl has gotten a new lease on life, at least for a while. The combination of the hot weather and this most recent rain has put the corn up to about head high in some locations, and hip high in places where it was planted late. Most everyone is done with the first cut of hay ground. The yield from the first cut was very good, although with all the dry weather, many fields are not off to a fortuitous start for the second cut. Second cut has already begun for some farm operations. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Received an inch of rain on Friday, it was very welcome. Crops appear to be growing well. Local farmers are working on second cut of hay crop, some spreading manure after the cut. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Side-dressing on all crops as needed. Ran irrigation on potatoes, berries and early sweet corn on light soil. Last cultivating of vine crops. Hand cultivating cole crops. Early corn silking out. 0.288 in. rain. Short on water but great on sun and warm weather. All crops doing well but good rain would help a lot. Lots of all kinds of summer vegetables in the market now. Peas, greens, beets, carrots doing well. Think rain. Have a good week. -- 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 Sampson 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 ***********************