State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 07/7/02 Issue NH-CW2702 Volume 22, Number 11 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) July 8, 2002 - 4 pm Agricultural Summary HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY ACCELERATE GROWTH For the week ending July 7, 2002, there were 5.8 days suitable for field work across New England. Pasture condition was rated as 0% very poor, 2% poor, 20% fair, 60% good, 18% excellent. Hot temperatures and high humidity were prevalent last week, promoting rapid crop growth. Most states received minimal precipitation, forcing growers to irrigate where available. Maine was the exception; the state received above average rainfall, which caused field activities to halt the latter part of the week. Major farm activities included: planting vegetables and sweet corn; finishing up planting field corn; harvesting strawberries, highbush blueberries and early vegetables; weeding and cultivating fields; sidedressing fields with fertilizer; cutting dry hay and chopping haylage; mowing orchards; monitoring for pests and disease; irrigating, where available; applying fungicides, herbicides and insecticides. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ---------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 6 4 2 Short 19 12 15 Adequate 58 59 73 Surplus 17 25 10 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 7 2 8 Short 17 17 8 Adequate 71 73 74 Surplus 5 8 10 ---------------------------------------------- Field Crops Report The making of dry hay was possible in some areas of New England last week, but in other areas it was impossible due to high humidity and/or rain. Maine oat and barley crops remained in excellent to good condition last week. Potato growth in Maine was pushed ahead by last week's warm, wet conditions and the crop is now fully emerged. Growers are on high alert for late blight and spray programs are in full force. Field corn planting was completed last week and emergence was in line with last year and normal. Tobacco growers in the Connecticut River Valley are actively scouting and spraying for blue mold. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Strawberry harvest is around three-quarters complete across New England, and raspberry, cherry and highbush blueberry picking began last week. Orchardists continued to mow and wrapped up the thinning of peaches and apples. The Connecticut pear crop was rated in very poor condition due to earlier frost and hail damage. Wild blueberry fields in Maine continued to be monitored for insects and disease, and growers irrigated where necessary. Cranberry beds in Massachusetts were also irrigated last week and growers were active in applying fruit rot fungicides and the first fruitworm applications. VEGETABLES: Vegetable growers irrigated crops where available and cultivated fields. Farmers continued to plant sweet corn, summer squash, cucumbers, cabbage and other vegetables last week. The harvesting of tomatoes, beet greens, turnip, spinach, cucumbers, broccoli, squash, peas, zucchini, radish, and lettuce also progressed. Sweet corn planting and emergence were both right on schedule with last year and normal, and growers sidedressed fields last week. Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- Crop 2002 2001 5-yr Avg Condition -------------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Emerged -- Barley, ME 100 100 100 Excellent/Good Oats, ME 100 100 100 Excellent/Good Potatoes Maine 100 100 100 Good/Excellent Mass 100 100 100 Good Rhode Isl 100 100 100 Good/Excellent Silage Corn 95 95 95 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 95 95 95 Good/Fair -- Percent Planted -- Silage Corn 100 100 100 Good/Fair Sweet Corn 99 99 99 Good/Fair Tobacco Shade 100 100 100 Good/Fair Broadleaf 100 100 99 Good/Fair Dry Hay -- Percent Harvested -- First Cut 80 85 80 Good/Fair Second Cut 20 15 15 Good/Excellent --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Crop 2002 2001 5-yrAvg Condition ---------------------------------------------------------- Apples -- -- -- Good/Fair Peaches -- -- -- Good/Fair Pears -- -- -- Poor/Fair Blueberries Highbush <5 <5 <5 Good/Excellent Wild, ME -- -- -- Good Cranberries,MA -- -- -- Good/Fair Strawberries 75 80 80 Fair/Good ---------------------------------------------------------- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, July 7, 2002 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 49 101 71 +6 0.02 4.96 NH 38 102 72 +7 0.00 1.09 VT 46 103 72 +7 0.00 1.99 MA 52 99 76 +8 0.00 0.35 RI 58 98 77 +8 0.00 0.01 CT 55 99 77 +8 0.00 0.41 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2002: 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 1, 2002 To: Sunday July 7, 2002 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 54 94 72 +4 605 -168 185 -43 Allagash 49 92 67 +4 365 -108 108 +29 Augusta_ME 57 94 74 +7 719 -7 262 +58 Bangor 58 95 73 +7 654 +14 223 +66 Barnard 56 94 71 +6 549 +10 168 +60 Bath 53 96 71 +5 576 -64 176 +16 Bethel 53 93 73 +7 639 -17 210 +47 Brassua_Dam 54 93 70 +7 437 +11 126 +62 Brunswick_ME 57 96 73 +6 643 +3 215 +55 Caribou 54 89 69 +5 499 -21 156 +56 Corinna 56 94 72 +6 621 -9 194 +45 Danforth 53 93 71 +5 509 -80 155 +17 Dover-Foxcroft 55 91 70 +6 468 -71 132 +24 Durham 54 96 73 +4 648 -123 220 -16 East_Hiram 52 95 72 +6 666 +12 222 +60 Eustis 50 90 68 +6 435 +10 111 +52 Frenchville 52 88 67 +4 426 -47 132 +53 Gray 58 96 76 +10 745 +123 276 +131 Greenville_ME 54 90 70 +5 525 -25 168 +57 Guilford 53 97 70 +5 464 -75 127 +19 Hollis 54 94 73 +8 727 +121 261 +124 Houlton 56 92 71 +7 543 +9 173 +65 Kennebunkport 52 92 71 +2 606 -218 193 -68 Livermore_Falls 50 101 74 +9 662 +121 234 +127 Moosehead 51 92 70 +7 453 +27 125 +61 New_Sharon 56 98 75 +11 747 +206 278 +171 Patten 49 92 69 +5 461 -73 135 +27 Portage 53 91 68 +4 487 -33 153 +53 Portland_ME 56 94 73 +7 704 +82 238 +93 Rangeley 50 91 69 +7 437 +33 115 +64 Sebec_Lake 55 96 71 +6 543 -7 160 +49 Vanceboro 55 93 70 +5 504 -34 148 +40 Waterville 57 96 73 +5 651 -122 225 -3 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 56 100 76 +8 817 +60 299 +77 Benton 50 92 72 +7 673 +40 231 +92 Berlin_AG 53 93 72 +6 631 +6 203 +59 Bethlehem 52 92 70 +5 591 -42 183 +42 Concord 57 95 76 +8 917 +160 380 +158 Diamond_Pond 51 86 67 +6 403 +26 105 +67 First_Conn_Lake 51 92 70 +8 418 +41 113 +75 Greenville 52 102 74 +8 764 +82 270 +101 Keene_AP 54 93 74 +5 913 +28 362 +63 Lakeport 55 97 75 +8 862 +161 333 +140 Marlow 51 90 71 +4 672 -118 233 -1 Mt_Washington 38 69 54 +8 67 +60 4 +4 North_Conway 57 97 75 +8 780 +80 302 +111 Otter_Brook_Lk 54 94 73 +4 817 -68 307 +8 Plymouth 52 94 72 +7 670 +69 221 +85 Rochester 56 97 76 +8 860 +43 329 +71 Weare 56 94 74 +7 783 -7 286 +52 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 53 92 73 +7 761 +112 277 +123 Bethel 51 96 74 +9 806 +196 314 +172 Burlington_VT 55 95 76 +8 922 +86 382 +108 East_Haven 51 94 71 +8 602 +108 194 +98 Island_Pond 52 91 70 +7 593 +101 190 +100 Montpelier 51 91 71 +6 728 +94 255 +101 Morrisville_AG 48 91 70 +5 594 -27 183 +31 Mount_Mansfield 46 78 62 +5 357 +132 86 +72 Northfield 52 94 72 +9 730 +171 249 +127 Pownal 55 93 74 +9 784 +129 289 +129 Rochester 51 94 71 +6 689 +79 243 +101 Rutland_AG 53 91 73 +4 777 -111 287 -12 Sunderland 51 90 70 +2 723 -127 248 -24 Sutton 53 92 70 +7 603 +109 190 +94 Townshend_Lake 55 94 74 +6 840 +34 318 +66 Union_Vill_Dam 52 96 73 +5 759 -61 282 +23 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 57 95 75 +8 864 +191 330 +157 Boston 65 97 81 +9 1140 +157 505 +151 Greenfield 58 98 77 +7 994 +39 410 +70 New_Bedford 60 97 78 +7 1022 +56 396 +62 Otis_AFB 61 95 76 +8 909 +181 327 +122 Plymouth 58 98 78 +9 953 +177 377 +139 Walpole 59 95 77 +8 1013 +182 424 +160 West_Medway 59 98 79 +10 1056 +225 451 +187 Westover 59 97 79 +6 1147 +34 518 +83 Worcester 59 91 76 +8 928 +169 380 +161 Worthington 54 90 73 +7 791 +129 297 +135 RHODE ISLAND Providence 64 98 81 +10 1131 +213 491 +173 Woonsocket 58 96 78 +9 1024 +207 432 +187 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 57 93 75 +3 951 -123 387 -31 Bridgeport 64 95 79 +8 1184 +190 521 +152 Hartford_AP 59 98 79 +8 1214 +147 556 +141 Norfolk 57 90 74 +9 915 +254 360 +197 Norwich 61 99 79 +9 1098 +137 478 +142 Thomaston_Dam 55 95 76 +8 1055 +228 447 +194 Willimantic 58 96 77 +8 1065 +228 456 +198 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.26 +0.47 4 3.92 +0.66 14 Allagash 3.62 +2.82 6 5.42 +2.40 14 Augusta_ME 1.16 +0.41 5 4.22 +1.18 17 Bangor 0.94 +0.17 5 2.96 -0.12 15 Barnard 1.47 +0.63 7 4.07 +0.62 15 Bath 1.29 +0.57 5 4.96 +1.74 15 Bethel 0.11 -0.73 2 4.50 +0.88 12 Brassua_Dam 1.52 +0.60 5 4.00 +0.30 14 Brunswick_ME 0.60 -0.12 3 4.81 +1.59 15 Caribou 3.45 +2.63 5 6.05 +3.16 14 Corinna 1.86 +1.09 5 4.24 +0.97 12 Danforth 2.56 +1.72 4 5.66 +2.25 14 Dover-Foxcroft 0.86 +0.02 6 2.58 -0.87 15 Durham 1.20 +0.39 3 4.97 +1.57 15 East_Hiram 0.11 -0.73 3 3.30 -0.19 14 Eustis 2.14 +1.30 5 5.40 +2.20 17 Frenchville 2.33 +1.53 6 4.12 +1.10 15 Gray 0.47 -0.29 3 3.74 +0.58 14 Greenville_ME 1.08 +0.24 4 4.03 +0.58 15 Guilford 1.28 +0.44 6 4.12 +0.67 18 Hollis 0.40 -0.39 5 4.15 +0.79 17 Houlton 3.14 +2.33 6 5.21 +2.09 16 Kennebunkport 0.02 -0.72 1 4.50 +1.26 12 Livermore_Falls 1.56 +0.75 5 5.92 +2.24 16 Moosehead 1.51 +0.59 6 3.91 +0.21 15 New_Sharon 1.92 +1.11 5 5.21 +1.53 15 Patten 1.22 +0.41 5 4.03 +0.91 16 Portage 4.96 +4.14 5 6.73 +3.84 13 Portland_ME 0.11 -0.65 3 2.97 -0.19 14 Rangeley 3.02 +2.21 5 6.35 +2.95 16 Sebec_Lake 0.49 -0.35 5 2.98 -0.47 14 Vanceboro 2.01 +1.24 7 4.55 +1.55 19 Waterville 2.62 +1.83 6 5.59 +2.33 17 NEW HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.09 -0.62 2 3.68 +0.73 13 Benton 0.10 -0.71 1 4.99 +1.54 13 Berlin_AG 0.16 -0.70 3 7.33 +3.59 12 Bethlehem 0.35 -0.56 2 5.68 +1.93 16 Concord 0.00 -0.71 0 3.71 +0.76 12 Diamond_Pond 0.65 -0.40 4 5.70 +1.39 16 First_Conn_Lake 1.09 +0.04 4 5.67 +1.36 16 Greenville 0.00 -0.84 0 2.89 -0.53 10 Keene_AP 0.00 -0.81 0 2.83 -0.50 8 Lakeport 0.20 -0.58 3 3.11 -0.08 13 Marlow 0.00 -0.82 0 3.40 +0.04 11 Mt_Washington 0.62 -1.02 4 8.61 +1.49 18 North_Conway 0.01 -0.85 1 4.11 +0.46 14 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.01 -0.80 1 4.27 +0.94 12 Plymouth 0.22 -0.62 2 2.99 -0.37 12 Rochester 0.00 -0.79 0 4.51 +1.29 12 Weare 0.09 -0.73 1 3.86 +0.50 11 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.08 -0.88 1 5.29 +1.18 13 Bethel 0.47 -0.37 3 4.50 +1.08 13 Burlington_VT 1.01 +0.20 3 6.55 +3.26 17 East_Haven 0.54 -0.44 4 7.76 +3.78 16 Island_Pond 0.33 -0.65 4 6.95 +2.97 17 Montpelier 0.93 +0.23 3 7.21 +4.11 19 Morrisville_AG 1.14 +0.23 4 8.62 +4.87 17 Mount_Mansfield 1.99 +0.51 4 12.78 +6.58 17 Northfield 1.22 +0.46 3 6.30 +3.38 11 Pownal 0.07 -0.89 1 3.83 -0.28 13 Rochester 0.39 -0.45 3 6.54 +3.12 15 Rutland_AG 0.19 -0.65 2 3.14 -0.22 12 Sunderland 0.00 -0.70 0 5.92 +2.97 12 Sutton 0.83 -0.15 4 8.24 +4.26 19 Townshend_Lake 0.05 -0.65 1 3.43 +0.58 12 Union_Vill_Dam 0.61 -0.09 3 3.34 +0.38 14 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.06 -0.78 1 2.69 -0.67 11 Boston 0.00 -0.65 0 3.08 +0.29 10 Greenfield 0.06 -0.81 1 3.19 -0.32 13 New_Bedford 0.11 -0.59 1 1.87 -1.31 8 Otis_AFB 0.15 -0.52 2 1.20 -1.70 7 Plymouth 0.08 -0.69 1 1.20 -1.94 7 Walpole 0.04 -0.76 1 1.77 -1.67 10 West_Medway 0.00 -0.80 0 1.51 -1.93 7 Westover 0.15 -0.72 2 1.74 -1.94 14 Worcester 0.00 -0.91 0 2.49 -1.12 8 Worthington 0.01 -0.92 1 2.57 -1.06 11 RHODE ISLAND Providence 0.00 -0.71 0 1.09 -1.92 9 Woonsocket 0.01 -0.90 1 1.44 -2.30 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.05 -0.72 1 1.60 -1.75 9 Bridgeport 0.00 -0.84 0 2.03 -1.20 7 Hartford_AP 0.00 -0.77 0 2.68 -0.67 10 Norfolk 0.41 -0.57 1 3.36 -0.83 11 Norwich 0.00 -0.78 0 2.47 -0.58 8 Thomaston_Dam 0.00 -0.91 0 1.29 -2.44 9 Willimantic 0.02 -0.89 1 1.84 -1.69 12 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 2002: 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: Weather was extremely hot and humid through the entire week. Field corn is looking much better. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Heat really pushed crops to grow, but also shrunk the milk tank as the cows are not happy. Haying in full swing. Some areas look scorched but should recover with the next bit of rain. Nancy Welsh/Karen Lockman (FSA), New Haven: Corn is showing signs of stress, though rows are shaded. We expect sweet corn in 10 days. Vegetable growers need rain. Fruit producers are confirming damage/loss to fruit due to earlier frost and hail we received. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes: Field activities were somewhat curtailed due to excess rainfall during the past week. Fungicide spraying and hilling were done earlier in the week. Now growers have gotten behind due to wet conditions. Hopefully fields will dry out soon so they can get back into the fields. All crops continue to grow rapidly due to moisture and heat. No word on any blight being found, but growers are nervous as conditions for blight are favorable. Over four inches of rainfall in some areas during the past week. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Spraying and fungicide application continues, cultivation also continues. Crops are growing fast with all of the rain we've had. Mild insect activity has started, with the appearance of the first European Corn Borer moth in our traps and a few aphids have also been found in our water pan traps. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: In the Houlton area on the 4th of July we received three inches of rain which puts us behind in spraying and cultivation. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: A struggle to get hay into the barn between baling and the next shower. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: We have had rain or showers almost every day this week. Some hay that was cut was never baled due to the wet, humid conditions. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Crops in Somerset County look very good. We are a little behind due to the weather. Strawberries this year look and taste very good. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Heavy downpours all week long have made hay harvest almost impossible. Hot, humid weather has strawberries all ripening at once! Some areas received more than 3 inches of rain, with hail on Thursday and Friday. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Fly traps have been put into blueberry fields to monitor fruit flies. Vegetables and strawberries are plentiful at farmstands. Heat and soil moisture making a good growing season. Some areas got one to two inches of rain from showers, while other areas didn't get a drop. Blueberries need an inch of rain each week from now on. David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild Blueberries: Fly traps being monitored for blueberry maggot fly. Some fields being irrigated. No other insect or disease problems noted. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: A hot and humid week! Some thundershowers. Lots of hay has come in. There will be a heavy hay harvest this year. Strawberries look good. Cultivation and spray activity on potatoes. All crops are looking good. Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: Summer weather hit with a vengeance and most crops have responded with a tremendous growth surge. There seems to be a lot of insects around, but most crops are doing well. Strawberries will have a short season and blueberries are starting to show a little blue. Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: There has been a good mix of sun and moisture for plant growth. It has been difficult to harvest square bales because of the frequency of showers. There are plenty of insects and weeds to keep everybody busy! Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Farmers are busy trying to make hay during this humidity. Best hay crop reported in 2 years. Crop farmers are cultivating and strawberry picking is well underway. The week's heat and humidity went a long way in warming up the soil and pushing plants in growth. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Making hay - all types. Truck farmers busy picking a variety of vegetables and fruit. Sidedressing corn crops. Early frosted fruit crops are still not going to produce. Plastic covered greenhouse tomatoes are slow in turning ripe red. After early strawberry crop was killed by frost, later berries are coming on with good production. Temperatures up to 100 degrees and higher, the type of heat where you can fry eggs on concrete sidewalks. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: Fly traps being set up to monitor the maggot fly. Not too much of an insect problem noted at this time. Strawberry season is nearing its end, maybe another week left. Cultivating, spraying and harvesting peas, broccoli, lettuce and some summer squashes. Cucumbers will be ready soon. Humidity, rainfall, and moderately high temperatures (80's and 90's) allowing the crops to grow rapidly. Some corn shot up more than a foot last week. It was a great weather week. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Bloom nearly done in the early cultivars. Tremendous number of blossoms this year! Perfect pollination weather is setting the berries nicely so far. Very dry, so irrigation has been going on in all beds. First fruitworm applications as well as second and third fruit rot applications. Bad infestations of brown spanworm continue the insect list for 2002. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Another hot, humid week has pushed crops. Some farmers are irrigating. Hay quality is poor at this time. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Very hot and dry conditions persisted most of this week. All farms with irrigation have been going non-stop since the heat wave began. All irrigated cropland looks super, non-irrigated land is drying up. Tobacco farmers were notified that the blue-mold threat is high for the Connecticut River Valley. All farms have adopted an aggressive spray schedule. Early sweet corn is beginning to be harvested this week and strawberries are winding down. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: A very hot week with high humidity. This is making crops grow very well. Many growers are irrigating because soils are starting to dry out. Harvesting sweet corn, zucchini, summer squash, lettuce, and radishes. Final plantings of sweet corn, summer squash, cucumbers and cabbage are taking place. Cultivating all crops for weed control. Gary Guida, Worcester: Harvesting summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, peas. Corn at shoulder height on 4th of July. Very dry. Corn curling to south of me. Strawberry season mercifully over here. Less than 750 Qts/acre. Other growers in area had similar yields and conditions, due to the freeze in May. We've been sending people to NH - big perennial sales this weekend, so I must be doing something right! Sidedressing summer and fall crops, topdressing sweet corn. Squash bugs appearing now. We have no tree fruit or blueberries at all this year. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Strawberry harvest continues. Orchardists putting on a fungicidal spray for powdery mildew, which appears worse than normal. Harvesting peas, swiss chard, greens, herbs, small summer squash, greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers. Hay and haylage making continues. Good week for field work, though very hot 3 days. Pastures look real good. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Corn has grown rapidly over the past week, due to warm, humid growing conditions. Humidity has made for less than ideal drying conditions for dry hay, but regrowth on harvested ground is coming along nicely. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Corn finally starting to show some growth with warmer weather. About right for soil nitrate testing, topdressing nitrogen on fields. Haying continues with occasional showers, then thunder showers all last week still making dried baled hay a bit of a challenge. Farmers markets starting up with early local veggies becoming available. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruits: Strawberry harvest is nearly over (90% harvest) and first raspberries and blueberries harvested. Orchardists busy monitoring for pests, spraying and mowing orchard floor. Growers finished hand-thinning peaches and apples, along with training newly planted trees. Vegetables: Growers concerned about irrigating crops. Continued harvesting vegetables such as beets, greens, lettuce, peas, radishes and summer squash. First potatoes harvested. Growers busy sidedressing fields with fertilizer, cultivating, mowing weeds around edges of fields, scouting for pests and spraying accordingly. Disease pressure major concern to growers. Field Crops: With drier weather during week, farmers continued to bale hay or make haylage at a faster rate. Grass hay is maturing rapidly. Sidedressing fertilizer to field corn and harvested hayfields. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Strawberry harvest continues. A mix of strawberry yields; some high, others low. Early season vegetables continue to be harvested. Some summer squash was harvested. Mowing, cultivating, and fertilizer sidedressing of crops. Farmers putting up baled hay. High temperatures have accelerated strawberry maturity with fewer pickers. Some strawberry fields experiencing fruit rot. Blueberries starting to color. Considering earlier weather related problems, the greenhouse tomato crop looks pretty good. Hot weather has been a big boost to corn, tomatoes, peppers and other warm season crops. Nada Haddad (Ext), Rockingham: Despite the hot, humid 3 days, PYO pickers were picking strawberries. Strawberry harvest almost done. Picking cherries, blueberries, raspberries, leafy vegetables, tomatoes and cutting hay. Weeding, irrigating (where it's available) and monitoring pests in vegetable fields and orchards. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Another dry week has helped to get first cut of dry hay in. Second cutting of haylage is moving along. Fertilizing of fields after first and second cuttings being done. Reports of smaller strawberries due to the "back-to-back" snow and frost. Last week's humidity helped to move along the sweet corn and silage corn growth. Early vegetables being harvested and looking good. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: A very hot and humid week in Strafford County. Farmers busy making haylage and baled hay. Some farmers have started to make the second cut. Vegetable growers continued to harvest early season crops such as lettuce and radishes. Growers busy cultivating for weed control and scouting for pests and spraying if needed. Tomato growers monitoring for early blight and leaf mold and spraying if needed. Fruit growers monitoring pest and crop development and applying sprays for pest control if needed. Strawberries continue to be harvested. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: A hot, dry and windy week added up to some producers looking at their irrigation pipes. Temperatures close to 100 made for some wilt in summer crops and farmers. Strawberries had a longer run than usual and we were still picking mid-week. Summer vegetables look good, some cultivation, spraying being done, potatoes in flower. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: The heat was overwhelming this past week! For several days early morning was the only time fit for working outdoors. Irrigation lines were being set up wherever there was a water source available. Several towns implemented water use bans. Pastures are browning up fast. Sweet corn is coming along nicely under irrigation. Summer squash and peas continue to arrive at local markets. The strawberry harvest is done. Raspberries and blueberries will be coming along next. They look good at this time. Less heat and some rain are what we need right now! VERMONT - John St. Onge (FSA), Lamoille: Saw enough improvement in the weather early in the week so that hay could actually be dried. Hot weather also has benefitted the corn. Some manure being spread on first cut grass fields. Scattered problems with weed control in corn. Veggies holding their own where soils are well drained. Bill Snow (Ext), Orange: Located a few armyworms in corn fields in Orange and Windham counties last week. Nothing serious at that time. Severe storms on the 4th caused some damage. Report of a funnel cloud and one death by lightning. Smoke from Canadian wild fire a problem on Saturday and Sunday, blocked out sunlight. Heavy rains filled streams to the top of their banks in some places. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Rain is making it hard to finish first crop hay. Most of hay yet to be cut is for dry hay. Fields are still very wet. Strawberry harvest just underway. The heavy rains stopped just in time for an average harvest of strawberries. Lynette Hamilton (FSA), Windham: Another very hot week and some of the field corn is over my head. Some second cut hay is being harvested. Fertilizer is being applied to fields and some sidedressing to corn. No worms to report. Some problems with weeds in second cut alfalfa due to the extreme heat. Veggie growers report large savings in irrigation costs because of the amount of moisture this year. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Harvesting second crop hay as chopped haylage, first cut dry hay harvest nearly finished - all that dry hay was done in a few-week period. The newly seeded hay fields have good complete coverage. Corn plants are up to about 30 inches, but mostly 10 inches, all fields planted and with vigorous growth. Soybeans by Lake Champlain are 8 inches tall and vigorous. Pasture regrowth is good, but getting slower. Some manure spreading on hay land after harvest. Richard Noel, Grand Isle/Franklin: Hard to believe the last of the corn planting is done. Some second planted corn is being harvested, while the first planted isn't even done yet on some farms! Trying to bale hay is almost impossible! The corn that's growing, if it hasn't drowned, needs some sun. Some corn fields have been harrowed and replanted. Some land is just laying fallow. At this point it looks like a very poor crop year! Remember that silver lining, I think it broke and the water all came out! Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Very hot and humid week. Corn growing. A bit was covered over and killed by high water. Many farmers who lost hay in the flood have baled it with hopes to sell it for mulch, or chopped it and dumped it along field edges. Some have begun a second cut of hay, some finishing up first cut. People depending on drying hay have had a very difficult time of it. This weekend was hazy from Quebec forest fires. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Applied nitrogen to mid-season varieties of sweet corn. Cultivating squash and pumpkin fields. Sprayed all vine crops for beetles and aphids. Stopped cutting and fertilizing asparagus beds. Picking peas, radishes, scallions, lettuce, beet greens, turnip and spinach. Crop failure with our strawberries. No rain for the week. Nice crop of peas. Heat wave really pushed all crops. Early potatoes in full bloom. Zucchini squash will be ready soon. Early corn starting to tassel. Lots of knee-high corn on the 4th. Have a nice 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 Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt 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 ***********************