new-eng-crop-weather State NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER Week ending date 09/08/02 Issue NH-CW3602 Volume 22, Number 20 (issued weekly on the Internet, May - October) September 9, 2002 - 4 pm Agricultural Summary NEW ENGLAND NEEDS MORE RAIN For the week ending September 8, 2002, there were 6.5 days suitable for field work across New England. Pasture condition was rated as 16% very poor, 35% poor, 34% fair, 15% good, 0% excellent. Scattered showers fell in northern New England last week, more rain was received in the south. All of New England needs more rain, soil conditions are very dry. Hot days and cool nights with some light frost were prevalent for the week. Major farm activities included: harvesting tobacco, potatoes, oats, barley, highbush blueberries, apples, peaches, pears and vegetables; applying vine desiccants to potatoes; cutting dry hay and chopping haylage; irrigating; applying manure; monitoring for pests and disease and spraying where necessary. SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------- Soil Rating This Week Last Week Last Year ---------------------------------------------- -- Percent -- Topsoil Moisture Very Short 34 32 25 Short 38 35 39 Adequate 28 33 36 Surplus 0 0 0 Subsoil Moisture Very Short 39 37 29 Short 31 34 39 Adequate 30 29 32 Surplus 0 0 0 ---------------------------------------------- Field Crops Report Second cut hay is nearly complete for the season, more than half of the third crop has been cut. Field corn is still showing stress from lack of rain as harvest gets underway. Oat and barley growers in Maine completed another 20 percent of their harvest last week. The two crops remain in good to excellent condition. Maine potato growers are applying vine desiccants in preparation for harvest; harvest was ten percent complete as of Sunday. Tobacco harvest in the Connecticut River Valley is nearly complete - Connecticut growers are close to being done, harvest in Massachusetts is over. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report FRUIT: Growers harvested apples, peaches, plums and raspberries last week between showers. One quarter of apple and pear crops have been picked, and the peach harvest is 85 percent complete. Highbush blueberry harvest is winding down. White cranberry harvest began in Massachusetts last week, harvest of red berries should begin soon; water supplies are low as growers prepare for water harvest. VEGETABLES: Roadside stands and farmers' markets continue to get good business as fall approaches. Rain received last week was too late to help many parched crops. Sweet corn harvest progressed to 85 percent complete. In many areas, sweet corn never reached full maturation before being picked. Cucumbers, eggplant, greens, onions, peppers, pumpkins, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, and many other vegetables were harvested last week. Crop Progress Tables FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -------------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Crop 2002 2001 5-yrAvg Condition -------------------------------------------------------- Barley, ME 75 75 60 Good/Excellent Oats, ME 50 65 55 Good/Excellent Potatoes Maine 10 5 5 Good/Fair Mass 45 40 50 Good/Fair Rhode Isl 60 70 45 Good/Fair Silage Corn 10 20 10 Fair/Good Sweet Corn 85 85 80 Fair/Good Tobacco Shade 99 90 99 Good/Fair Broadleaf 99 95 95 Good/Fair Dry Hay Second Cut 95 90 85 Good/Fair Third Cut 60 50 50 Fair --------------------------------------------------------- FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------- -- Percent Harvested -- Crop 2002 2001 5-yrAvg Condition ---------------------------------------------------------- Apples 25 20 20 Good/Fair Peaches 85 85 85 Good/Fair Pears 25 35 25 Very Poor/Poor Blueberries Highbush 99 95 99 Good Cranberries,MA <5 -- -- Good/Fair ---------------------------------------------------------- Weather Summary For the week ending Sunday, September 8, 2002 ---------------------------------------------- AIR TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION STATE LO HI AVG DFN LO HI ---- --- --- --- --- ---- ---- ME 31 90 62 +3 0.00 1.25 NH 30 90 62 +2 0.00 0.26 VT 32 88 63 +3 0.00 0.16 MA 39 89 65 +0 0.04 1.90 RI 46 84 67 +0 1.25 2.76 CT 44 86 65 -1 0.59 3.74 ---------------------------------------------- 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 September 2, 2002 To: Sunday September 8, 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 35 84 60 -4 1649 -266 625 -129 Allagash 33 82 62 +6 1172 -89 378 +57 Augusta_State_A 52 84 65 +3 1956 +100 874 +159 Bangor_Intl_Arp 40 84 63 +2 1836 +141 784 +184 Barnard 39 84 61 +3 1541 +73 555 +110 Bath 44 81 61 -2 1628 -108 613 -27 Bethel 36 90 64 +3 1730 +53 688 +110 Brassua_Dam 40 82 62 +6 1347 +126 450 +143 Brunswick_ME 48 80 63 +2 1827 +91 775 +135 Caribou_Municip 50 79 64 +8 1437 +79 518 +143 Corinna 37 84 60 +0 1653 +43 620 +90 Danforth 42 81 61 +3 1396 -171 455 -64 Dover-Foxcroft 41 80 61 +2 1396 -72 462 +17 Durham 36 83 61 -3 1772 -198 730 -79 East_Hiram 35 82 59 -2 1704 +35 659 +87 Eustis 36 80 61 +4 1272 +87 390 +111 Frenchville 50 78 63 +7 1325 +64 473 +152 Gray 49 84 66 +4 2029 +318 933 +316 Greenville_ME 48 81 62 +4 1501 +22 538 +82 Guilford 31 80 57 -3 1329 -139 414 -31 Hollis 35 83 61 -1 1842 +242 772 +247 Houlton 49 78 63 +7 1472 +53 526 +106 Kennebunkport 37 75 60 -6 1638 -444 620 -269 Livermore_Falls 33 90 62 +4 1783 +340 751 +328 Moosehead 38 82 62 +5 1312 +91 409 +102 New_Sharon 36 86 63 +5 1922 +479 837 +414 Patten 47 80 62 +5 1435 +16 507 +87 Portage 44 78 64 +8 1500 +142 558 +183 Portland_ME 46 80 64 +2 1918 +207 829 +212 Rangeley 36 83 62 +6 1317 +167 410 +149 Sebec_Lake 35 86 61 +2 1527 +48 538 +82 Vanceboro 46 80 62 +3 1474 -21 507 +38 Waterville 39 85 62 -2 1804 -111 755 +1 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 44 83 63 +1 2010 +147 873 +158 Benton 43 83 62 +3 1701 +159 662 +195 Berlin_AG 40 82 62 +4 1635 +82 605 +116 Bethlehem 38 81 60 +1 1502 -39 527 +60 Concord 40 85 65 +3 2188 +325 1033 +318 Diamond_Pond 39 75 59 +4 1144 +99 329 +124 First_Conn_Lake 39 84 61 +6 1146 +101 312 +107 Greenville 40 90 60 -2 1880 +194 806 +240 Keene_AP 37 82 63 -2 2118 +39 953 +81 Lakeport 45 85 66 +6 2174 +429 1017 +387 Marlow 35 80 58 -5 1619 -269 610 -107 Mt_Washington 33 61 49 +6 251 +190 12 +12 North_Conway 43 85 63 +3 2010 +275 911 +292 Otter_Brook_Lk 40 83 62 -3 1979 -100 855 -17 Plymouth 38 86 63 +4 1717 +189 667 +197 Rochester 42 83 64 -1 2115 +123 967 +154 Weare 42 79 62 -1 1932 +44 824 +107 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 40 83 61 +0 1834 +208 744 +213 Bethel 36 84 63 +3 1913 +368 815 +332 Burlington_Intl 41 87 66 +5 2220 +230 1055 +244 East_Haven 32 82 61 +4 1522 +232 548 +218 Island_Pond 38 81 62 +5 1521 +246 540 +223 Montpelier 42 82 63 +4 1750 +183 681 +186 Morrisville_AG 38 83 62 +3 1559 -4 559 +59 Mount_Mansfield 42 75 58 +7 938 +263 229 +163 Northfield 41 85 63 +5 1769 +342 690 +279 Pownal 43 81 61 +0 1808 +176 714 +182 Rochester 40 88 64 +4 1756 +211 698 +215 Rutland_AG 40 85 64 +0 1864 -193 763 -86 Sunderland 38 88 61 -3 1747 -224 673 -102 Sutton 42 82 62 +6 1575 +285 566 +236 Townshend_Lake 44 83 63 +0 2015 +63 877 +93 Union_Vill_Dam 36 86 63 -1 1896 -72 810 +18 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 44 82 63 +2 2091 +399 932 +349 Boston/Logan_In 52 82 68 -1 2663 +286 1398 +282 Greenfield 45 83 64 -2 2297 +72 1087 +106 New_Bedford 46 82 66 -3 2395 -6 1139 +1 Otis_AFB 50 81 67 +2 2287 +332 1075 +271 Plymouth 44 82 66 +1 2290 +276 1087 +239 Walpole 46 85 65 +1 2385 +347 1171 +326 West_Medway 44 88 64 +0 2413 +375 1181 +336 Chicopee/Westov 45 86 65 -4 2540 -6 1287 +50 Worcester 50 80 64 +2 2202 +300 1033 +291 Worthington 40 81 61 +0 1875 +215 783 +232 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 53 84 68 +2 2676 +408 1406 +370 Woonsocket 46 84 65 +1 2371 +365 1151 +344 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 44 80 63 -5 2153 -298 970 -194 Bridgeport/Siko 54 86 68 -1 2736 +296 1443 +258 Hartford/Bradle 47 86 67 +1 2705 +261 1418 +257 Norfolk 46 82 64 +3 2129 +466 951 +398 Norwich 48 85 66 -1 2530 +251 1280 +257 Thomaston_Dam 45 82 63 -1 2361 +377 1124 +338 Willimantic 45 82 65 +1 2411 +387 1172 +353 1-WEEK PRECIP 4-WEEK CUM PRECIP ------------- ----------------- TOTAL TOTAL STATION INCHES DFN DAYS INCHES DFN DAYS ------- ----- ---- --- ----- ---- --- MAINE Albion 0.38 -0.39 3 1.47 -1.82 9 Allagash 0.00 -0.91 0 0.35 -3.37 3 Augusta_State_A 0.23 -0.47 2 1.05 -1.89 6 Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.38 -0.42 3 1.10 -2.01 11 Barnard 0.33 -0.58 2 0.70 -2.77 8 Bath 0.24 -0.46 2 1.90 -1.07 8 Bethel 0.08 -0.74 2 0.66 -2.87 9 Brassua_Dam 0.07 -0.79 2 0.65 -2.73 5 Brunswick_ME 0.46 -0.24 2 2.26 -0.71 9 Caribou_Municip 1.25 +0.41 2 1.54 -2.02 5 Corinna 0.31 -0.59 2 0.98 -2.54 6 Danforth 0.23 -0.67 2 0.99 -2.69 7 Dover-Foxcroft 1.22 +0.31 2 1.71 -1.76 6 Durham 0.21 -0.49 3 1.56 -1.24 9 East_Hiram 0.23 -0.54 3 1.65 -1.63 8 Eustis 0.00 -0.77 0 0.06 -3.01 2 Frenchville 0.30 -0.61 2 2.55 -1.17 7 Gray 0.34 -0.36 2 1.76 -0.92 7 Greenville_ME 0.24 -0.67 3 0.54 -2.93 7 Guilford 0.25 -0.66 3 1.14 -2.33 11 Hollis 0.28 -0.45 2 2.28 -0.58 8 Houlton 0.29 -0.62 2 0.59 -3.10 7 Kennebunkport 0.36 -0.34 2 1.98 -0.84 7 Livermore_Falls 0.22 -0.66 3 0.74 -2.96 9 Moosehead 0.01 -0.85 1 0.51 -2.87 4 New_Sharon 0.24 -0.64 2 0.64 -3.06 7 Patten 0.54 -0.37 2 0.97 -2.72 6 Portage 0.12 -0.72 1 0.48 -3.08 2 Portland_ME 0.55 -0.15 3 1.74 -0.94 7 Rangeley 0.01 -0.78 1 0.31 -3.21 6 Sebec_Lake 0.24 -0.67 2 0.57 -2.90 8 Vanceboro 0.36 -0.55 2 0.84 -2.39 7 Waterville 0.35 -0.42 3 0.89 -2.40 9 NEW_HAMPSHIRE Barnstead 0.24 -0.46 3 1.99 -0.92 10 Benton 0.00 -0.80 0 1.28 -2.22 5 Berlin_AG 0.00 -0.84 0 0.39 -3.35 4 Bethlehem 0.07 -0.77 1 0.80 -3.06 6 Concord 0.26 -0.44 3 2.16 -0.75 10 Diamond_Pond 0.05 -0.98 1 0.65 -3.82 5 First_Conn_Lake 0.00 -1.03 0 0.18 -4.29 3 Greenville 0.23 -0.55 1 2.46 -1.02 5 Keene_AP 0.00 -0.76 0 3.42 +0.08 7 Lakeport 0.13 -0.58 2 2.16 -1.02 8 Marlow 0.04 -0.77 1 2.81 -0.49 6 Mt_Washington 0.02 -1.82 1 1.07 -6.44 8 North_Conway 0.03 -0.81 1 1.00 -2.54 9 Otter_Brook_Lk 0.12 -0.64 3 2.92 -0.42 10 Plymouth 0.05 -0.72 1 2.01 -1.33 6 Rochester 0.26 -0.50 2 2.21 -0.92 8 Weare 0.21 -0.60 2 2.41 -0.89 8 VERMONT Ball_Mt_Lake 0.15 -0.76 3 2.79 -1.05 10 Bethel 0.03 -0.92 2 1.13 -2.93 6 Burlington_Intl 0.00 -0.84 0 1.03 -2.56 6 East_Haven 0.03 -0.86 1 0.50 -3.55 6 Island_Pond 0.00 -0.89 0 1.01 -3.10 4 Montpelier 0.00 -0.74 0 1.33 -2.02 6 Morrisville_AG 0.01 -0.92 1 0.69 -3.47 5 Mount_Mansfield 0.15 -1.43 3 1.60 -5.08 11 Northfield 0.00 -0.78 0 1.19 -2.15 5 Pownal 0.03 -0.88 1 2.26 -1.58 7 Rochester 0.01 -0.94 1 1.37 -2.69 5 Rutland_AG 0.00 -0.91 0 1.17 -2.59 4 Sunderland 0.00 -0.88 0 3.09 -0.52 6 Sutton 0.00 -0.89 0 0.53 -3.52 6 Townshend_Lake 0.16 -0.67 3 3.44 -0.08 10 Union_Vill_Dam 0.02 -0.75 1 1.61 -1.65 7 MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham 0.30 -0.40 3 3.24 +0.25 11 Boston/Logan_In 1.26 +0.51 4 3.27 +0.27 11 Greenfield 0.26 -0.58 3 2.99 -0.32 12 New_Bedford 1.41 +0.55 4 2.13 -1.63 11 Otis_AFB 1.04 +0.27 4 2.19 -0.91 9 Plymouth 1.72 +0.74 4 3.03 -0.76 13 Walpole 0.88 -0.03 3 3.47 -0.17 9 West_Medway 1.12 +0.21 3 3.46 -0.18 10 Chicopee/Westov 0.27 -0.57 2 2.06 -1.22 9 Worcester 0.59 -0.32 3 2.62 -0.92 10 Worthington 0.20 -0.70 3 2.94 -0.71 9 RHODE_ISLAND Providence 1.26 +0.42 4 2.65 -0.71 10 Woonsocket 1.25 +0.34 3 3.88 +0.24 9 CONNECTICUT Bakersville 0.62 -0.29 3 3.14 -0.34 8 Bridgeport/Siko 2.50 +1.79 3 5.15 +2.31 9 Hartford/Bradle 0.86 -0.05 3 2.80 -0.68 8 Norfolk 0.59 -0.41 3 3.59 -0.56 11 Norwich 2.46 +1.55 4 5.54 +1.90 10 Thomaston_Dam 1.35 +0.37 3 3.89 -0.03 10 Willimantic 1.25 +0.34 4 3.25 -0.32 10 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: We had several showers this week. Rain was too late for some crops, but will help late vegetable and fruit crops. Field corn looks good. Farmers are just beginning to harvest field corn. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: A great week to chop; trucks roll continually as fields are devoured. Corn is sporadically good to very poor, uneven maturity. Rain delayed some field starts. The chopping race with nature and equipment is on. Early apples good, nectarines and peaches doing well, chrysanthemums ready to enhance the landscape. Nancy Welsh/Karen Lockman (FSA), New Haven: Nights and mornings have been cool. Days are still warm into the 90's. There will be very few Howden pumpkins due to the lack of rain. Corn stalks and pumpkins being sold at farm stands. Sweet corn is starting to wind up. Field corn started being chopped. Joyce Meader (Ext), Windham: Harvested corn silage is on the wet side, but grain looks of average maturity (dented). Stalks on the immature side. Not a bumper crop, but average height on non-droughty fields. Clipped grass is greening up nicely with recent rainfall. MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes: Limited potato harvesting continues both for processing and growers market. More vine desiccation. Harvesting small grains. Growers delaying desiccating late varieties hoping to get more size on tubers. Some areas received some rainfall this past week. Other areas remain very dry. Yield will suffer. Contract growers are finding they need to harvest more acres than normal to get enough yield to fill contracts. Steve London (Ext), Southern Aroostook: Grain and early potatoes for processing being harvested, good quality on both. We had 0.6 inches of rain this week that was long overdue, still could use some more. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis: Potato farmers are killing potato tops in preparation for harvest. Very little rain fell even with a whole day of drizzle. Donna Lamb (Ext), Piscataquis: The soil is very dry. Small areas of some corn fields were hit by frost and yet Sunday saw temperatures in the 90's. Janet King (FSA), Somerset: Very dry in Somerset County. Producers are starting to chop corn. Pumpkins and squashes are early this year. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo: Dry weather continues. Some rain last week helped a little, but the heat has helped to erase any benefit. Corn chopping will begin soon. Apple harvest has started. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Harvesting of squash has just started. Corn silage is looking better after rain, but ear development is very small. Conditions are still very dry. Michael Tardy (FSA), Androscoggin: The season is winding down. Several silage corn producers have told me they will be harvesting next week. Apples are ready for all the "city folk" to pick from the tree at the "pick your own" places. Market garden farmers are moving tomatoes, cukes and squashes. Sweet corn is still being smothered with butter and salt in homes around the county. The dry weather has done its damage and the farmers will just do what they can with the crops. Parker Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: Hay is showing some growth from last week's rain, for silage it's too little too late. Even corn that looks good has no ears, or no grain on the ear. Irrigated crops are doing well and farm stands are selling sweet corn, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Gary Raymond/Elaine Moceus (FSA), Franklin: Very light showers on Tuesday and Wednesday, but with such dry conditions, it didn't seem to make a difference. More rain is needed! Laura Rand (FSA), Oxford: Things are extremely dry! No rain in sight. Silage and sweet corn showing signs of stress with some sweet corn never maturing before drying up. Farm stands are beginning to display pumpkins and squash. MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Still haying. Orchardists starting to pick apples and other fruit. Not much picking of fruit in our county. Some sweet corn being picked with added meat. Rain was from 1 to 3 inches this week. Still hot. Paul Russell (FSA), Southeast Massachusetts: Cranberry harvest is underway with growers selected to harvest white fruit. The harvest of red fruit will begin any day, some concerns over the lack of water available for harvest. Growers may have to wait until we get some rain to fill their reservoirs. Growers are concerned with the quality of fresh fruit because of some insect damage and undersized fruit. Hay is hard to make as we are getting a heavy dew every morning, but there isn't much hay to harvest anyway. Vegetables are winding down with the last harvest of sweet corn, which is average at best, and harvest of pumpkins and winter squash, which will be an extremely poor crop. Kip Graham (FSA), Worcester: Nicer weather towards the end of the week helped get third cutting of hay moving right along. Most of the vegetables are coming to an end and still in full harvest. It was nice field working weather. Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: White berries (primarily Stevens) harvested last week; these berries will be used for white cranberry juice. Good ripening conditions this week with bright sunny days and cool nights. No frost nights so far. The rainfall helped greatly but we need much more. Berry size is better than I thought it would be. David Rose (FSA), Bristol: Everyone is still harvesting all crops. More farmers have started to chop corn. Peach harvest just about over. Apple and pear harvest well underway. John Devine (FSA), Franklin: This has been an excellent week for harvesting third cut hay. Cool and dry weather during the first half of the week was followed by hot and humid conditions. This was also perfect weather for the Franklin County Fair and the Massachusetts Balloon competition. The fall-crop harvest is in full swing now and roadside stands have been very busy. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: Everyone is harvesting fall crops including mums, pumpkins, winter squash, potatoes and many more fall crops. Dairy farmers started harvesting silage corn and are finishing up on their third cutting of hay. Many farmers are reporting crop yields are down slightly due to this year's dry weather conditions. Broadleaf tobacco is curing in the barns nicely. Many harvested fields are being seeded with a fall cover crop since it rained last week. Gary Guida, Worcester: Again, another week without rain. Pumpkins breaking color and sugar pumpkins already turned. Fall armyworms beginning to be a real problem in sweet corn. Consumer demand for summer crops (particularly corn) this weekend very strong. Mums and perennials hot items as well. Lawns and some pastures made small comeback (at least they're green ). Getting ready to harvest fall squash. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Harvesting Paula red apples, fall raspberries, and late varieties of highbush blueberries. Vegetables ripening quickly due to warm weather. Irrigation running constantly. Field and sweet corn losses are great due to drought. Third cut hay in a few places. Waiting for rain to do fall pasture seeding. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Cool weather early in the week, close to frost in a few locations, HOT on the weekend! Apples, pears and winter squash taking severe wildlife damage. The lack of rain must be tightening up the wild food supply. The little bit of rain we had was great, but we sure could use more. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Rain early in the week helped, but more wouldn't have hurt. Farmers still plugging along with harvest of second and third cuttings for dry hay; third cutting alfalfa and grass haylage done. Despite dry weather this season, most field corn looks pretty good - ears are in late dough stage, and some kernels starting to dent. Farmers continue to gear up for chopping. Harvest of sweet corn, tomatoes, and other vegetables continues. Apple harvest starting to get busy. Blueberry harvest starting to wind down. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Scattered light frost throughout the county, somewhat harder up north. Nice second cut hay crop continues to be taken. Field corn looking pretty good as ears begin to fill out, helped along by some fairly warm days. Reports of bear feeding in it. Plenty of sweet corn, various other summer veggies at farm stands. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Still very dry. Very little grass growth in the last week. Some growth on alfalfa. Corn in some fields is turning brown due to dryness and heat. Summer seedings finishing up; getting ready for corn harvest. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit: Peach, pear, plum and fall raspberry harvest continued. Starting Marshall McIntosh and Gala apple harvest. Vegetables: Harvesting wide array of summer and fall vegetable crops. Farmers kept busy irrigating crops not harvested and starting to cleaning up harvested fields. Field Crops: Hay cutting continued. Farmers making new forage seedings. Farmers starting corn silage harvest, many corn fields showing drought stress. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack: Apple harvest has begun. Blueberry harvest completed. Fall raspberries harvested. Irrigated tomatoes and squash are thriving in the hot, sunny weather. Farmers continue to monitor and spray for pests. Needed rainfall helped re-growth of hayfields. Some hay being cut. The amount of rainfall varied from town to town. Drought conditions continued to take their toll on crop yields. Field corn harvest delayed due to lack of ear development. Pam Marvin (FSA), Sullivan: Reports from blueberry producers puts this year's yield as very good. Picking is over and the cleanup begins. Still receiving reports of water sources running dry. Harvesting of silage corn has begun. The condition of this year's crop is all over the place from stalks with no ears to average looking fields. The yield is definitely lower than normal due to the drought. NEED RAIN! Geoffrey Njue (Ext), Strafford: The week was dry and hot. Some producers started to harvest third cut hay. Vegetable growers continued to harvest various kinds of vegetable crops including sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, melons, etc. Growers of field cut flowers continued to harvest flowers. The yields are low due to drought and heavy competition from weeds. Fruit growers continued with the harvest of early apple varieties. They also continued to irrigate where possible. RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Rainfall early week gave a slight respite, however not enough to rescue many crops. Potato crop looks off, weed control in sweet corn affected yields, some haying being done. The cooler weather has been welcomed. Harvesting summer vegetables, with some raspberries and the last few blueberries. Marilu Soileau (FSA), All Counties: Showers and thunderstorms early in the week helped some crops and settled the dust, but it's too late for most crops. Silage corn harvest is beginning. VERMONT - John St. Onge (FSA), Lamoille: Hot, dry weather continued for another week. Third cut grass has seen reduced yields but excellent harvest conditions. Producers of corn silage started to get serious about harvest last week as many fields on well drained soils were prematurely drying. Bill Snow (Ext), Orange: Another dry week with high heat on the weekend drying things out faster. Corn drying down fast. Yields maybe affected. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Lack of rain has made conditions very dry. Regrowth on hayfields have been stunted. In some cases the fields have turned brown. Most cattle on pasture are being fed supplemental feed from the barn. Many landowners are finding the fields very rough from the ruts made in June that have now hardened to concrete. Corn still look good in most places. Some corn is as high as 14 feet. Ears are in milk stage. Lynette Hamilton (FSA), Windham: Farmers are cutting corn. Apple producers report that the apples they are picking are excellent, but production is spotty because of the frost in May. Manure spreading and liming on some fields. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Just started to harvest corn silage. Most plants not mature yet, some fields with dead stalks from drought. Grass growth very weak, alfalfa looks strained. Pasture is dry dust. New seedings coming under heavy weed pressure. Ponds very low. Richard Noel, Franklin/Grand Isle: Weather is excellent for doing all types of field work. Corn harvest begun, plants starting to die because lack of rain. A lot of third cut hay going in and quantity is low, but extremely high in quality. Legumes good, grass dormant. Rain is needed badly. Some wells beginning to run short! Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia: Very hot weekend. We did get 0.6 inches of rain last week, first moisture in several weeks. Hot weather is encouraging corn to mature and allowing farmers to hay. Some are starting to spread manure. Maria Garcia/Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: Little moisture this week. Got extremely hot and humid towards the end of the week. Apples are coming in despite hot, dry conditions. 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 ***********************