new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 09/19/04 Issue NH-CW3704 Volume 24, Number 22 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) September 20, 2004 - 4 pm -- Agricultural Summary Seasonable Temperatures For the week ending September 19, 2004, there were 5.7 days available for field work across New England. Topsoil moisture was rated 3 percent short, 67 percent adequate, 30 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 3 percent short, 70 percent adequate, 27 percent surplus. Pasture condition was rated 10 percent poor, 17 percent fair, 57 percent good, 16 percent excellent. Mostly sunny, dry conditions prevailed most of the week though heavy rains from Ivan moved in during week's end. Low lying fields were saturated as precipitation levels were well over four inches in some locations. Overall, temperatures were seasonal and allowed farm operators plenty of opportunity to harvest fall crops. Major farm activities included: desiccating potato vines; seeding winter rye; spreading manure; monitoring fields; cutting haylage and making dry hay; harvest of corn silage, apples, peaches, pears, shade tobacco, small grains, potatoes, sweet corn and other vegetables. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND --------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year --------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 0 0 1 Short 3 5 17 Adequate 67 69 76 Surplus 30 26 6 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 0 0 1 Short 3 5 19 Adequate 70 73 77 Surplus 27 22 3 --------------------------------------------- -- Field Crops Report Growers had an excellent week for field work activities. Most were busy getting in as much second and third cut hay as possible before the weekend rains. Silage corn harvest is underway in most locations with15 percent of the crop already harvested. In Maine, the last of the potato vines were desiccated. Small grain harvest has progressed slowly due to wet fields. Both the oat and barley crop harvest is behind last year and average. Harvest of Broadleaf tobacco was nearly complete last week. Blue mold has been reported in some fields, however damage has been minimal. -- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Producers continued to make good progress on apple, peach, pear, and fall raspberry harvest. Sales at PYO orchards remain brisk. Apple growers were busy picking McIntosh, Ginger Gold, Gala and Honey Crisp varieties. Specialist in Vermont reported the cooler evening temperatures have helped with sweetening the apples. Cranberry harvest has begun slowly in Massachusetts. Harvest activity is expected to pick up within the next few weeks as growers give berries more time to color up. VEGETABLES: Vegetable growers harvested winter squash, pumpkins, potatoes, cabbage and an array of other fall crops. Consumer response at farm stands has been outstanding this season. Corn stalks, Indian corn, gourds and other fall decorating items are selling at farm stands. Garden centers were active selling mums and asters. Sweet corn harvest is winding down with only 10 percent of the crop remaining to be harvested. -- Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Condition ---------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Barley, ME 80 90 85 Fair/Good Oats, ME 30 80 65 Good/Fair Potatoes: Maine 15 15 15 Good/Excel Mass 55 50 55 Good Rhode Isl 85 85 75 Good/Excel Silage Corn 15 25 30 Good/Excel Sweet Corn 90 90 90 Good/Excel Tobacco: Broadleaf 95 100 99 Good Dry Hay: Second Cut 95 95 95 Good/Excel Third Cut 65 70 65 Good/Excel ----------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ----------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Crop 2004 2003 5-yr Avg Condition ----------------------------------------------------- Apples 45 45 40 Good/Excel Peaches 95 85 90 Good/Fair Pears 55 45 40 Good Cranberries,MA -- <5 <5 Excel/Good ----------------------------------------------------- -- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, September 12 2004 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 29 82 58 +2 0.00 1.98 NH 23 82 59 +3 0.10 4.34 VT 34 81 59 +3 0.12 3.83 MA 38 81 62 +2 1.36 4.80 RI 44 80 65 +3 1.60 2.86 CT 40 84 65 +3 1.95 4.66 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -- Weather Information Table For the Period: Monday September 6, 2004 To: Sunday September 12, 2004 AIR CUM SINCE MAR 1 TEMPERATURE GROWING DEGREE DAYS ----------- BASE-50F BASE-60F STATION LO HI AVG DFN TOT DFN TOT DFN ------- -- -- -- -- --- ---- --- ---- MAINE Albion 35 75 58 -2 1702 -336 562 -219 Allagash 29 78 54 +3 1134 -178 270 -53 Augusta_State_A 44 76 60 +2 1927 -43 707 -32 Bangor_Intl_Arp 37 75 59 +2 1838 +40 673 +55 Barnard 35 80 57 +3 1526 -16 456 +4 Bath 40 77 59 +0 1708 -141 577 -81 Bethel 40 76 58 +1 1758 -16 568 -26 Brassua_Dam 37 76 57 +4 1281 +2 309 -1 Brunswick_ME 43 72 59 +0 1910 +61 691 +33 Caribou_Municip 32 78 57 +5 1426 +14 438 +60 Corinna 37 77 60 +4 1738 +44 590 +50 Danforth 33 76 57 +2 1426 -217 394 -131 Dover-Foxcroft 35 75 56 +2 1436 -106 414 -38 Durham 40 76 57 -4 1704 -395 553 -281 East_Hiram 39 76 57 +0 1658 -108 512 -76 Eustis 32 76 55 +2 1187 -53 259 -24 Frenchville 34 77 57 +5 1312 +0 372 +49 Gray 44 77 61 +3 1992 +169 748 +113 Greenville_ME 42 77 60 +5 1849 +295 681 +218 Guilford 34 79 55 -1 1222 -320 288 -164 Hollis 38 77 58 +2 1764 +75 595 +63 Houlton 30 77 57 +4 1478 +2 480 +56 Kennebunkport 43 74 58 -4 1595 -634 478 -447 Livermore_Falls 35 82 58 +4 1828 +316 658 +229 Moosehead 35 80 57 +4 1277 -2 301 -9 New_Sharon 36 78 59 +4 1674 +162 523 +94 Patten 34 75 56 +3 1366 -110 361 -63 Portage 35 79 57 +4 1380 -32 405 +27 Portland_ME 45 79 61 +3 1898 +75 706 +71 Rangeley 36 76 57 +4 1308 +101 309 +45 Sebec_Lake 35 79 57 +2 1532 -22 466 +3 Vanceboro 35 75 57 +1 1452 -125 416 -62 Waterville 41 77 59 -1 1817 -221 642 -139 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 35 77 58 -1 1838 -136 650 -85 Benton 39 76 57 +2 1674 +51 518 +42 Berlin_AG 40 77 58 +3 1695 +64 538 +41 Bethlehem 30 78 55 -1 1522 -99 450 -26 Concord 37 80 62 +4 2290 +316 964 +229 Diamond_Pond 37 72 54 +3 1095 +6 201 -4 First_Conn_Lake 39 74 56 +5 1155 +66 240 +35 Greenville 40 82 61 +4 2276 +490 945 +363 Keene_AP 39 79 61 +1 2157 -54 836 -67 Lakeport 41 78 62 +5 2173 +332 879 +234 Marlow 38 76 57 -3 1511 -492 411 -329 Mount_Washingto 23 57 46 +7 148 +87 2 +2 North_Conway 36 78 59 +2 1946 +118 720 +87 Otter_Brook_Lk 41 78 60 +0 2030 -181 746 -157 Plymouth 39 78 59 +4 1700 +96 525 +48 Rochester 39 79 60 +1 2021 -98 780 -61 Weare 41 77 59 +1 1986 -17 721 -19 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 37 76 57 -1 1760 +38 542 -5 Bethel 35 77 59 +3 1848 +213 640 +141 Burlington_Intl 44 78 61 +3 2238 +137 939 +105 East_Haven 34 78 57 +4 1586 +236 493 +156 Island_Pond 39 75 58 +5 1543 +205 454 +129 Montpelier 41 76 60 +5 1860 +209 655 +146 Morrisville_AG 39 78 58 +3 1642 -5 541 +27 Mount_Mansfield 31 64 50 +2 749 +46 74 +8 Northfield 39 78 59 +5 1756 +254 585 +163 Pownal 42 76 59 +3 1956 +228 660 +112 Rochester 43 79 60 +4 1848 +213 627 +128 Rutland_AG 42 76 59 -1 1939 -245 686 -194 Sunderland 41 76 59 +0 1803 -290 575 -229 Sutton 38 76 57 +4 1518 +168 426 +89 Townshend_Lake 44 77 60 +0 1984 -89 699 -113 Union_Vill_Dam 39 81 60 +1 1919 -170 706 -113 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 41 77 61 +4 2142 +353 832 +234 Boston/Logan_In 47 81 64 -1 2595 +35 1221 +42 Greenfield 43 80 63 +2 2319 -58 960 -63 New_Bedford 43 79 63 -3 2356 -238 1010 -200 Otis_AFB 43 77 65 +3 2291 +185 992 +150 Plymouth 43 78 62 +1 2274 +114 981 +98 Walpole 44 79 62 +2 2435 +264 1067 +191 West_Medway 43 80 62 +2 2440 +269 1067 +191 Chicopee/Westov 41 79 63 -2 2587 -140 1170 -130 Worcester 43 76 62 +3 2311 +285 956 +189 Worthington 39 77 60 +3 1880 +116 626 +57 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 47 80 65 +2 2642 +200 1232 +139 Woonsocket 44 79 63 +3 2406 +268 1045 +210 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 41 76 60 -3 2060 -554 740 -474 Bridgeport/Siko 50 84 69 +4 2845 +209 1403 +142 Hartford/Bradle 43 82 65 +3 2751 +142 1316 +106 Norfolk 41 73 61 +4 2037 +274 734 +165 Norwich 46 80 66 +3 2625 +181 1206 +133 Thomaston_Dam 41 82 64 +4 2589 +469 1167 +347 Willimantic 45 78 64 +4 2491 +327 1090 +236 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 1.22 +0.50 2 3.70 +0.59 9 Allagash 0.00 -0.84 0 3.53 -0.03 7 Augusta_State_A 1.19 +0.48 2 3.97 +1.14 9 Bangor_Intl_Arp 1.01 +0.20 2 3.18 -0.02 10 Barnard 0.51 -0.40 2 2.38 -1.21 10 Bath 1.52 +0.82 2 3.29 +0.44 6 Bethel 0.92 +0.15 2 3.27 -0.02 8 Brassua_Dam 0.05 -0.79 1 2.52 -0.88 8 Brunswick_ME 1.18 +0.48 1 3.43 +0.58 4 Caribou_Municip 0.01 -0.79 1 3.75 +0.35 10 Corinna 0.85 +0.01 2 3.17 -0.34 7 Danforth 0.43 -0.41 2 4.43 +0.92 11 Dover-Foxcroft 0.35 -0.56 2 2.45 -1.14 8 Durham 1.46 +0.76 2 3.85 +1.05 8 East_Hiram 1.60 +0.90 2 3.47 +0.45 6 Eustis 0.13 -0.57 1 3.00 +0.04 8 Frenchville 0.12 -0.72 2 5.18 +1.62 11 Gray 1.63 +0.93 2 3.70 +0.90 7 Greenville_ME 0.21 -0.70 2 6.02 +2.43 11 Guilford 0.78 -0.13 3 2.98 -0.61 11 Hollis 1.92 +1.15 2 4.44 +1.46 7 Houlton 0.01 -0.83 1 4.46 +0.93 10 Kennebunkport 1.84 +1.14 3 4.63 +1.81 11 Livermore_Falls 0.97 +0.13 2 3.99 +0.49 9 Moosehead 0.07 -0.77 1 2.01 -1.39 9 New_Sharon 0.96 +0.12 2 2.81 -0.69 9 Patten 0.06 -0.78 2 4.66 +1.13 12 Portage 0.10 -0.70 2 3.94 +0.54 11 Portland_ME 1.80 +1.10 2 3.41 +0.61 5 Rangeley 0.30 -0.40 2 3.30 +0.14 10 Sebec_Lake 0.56 -0.35 2 2.24 -1.35 7 Vanceboro 0.45 -0.46 2 4.05 +0.53 12 Waterville 1.98 +1.26 3 6.11 +3.00 9 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 2.70 +2.07 3 5.21 +2.51 8 Benton 1.17 +0.46 2 4.17 +0.97 8 Berlin_AG 1.12 +0.36 2 3.60 +0.24 8 Bethlehem 1.46 +0.76 3 5.19 +1.87 11 Concord 3.53 +2.90 3 6.22 +3.52 7 Diamond_Pond 0.15 -0.76 1 3.90 -0.16 10 First_Conn_Lake 0.10 -0.81 2 4.22 +0.16 11 Greenville 3.01 +2.31 3 5.19 +2.07 5 Keene_AP 2.58 +1.88 2 4.37 +1.36 6 Lakeport 2.22 +1.56 2 3.98 +1.08 6 Marlow 3.00 +2.23 3 5.01 +1.83 7 Mount_Washingto 1.78 +0.07 3 9.43 +2.18 12 North_Conway 1.31 +0.54 2 4.12 +0.80 11 Otter_Brook_Lk 2.66 +1.96 2 5.15 +2.14 7 Plymouth 0.84 +0.14 2 3.23 +0.19 8 Rochester 2.60 +1.86 2 5.51 +2.52 6 Weare 2.50 +1.73 3 5.80 +2.62 8 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 2.80 +1.91 2 6.27 +2.57 8 Bethel 1.20 +0.34 2 4.24 +0.47 7 Burlington_Intl 0.21 -0.56 1 6.44 +3.10 9 East_Haven 0.64 -0.13 2 4.37 +0.83 10 Island_Pond 0.22 -0.54 3 5.19 +1.64 12 Montpelier 0.86 +0.23 2 3.86 +0.93 12 Morrisville_AG 0.33 -0.46 3 4.03 +0.39 11 Mount_Mansfield 0.32 -0.89 3 9.63 +3.63 11 Northfield 0.97 +0.22 2 3.53 +0.37 7 Pownal 3.83 +2.94 2 6.43 +2.73 7 Rochester 1.15 +0.29 2 4.76 +0.99 8 Rutland_AG 1.42 +0.59 2 3.89 +0.37 8 Sunderland 2.15 +1.34 2 4.40 +0.94 9 Sutton 0.26 -0.51 1 5.10 +1.56 11 Townshend_Lake 2.88 +2.11 2 7.78 +4.50 9 Union_Vill_Dam 1.63 +0.86 2 3.88 +0.74 9 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 3.69 +3.02 4 6.82 +3.99 12 Boston/Logan_In 2.89 +2.19 3 5.11 +2.18 7 Greenfield 3.12 +2.35 2 5.55 +2.32 6 New_Bedford 2.40 +1.63 3 3.10 -0.33 4 Otis_AFB 2.62 +1.85 4 4.94 +1.84 7 Plymouth 2.84 +1.86 4 3.32 -0.59 9 Walpole 2.13 +1.29 4 3.96 +0.41 9 West_Medway 3.71 +2.87 2 4.93 +1.38 7 Chicopee/Westov 1.53 +0.69 2 3.36 +0.00 7 Worcester 2.76 +1.84 3 5.27 +1.62 8 Worthington 3.55 +2.71 3 6.43 +2.92 9 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 2.86 +2.04 5 4.00 +0.66 10 Woonsocket 2.73 +1.83 4 4.79 +1.16 10 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 3.35 +2.45 3 6.46 +2.87 9 Bridgeport/Siko 3.10 +2.39 4 4.52 +1.65 9 Hartford/Bradle 2.95 +2.05 3 5.25 +1.66 9 Norfolk 3.86 +2.88 3 6.65 +2.62 7 Norwich 4.62 +3.71 3 7.55 +3.91 8 Thomaston_Dam 2.42 +1.51 3 4.23 +0.39 9 Willimantic 2.90 +1.97 4 4.81 +1.15 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 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: Heavy rain fell at the end of the week. There have been no reports of crop damage.Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Nice drying weather made for good haying early in the week. More farmers started corn silage harvest this week. Sweet corn, peaches, apples and pears in plentiful supply. Late summer tomatoes and other vegetables in good supply. Last few acres of broadleaf tobacco showing blue mold. Remnants of Ivan left 2 to 4 inches of rain on Saturday but no damage noted at this time. Soaked fields will take a while to dry out. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Everybody is into corn chopping, pretty decent production, grain ahead of stalks, making hay, picking apples, peaches almost done, vegetables slowing down, making cider, retail sales good, decent crop of Bartlett pears, a major downpour on Saturday with four inches recorded. People had sunny spirits at Celebrating Agriculture. Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Apples are heavy, good size. Good part of corn silage harvested. Pumpkins and mums look good. Warm, humid days and nights. Saturday brought heavy downpours and flooding. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative: Corn Silage Harvest is underway. Rain delayed harvest a couple of days. Tonnage seems to be a little off due to cool summer. Some fields not drying down as quickly as normal MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Potato harvest began in full force toward the end of the week. Most going into storage, but some being delivered to the processor. Small grain harvest continues, but is going slowly due to wet fields and high moisture in the grain. Last of the potatoes being desiccated. This area not hit as hard as other areas with late Blight infection. For the most part potato crop looks pretty good. Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Vine desiccation should be coming to an end. Harvesting of potatoes has begun with a lot of growers starting this past week. Canola harvest is about 90% complete. Small grains are 70% complete.Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Most potato harvest will be geared up this week, looking forward to a safe harvest. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Potato tops are killed. Some farmers were doing fall tillage. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Good weather last week helped get in some more second and third cut hay. Some fields still on first cutting. Corn silage harvest is gearing up and many farmers will start next week despite corn being immature. Ivan gave us one inch of rain on Saturday.Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Squash and pumpkins now plentiful at farmers' market and vegetable stands. Still excellent sweet corn for sale. Second and third crop hay being cut. Two inches of rain on Tuesday along the coast from hurricane Ivan. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: "Pick Your Own" apples are in full swing. The apples are big, juicy and ready to eat. Hay harvest is continuing and some silage corn growers are chopping feed. Most are waiting a week to 10 days for a little more maturity and growth. Potato harvest is just beginning and the crop looks really good. Always the pessimist, most producers are keeping fingers crossed that the wet weather stays away during harvest time. Market garden producers are putting the pumpkins out and bunching the corn stalks. Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Harvesting activities are still in full swing. Orchards are full of pick your own customers when it's not raining. There's still plenty of sweet corn available due to the late season. Farmers are still trying to make hay to fill up the barns.Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: Producers were lucky; no early frost. Corn, pumpkins and squash are getting more time to mature. Firewood prices are very high and hay prices are good.Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Frosty mornings are beginning to appear. Array of pumpkins and squash, mums, and late crop vegetables are on the stands. Corn silage harvest began this week in earnest. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Five to six inches of rain. Corn harvest into full swing. Cutting wetter fields first before the rains. Pumpkins and squash crop in great supply. All veggies in good supply. This may be the last week for sweet corn, frost is in the forecast. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Cranberry harvest is starting with good quality and yields in early varieties. Many growers will wait for better color so harvest will start slowly and build up over the next two weeks. Field corn producers are starting to chop silage as corn has dented and is ready to be harvested. Vegetable growers are wrapping up their season picking pumpkins, winter squash, potatoes, etc.David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Pretty good week. Apple harvest still going strong. Heavy rains on Saturday put a damper on harvest and on farm stand sales. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: The remnants of Hurricane Ivan left Franklin County swamped over the weekend. The Connecticut River, and its tributaries, were running at spring run-off levels yesterday. It will take several days before farmers can return to low-lying fields. Prior to these heavy rains, the silage and potato harvest had been going excellent. The apple harvest has also been going very well. Producers are thankful that we didn't have high winds as Ivan blew through.Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Heavy rain on Saturday the 18th brought four plus inches. The rest of the week had beautiful fall days. Vegetable growers are harvesting winter squash, pumpkins, mums, Indian corn, potatoes, cabbage and an array of other fall crops. Silage corn harvest started and fields are high. Apple growers are also harvesting an excellent crop. Powdery mildew is affecting pumpkins and the winter squash crop. Growers are wondering if pumkins will hold up till Halloween.Gary Guida, Worcester: Pumpkins, apples, and fall decorations are at area farm stands. Some rot in pumpkin fields due to wet weather. Still harvesting summer crops but yields are diminishing quickly as days grow shorter and cooler. Chopping sweet corn fields and applying cover crops. Fall raspberries finally ready. Consumer response still strong. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Some dry weather, more hay going into the barn. Silage corn looks good, but running a little late. Apple picking going well. Vegetables winding up for the year. Cold nights, leaves beginning to change; frost not far away! Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Mostly dry and sunny, with heavy rain towards the end of the week. More farmers starting to chop corn, though it's not in full swing yet. Regrowth on pastures, hayfields, and alfalfa looks good, and many are hoping to take a decent fourth cutting. Cooler conditions and shorter days have made for less than ideal drying conditions for dry hay. PYO apples going strong, with mid-season varieties ripening. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Reports of first frost last night in some locations, field corn in Lancaster area seems to have been protected by early morning fog. Remnants of hurricane leaves a fair amount of rainfall in area towards end of week. However, much of week dry enough to get in late season hay. Corn fields in a couple, of areas just beginning to be opened up in preparation for harvest which has not started in earnest yet. Hoping for a little more maturity. Bear damage in corn fields being noted around the county. Mums, corn stalks, sweet corn, pumpkins and winter squash readily available at many locations. Autumn colors just beginning to look good in northern hills. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Corn silage harvest has begun. Corn is in dent stage but not drying down. Cool weather continues to slow growth rate. Third cutting continuing. Very difficult to get hay dry due to soil moisture conditions and morning dew.Steve Schmidt (FSA), Grafton: Farmers were trying to get in their final cutting of haylage for the summer. We had five days of good haylage making. Corn harvest is starting, and grain yields will be ok for the producers who planted early in the spring. The corn in many fields still needs several days of warm weather to mature to an optimal level. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Apple harvest is in full swing with most growers concentrating on second picking of McIntosh apples, also harvesting Ginger Gold, Gala and Honey crisp apples. Fruit size is excellent, but bruising can be a problem. Seeing a high amount of apple drop with heavy rain showers. Fall raspberries and pear harvest continued while peach and plum harvest was winding down. Vegetables: Harvesting wide array of summer and fall vegetable crops. Farmers are starting to cleaning up harvested fields, putting away irrigation equipment and planting cover crops. Pumpkin crop and winter squash yields vary from field to field and within a given field. Good demand for all vegetables continues. Field Crops: Farmers chopped corn silage and hay cutting continued during the week with the second and third cuttings being made. Cover crops were being planted in harvested fields. John Porter (Ext), Merrimack: Stands filled with pumpkins, squash, apples, and corn. Nice weather is allowing some to catch up on cutting the fields. Pick your own apple orchards are filled with customers.Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Four plus inches of rain this past weekend has slowed down silage corn harvesting for awhile. Many fields show pockets of water and very little wind damage. Good reports from this years apple crop. A good crop of pumpkins is beginning to show up around farm stands and farmers markets. Overall it has been a good year for most fruits and vegetables as well as forage crops. Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: Pastures still looking good. Making of haylage and some third cut. Busy week for fruits and vegetable growers. Harvesting apples and an array of vegetable crops, including pumpkins. Fall mum sales continued strongly through the week. Poinsettias growing well in most of the greenhouses. Growers monitoring for pests and growth of their plants. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Field corn being chopped; potatoes, sweet corn, winter squashes being harvested along with tomatoes and summer vegetables. Some fields being plowed under and seeded. Apples, pears and peaches look wonderful and roadside stands are jammed with everything beautiful. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Cool, dry weather last week- Saturday was a total washout. Dry conditions allowed producers to do a lot of harvesting of fall crops. Pumpkins, gourds, and cutting corn stalks for fall displays. Mums are available in wide array of colors. VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: The crop season's first scattered frost occurred over the weekend. Field activities included some corn silage harvest, manure spreading, and haying. Last week was one of the longer stretches of rain free weather that we have seen this season. Pumpkin crop appears to be smaller in size this year. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: A really nice week of weather helped landowners harvest third and fourth crop hay. The land has dried some but fields are still pretty soft. Corn harvest has not begun, however. our first frost Sunday night will prompt some landowners to start. A lot of corn has not yet matured so landowners are concerned about the energy levels in their crops. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham: Three and a half inches of rain last Saturday will make corn cutting a problem in some areas. Producers that started cutting last week are reporting an excellent crop. Winter squash is being picked along with some late season sweet corn. It has been a good year for fall raspberries. Fall manure is being applied on land that is accessible and dry. There is still some hay to be cut when weather permits. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Harvesting corn silage. mostly still too wet, farmers chopping high this year. Opening fields and harvesting lower land. Chopping third cut alfalfa, good strong stands. Some liquid manure spread on hay fields. Soil conditions still wet, leaving ruts in fields. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: People continue to hay and spread manure after the crop is off. I have not seen any corn being chopped yet, but I am sure that some has started. Rain on Saturday kept fields soggy. Heavy fog in the valleys in the morning. Temperature on Monday AM at my home was 34 degrees, some places probably got frost. Prediction is for a warm, dry week. There will be lots of forage harvesting this week. Grass continues to grow, but is slowing down. Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: Growers are in the midst of harvest, and with low in upper 30's at night, morning picking is a bit on the rough side. These cooler evening temperatures, though, have helped with sweetening the apples. With the recent fluctuation of moisture from Ivan, Southern Vermont orchards may see some late-season cracking. Most peach and pear operations have ceased at this point. Heather Darby (Ext), Franklin: A beautiful week for drying. Lots of field activity last week. For the first time this season there was a large amount of hay making. Corn silage harvest has begun. Sherwin Williams, Rutland: Seeding Winter rye, mowing of potato fields, and ready for digging. Farmers able to get some late cut hay in. Rain for week one-half inches. Lawn drying out after all the rain. Fall season has started with squash, pumpkins, corn stalks and fall decorations in the market. Great crop of tomatoes and peppers. 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: Dianne Johnson Stat Assistant: Lynne Arsenault Deputy Director: Joe Samson 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 ***********************