State
NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER

Week ending date 08/31/03

Issue                                        
NH-CW3503
Volume 23, Number 19
(issued weekly on the Internet, May - October)
September 2, 2003 - 4 pm

-- Agricultural Summary --

COOLER TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO ARRIVE

For the week ending August 31, 2003, there were 6.2 days
available for field work across New England.  Topsoil
moisture was rated 5% very short, 16% short, 73% adequate,
6% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 5% very short, 15%
short, 77% adequate, 3% surplus.  Pasture condition was
rated as 1% very poor, 13% poor, 32% fair, 47% good, 7%
excellent.  Northern New England states experienced below
normal temperatures last week, while southern states were
slightly warmer than normal. Minimal rain fell throughout
the region, forcing many to irrigate where available. The
dry weather allowed for much harvest to be completed. 
Major farm activities included: cutting haylage and making
dry hay; harvesting broadleaf and shade tobacco, potatoes,
small grains, apples, peaches, highbush blueberries, wild
blueberries and vegetables; desiccating potato vines;
spreading manure; irrigating; mowing; pruning;
cultivating; monitoring fields; preparing harvest
equipment; applying insecticides and fungicides;
performing general farm maintenance.

SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND
-----------------------------------------------
Soil Rating    This Week  Last Week  Last Year
-----------------------------------------------
                        -- Percent --
Topsoil Moisture
   Very Short      5          0         32
   Short          16          9         35
   Adequate       73         72         33
   Surplus         6         19          0
Subsoil Moisture
   Very Short      5          0         37
   Short          15         14         34
   Adequate       77         76         29
   Surplus         3         10          0
-----------------------------------------------

-- Field Crops Report --

Lack of rain helped efforts to make dry hay, though cooler
temperatures slowed the process.  Cutting of the first hay
crop was completed by week's end, while the second and
third crop harvests continued close to normal schedules. 
Farmers prepared for the upcoming field corn harvest, many
reporting a very good quality crop this year.  A small
number of Maine potato growers began to harvest for
processors, and others continued with top kill on early
varieties.  Maine small grain crops were rated in good to
fair condition as harvest progressed.  Tobacco harvest in
the Connecticut River Valley reached 85 percent complete
for both shade and broadleaf crops, slightly behind
normal.

-- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report --

FRUIT: The harvest of peaches, pears, plums and apples
continued last week.  Growers also proceeded with highbush
blueberry, wild blueberry and raspberry harvest.  As of
August 31, growers had only ten percent of the highbush
blueberry crop remaining to harvest.  Cool nights in Maine
have been favorable for wild blueberry quality as harvest
winds down.  Massachusetts' cranberry growers irrigated
bogs last week and many geared up for white berry harvest.

VEGETABLES: Vegetable harvest was ongoing last week;
growers harvested beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage,
cucumbers, greens, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkins, squash
and tomatoes, among others.  Irrigation took place where
needed.  Some growers reported losing vegetable crops to
rot due to consistently humid conditions that prevailed in
early August.  Sweet corn was rated in good condition last
week as it reached 70 percent harvested, in line with last
year and normal.  Steady demand continues at markets.

-- Crop Progress Tables --

FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND
-------------------------------------------------------
                -- % Harvested --
   Crop       2003    2002   5-yr Avg     Condition
-------------------------------------------------------
Barley, ME     60      50      55         Good/Fair   
Oats, ME       30      30      40         Good/Fair   
Potatoes    
  Maine        <5      10       5       Good/Excellent  
  Mass         25      40      40           Good
  Rhode Isl    50      55      40       Good/Excellent
Silage Corn    --      <5       5           Good   
Sweet Corn     70      70      70           Good   
Tobacco
  Shade        85      95      95         Good/Fair
  Broadleaf    85      95      90         Fair/Good
Dry Hay       
  First Cut   100     100      99         Good/Fair 
  Second Cut   85      90      85         Good/Fair
  Third Cut    35      50      40       Good/Excellent
---------------------------------------------------------


FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND
--------------------------------------------------------
                 -- % Harvested --   
  Crop          2003   2002  5-yr Avg      Condition
--------------------------------------------------------
Apples           15     20      15         Good/Fair 
Peaches          60     80      75         Good/Fair 
Pears            10     10      15         Good/Fair 
Blueberries 
   Highbush      90     95      95         Good/Fair 
   Wild, ME      95     99      95           Good   
Cranberries,MA   --     --      --           Good 
--------------------------------------------------------

-- Weather Summary --

For the week ending Sunday, August 31, 2003
--------------------------------------------
       AIR TEMPERATURES  PRECIPITATION
STATE   LO  HI AVG DFN    LO      HI
----   --- --- --- ---   ----    ----
ME     32  87  60  -4    0.00    0.94
NH     30  90  60  -3    0.00    1.19
VT     36  87  61  -2    0.00    1.67
MA     40  87  68  +1    0.00    0.93
RI     50  87  70  +2    0.00    1.82
CT     45  88  68  +1    0.00    0.08
-------------------------------------------- 
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    August 25, 2003 
            To:     Sunday    August 31, 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           36  81  60  -7  1642 -168  670  -51
Allagash         33  73  52  -8  1168  -38  379  +66
Augusta_State_A  46  82  64  -2  1840  +87  819 +134
Bangor_Intl_Arp  41  84  64  -2  1813 +212  802 +227
Barnard          41  80  59  -4  1507 +112  577 +146
Bath             39  87  61  -5  1631   -5  662  +50
Bethel           41  81  60  -4  1622  +33  650  +94
Brassua_Dam      42  74  58  -3  1329 +167  484 +187
Brunswick_ME     40  87  64  -2  1740 +104  748 +136
Caribou_Municip  34  73  56  -5  1466 +168  567 +202
Corinna          39  82  61  -3  1663 +132  684 +172
Danforth         33  80  58  -5  1547  +56  634 +131
Dover-Foxcroft   36  80  59  -4  1358  -37  489  +58
Durham           41  85  61  -6  1606 -253  698  -77
East_Hiram       39  81  58  -6  1583   +1  630  +79
Eustis           36  74  57  -3  1271 +142  438 +167
Frenchville      37  73  55  -5  1339 +133  473 +160
Gray             49  84  66  +2  1855 +244  831 +241
Greenville_ME    42  73  59  -4  1445  +39  543 +103
Guilford         36  85  58  -4  1298  -97  462  +31
Hollis           38  82  60  -4  1682 +166  695 +188
Houlton          32  76  58  -3  1544 +188  613 +205
Kennebunkport    42  85  62  -6  1606 -354  610 -237
Livermore_Falls  36  83  60  -3  1694 +321  735 +325
Moosehead        36  75  56  -4  1277 +115  441 +144
New_Sharon       42  82  62  +1  1682 +309  722 +312
Patten           37  75  57  -5  1450  +94  546 +138
Portage          39  73  56  -4  1502 +204  591 +226
Portland_ME      46  86  66  +1  1787 +176  768 +178
Rangeley         37  76  56  -3  1287 +194  446 +194
Sebec_Lake       39  80  59  -3  1504  +98  582 +142
Vanceboro        38  78  58  -5  1499  +83  582 +131
Waterville       42  84  62  -5  1730  -80  734  +13
 
NEW_HAMPSHIRE
Barnstead        43  86  64  -1  1848  +82  819 +132
Benton           40  78  59  -4  1577 +110  610 +160
Berlin_AG        39  78  60  -3  1625 +147  641 +168
Bethlehem        37  79  58  -5  1497  +30  556 +105
Concord          39  86  66  +2  2051 +285  974 +287
Diamond_Pond     37  70  53  -5  1165 +166  371 +174
First_Conn_Lake  35  75  55  -3  1207 +208  389 +192
Greenville       40  90  63  -2  1576  -21  645 +101
Keene_AP         39  82  65  -2  1976   +9  885  +50
Lakeport         46  82  65  +2  2007 +349  939 +330
Marlow           38  80  59  -7  1492 -295  572 -116
Mount_Washingto  30  57  43  -2   226 +165    6   +6
North_Conway     40  82  62  -2  1832 +184  812 +214
Otter_Brook_Lk   42  80  62  -5  1815 -152  774  -61
Plymouth         39  81  60  -3  1589 +134  628 +172
Rochester        42  86  65  -2  1846  -36  820  +43
Weare            45  80  63  -3  1827  +40  773  +85
 
VERMONT
Ball_Mt_Lake     39  81  62  -1  1650 +109  658 +148
Bethel           39  82  61  -3  1827 +364  778 +315
Burlington_Intl  43  82  65  -1  2163 +273 1014 +233
East_Haven       36  77  58  -3  1528 +298  571 +251
Island_Pond      39  74  57  -3  1502 +289  561 +255
Montpelier       40  78  61  -2  1630 +140  639 +162
Morrisville_AG   39  81  59  -4  1746 +261  734 +252
Mount_Mansfield  39  68  53  -2   859 +213  195 +129
Northfield       39  79  59  -3  1645 +288  645 +249
Pownal           45  83  64  +2  1718 +171  658 +147
Rochester        42  80  61  -3  1661 +198  655 +192
Rutland_AG       43  81  62  -5  1784 -164  741  -72
Sunderland       41  80  61  -6  1604 -263  583 -160
Sutton           39  76  58  -3  1512 +282  561 +241
Townshend_Lake   44  84  63  -3  1824  -23  775  +24
Union_Vill_Dam   41  87  61  -6  1793  -70  780  +21
 
MASSACHUSETTS
Ashburnham       46  80  65  +3  1927 +322  858 +295
Boston/Logan_In  55  87  73  +4  2306  +73 1169 +115
Greenfield       46  85  66  -3  2082  -18  950  +15
New_Bedford      51  87  70  -2  2074 -175  986  -83
Otis_AFB         54  86  71  +4  2064 +232 1005 +244
Plymouth         49  85  69  +2  1999 +106  924 +118
Walpole          50  85  68  +2  2141 +216 1030 +221
West_Medway      48  85  66  +0  2159 +234 1034 +225
Chicopee/Westov  46  86  68  -3  2173 -228 1021 -153
Worcester        50  81  68  +3  1993 +197  894 +184
Worthington      40  81  62  -3  1663  +93  646 +119
 
RHODE_ISLAND
Providence       55  87  72  +3  2283 +154 1133 +153
Woonsocket       50  85  68  +2  2094 +201  988 +217
 
CONNECTICUT
Bakersville      45  80  64  -6  1785 -531  714 -396
Bridgeport/Siko  59  87  74  +3  2345  +59 1187  +74
Hartford/Bradle  50  86  71  +2  2383  +74 1177  +70
Norfolk          47  78  63  +0  1740 +166  692 +160
Norwich          51  88  69  +1  2257 +111 1113 +142
Thomaston_Dam    48  86  67  +1  2156 +284 1001 +252
Willimantic      49  85  68  +2  2205 +297 1063 +283
 
                 1-WEEK PRECIP     4-WEEK CUM PRECIP
                 -------------     -----------------
               TOTAL               TOTAL
STATION       INCHES    DFN DAYS  INCHES    DFN DAYS
-------        -----   ----  ---   -----   ----  ---
MAINE
Albion          0.09  -0.75    2    1.61  -1.76   10
Allagash        0.25  -0.66    2    3.15  -0.57   11
Augusta_State_A 0.05  -0.65    3    1.62  -1.39   15
Bangor_Intl_Arp 0.02  -0.75    1    0.69  -2.36    5
Barnard         0.27  -0.60    3    1.91  -1.44   14
Bath            0.17  -0.57    2    1.08  -1.91    9
Bethel          0.04  -0.86    2    3.54  -0.09   12
Brassua_Dam     0.55  -0.29    2    2.53  -0.83   12
Brunswick_ME    0.14  -0.60    3    1.77  -1.22   10
Caribou_Municip 0.31  -0.59    3    3.38  -0.27   17
Corinna         0.40  -0.51    2    1.90  -1.55    8
Danforth        0.42  -0.49    3    3.01  -0.70   11
Dover-Foxcroft  0.20  -0.67    1    1.35  -2.00    9
Durham          0.04  -0.66    1    2.84  +0.00   14
East_Hiram      0.08  -0.74    4    2.98  -0.42   18
Eustis          0.36  -0.40    3    3.29  +0.22   13
Frenchville     0.12  -0.79    3    2.65  -1.07   11
Gray            0.06  -0.64    2    2.18  -0.42   12
Greenville_ME   0.04  -0.83    3    1.06  -2.29    8
Guilford        0.31  -0.56    4    2.27  -1.08   14
Hollis          0.01  -0.72    1    1.95  -0.88   13
Houlton         0.50  -0.41    2    3.67  -0.02   11
Kennebunkport   0.00  -0.72    0    1.90  -0.92   13
Livermore_Falls 0.05  -0.86    2    1.31  -2.41   12
Moosehead       0.37  -0.47    2    3.29  -0.07   13
New_Sharon      0.00  -0.91    0    1.52  -2.20   11
Patten          0.63  -0.28    2    6.00  +2.31   15
Portage         0.20  -0.70    2    5.74  +2.09   12
Portland_ME     0.05  -0.65    2    1.04  -1.56   10
Rangeley        0.41  -0.48    2    2.78  -0.87   10
Sebec_Lake      0.29  -0.58    2    2.40  -0.95   11
Vanceboro       0.45  -0.37    3    3.27  +0.27   14
Waterville      0.06  -0.78    1    2.13  -1.24    9
 
NEW_HAMPSHIRE
Barnstead       0.13  -0.57    1    4.23  +1.24   16
Benton          0.27  -0.62    1    3.43  -0.19   10
Berlin_AG       0.02  -0.92    1    3.04  -0.85    8
Bethlehem       0.17  -0.79    4    3.48  -0.60   14
Concord         0.00  -0.70    0    4.82  +1.83   13
Diamond_Pond    0.55  -0.56    4    2.55  -2.07   16
First_Conn_Lake 0.36  -0.75    3    3.79  -0.83   13
Greenville      0.09  -0.77    1    3.79  +0.14   13
Keene_AP        0.02  -0.80    2    2.44  -1.07   13
Lakeport        0.10  -0.70    2    5.26  +1.94   13
Marlow          0.06  -0.75    1    8.53  +5.21   13
Mount_Washingto 1.19  -0.70    4    9.23  +1.74   18
North_Conway    0.18  -0.71    1    5.88  +2.26   13
Otter_Brook_Lk  0.01  -0.81    1    5.02  +1.51   13
Plymouth        0.12  -0.70    2    5.58  +2.08   15
Rochester       0.00  -0.77    0    2.39  -0.83   12
Weare           0.06  -0.75    1    5.25  +1.93   13
 
VERMONT
Ball_Mt_Lake    0.37  -0.60    2    4.25  +0.35   16
Bethel          0.79  -0.23    1    3.87  -0.29   12
Burlington_Intl 0.39  -0.52    3    2.11  -1.56    7
East_Haven      0.61  -0.39    4    3.87  -0.40   15
Island_Pond     0.67  -0.35    4    3.83  -0.53   16
Montpelier      0.34  -0.49    3    4.43  +0.95   12
Morrisville_AG  0.45  -0.58    2    3.12  -1.23   12
Mount_Mansfield 0.99  -0.68    5    5.49  -1.28   16
Northfield      0.30  -0.54    2    3.31  -0.10   11
Pownal          0.51  -0.46    3    4.66  +0.76   15
Rochester       0.00  -1.02    0    2.49  -1.67   11
Rutland_AG      0.12  -0.79    2    3.36  -0.44   13
Sunderland      0.26  -0.65    3    6.08  +2.52   14
Sutton          0.31  -0.69    3    4.36  +0.09   17
Townshend_Lake  0.13  -0.75    1    5.07  +1.47   16
Union_Vill_Dam  0.24  -0.58    2    3.13  -0.16   11
 
MASSACHUSETTS
Ashburnham      0.05  -0.70    1    4.22  +1.07   13
Boston/Logan_In 0.00  -0.76    0    1.99  -0.95   11
Greenfield      0.07  -0.72    2    7.67  +4.36   16
New_Bedford     0.00  -0.95    0    3.61  -0.22   12
Otis_AFB        0.00  -0.79    0    3.96  +0.87   13
Plymouth        0.00  -0.98    0    4.91  +1.26   12
Walpole         0.00  -0.91    0    4.02  +0.45   11
West_Medway     0.00  -0.91    0    3.86  +0.29   10
Chicopee/Westov 0.22  -0.62    3    3.97  +0.77   15
Worcester       0.00  -0.91    0    4.48  +1.02   13
Worthington     0.01  -0.90    1    4.91  +1.17   12
 
RHODE_ISLAND
Providence      0.00  -0.84    0    4.58  +1.28   11
Woonsocket      0.00  -0.91    0    3.13  -0.51   11
 
CONNECTICUT
Bakersville     0.01  -0.87    1    5.05  +1.73   12
Bridgeport/Siko 0.08  -0.62    2    5.04  +2.13   11
Hartford/Bradle 0.01  -0.87    1    4.91  +1.59   11
Norfolk         0.00  -1.05    0    4.42  +0.29   13
Norwich         0.00  -0.91    0    4.18  +0.61   11
Thomaston_Dam   0.01  -0.97    1    4.69  +0.83   13
Willimantic     0.00  -0.91    0    2.22  -1.35   11

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 - Ross Eddy (FSA), Hartford/Tolland: Another
dry week for harvesting crops. Vegetable producers moved
many crops to market. Worms in sweet corn required many
acres to be unmarketable and harrowed down. Crops on sandy
soils required irrigation so producers were moving pipe
late in the week. Broadleaf tobacco harvest continued with
a few fields complete and others nearing completion. Shade
producers were nearing the final priming on some farms and
still applying fungicide to remaining leaves. More dry
second and third cutting hay baled. Marsha Jette (FSA),
New London: Producers taking advantage of good hay
weather, finishing second cutting and starting some third
cutting. Area sweet corn producers reporting many skips in
the field. Dawn Pindell (FSA), Windham: Lots of late
blueberries, small in size. Sweet corn winding down.
Haying as much as possible this week. Apples and peaches
are tasty and nice looking. Cool mornings upon us. Corn
silage harvest begins where feed is short and at the
opening of fields, the big effort is right around the
corner. Nancy Welsh/Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven:
Weather has been hot and humid with cool nights.
Harvesting what is left of vegetables, since most rotted
in fields. Mums are available. Macintosh apples are
available and Gingergold apples. Some early pears making
it to the market. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT Cooperative:
Making third cut hay and trying to finish first cutting
hay were the major activities this week. Cooler
temperatures slowed drying, but a little rain was a
welcome change. You can almost feel the anticipation as
farmers scout field corn for correct moisture to harvest. 

MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and
small grains: Cooler weather persists with a few showers
but ground is beginning to dry out after excessive rains
received during the past month. Growers continue to apply
vine kill on early varieties of potatoes, but later
varieties need to size up a bit. Small grains being
harvested when weather permits. Growers busy getting
equipment and storage ready for harvest. A few potatoes
have been harvested green and delivered to processors.
Steve London, Southern Aroostook: Potatoes and small
grains: Crops look good so far. Albert Dow (NRCS),
Piscataquis: Farmers caught up on trimming un-mowed areas
and on some construction. Rick Kersbergen (Ext), Waldo:
Another dry spell as this area seems to have missed out on
the last few rain events. Corn silage harvest will begin
soon as the corn is starting to dry out on several of the
sandy sites. Trudy Soucy (FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Blueberries
are finished. Weed control with RoundUp has begun. Apples
are ready. Cool weather has arrived. Haying continues. Dr.
David Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Crop
harvest finishing up. Cool night temperatures keeping
berries firm and crop quality high. Michael Tardy (FSA),
Androscoggin: What a great week! We saw lots of hay
harvested and put away for the winter months. Those early
apples were finding their way into the stores and into
homes. Some dairy folks were spreading manure and the
market garden owners were having brisk sales. People
really like that fresh produce from the local grower.
Let's look for a great fall and a great harvest. Parker
Rand (FSA), Cumberland/York: This is the season for all
manner of fresh vegetables. Farmers' markets doing a brisk
business. It was very good hay weather last week and a lot
was made. Farmers are gearing up for the fall harvest.
Gary Raymond (FSA), Franklin: A local farmer measured some
of his silage corn at 14 feet tall with ears at a level
over his head. Could be a record crop here. Laura Rand
(FSA), Oxford: The harvest season is upon us. Potatoes,
apples, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, peppers, onions and
other assorted vegetables are being harvested. Sweet corn
harvest is in full swing. The week was cool and dry. 

MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Good
days with several showers, but some hay was made - first,
second and third cutting. Field corn is looking great with
hope of no high wind with rain to knock it down. There
have been a few reports that early spring conditions, wet
and cold, deterred pollination and have affected the
production of vegetable crops. Kip Graham (FSA),
Worcester: Fall is quickly approaching. Seems like the
summer has already passed us by. As the cooler weather
approaches, crop growth slows to a stop. Most first and
second crop of hay is in. Many farmers are green chopping.
More and more are doing the round bales. Farmers getting
machinery ready to begin chopping corn. It's a constant
battle... repairing machines. Frank Caruso (Ext),
Plymouth: Cranberries: Berries continue to develop. The
size of the earlier varieties is the best I have seen in
many growing seasons, on commercial beds as well as wild
beds. Irrigation has been necessary, as no rain has fallen
since August 17. Fruitworm continues to be a big problem
for many growers. Several instances of slime molds in beds
due to the excessive high humidity for nearly three weeks.
Stem gall in three beds, indicating the harsh winter took
its toll in some places. White berry harvest should begin
this week. The crop looks very good at this point. David
Rose (FSA), Bristol: Good weather for making hay.
Harvesting of all crops continues. A few pumpkins showing
up on farm stands. Insect pressure is lessening. Disease
pressure is still high. Fruit crops look very good. John
Devine (FSA), Franklin: Fall harvesting continues. Most
tobacco growers have finished with field work and the crop
is drying quickly. Silage corn looks excellent but won't
be ready for at least two weeks. The potato harvest is
just starting and growers are concerned about storage
problems. Producers are reporting earworm problems in
sweet corn and Phytophthora problems in vine crops and
peppers. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA), Hampshire/Hampden: The
weather was excellent - dry and cool. All hay producers
were harvesting their crop. Growers were harvesting
apples, pears, potatoes and pumpkins for roadside markets
and banana peppers for processing. Blueberries, cucumbers
and tobacco are winding down. Growers were also applying a
winter cover crop on many of the harvested acres. Gary
Guida, Worcester: Went two weeks ago to visit family in
Long Island, NY - farms stands and produce plentiful and
the PRICES! If we could only get them here. And, yes, they
do grow most of produce. Labor Day weekend and of course
sales of corn was crazy! Mums all over the state and so
are the prices. Pumpkins sizing up well, hope for nice,
long fall season with no frosts! Consumer demand for
tomatoes and other produce strong. Second application of
herbicide in renovated strawberry fields, spraying
fungicides and spraying corn for fall army worm. Corn
infestation rate at two percent - glad I'm doing something
right. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE - Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Weather has
been cool, with showers often enough to stop second
cutting from progressing. There is not a lot of time left
to get hay in, a few dry, sunny days would allow for some
excellent second cutting to get in the barn. Powdery
mildew on pumpkins and squash, but crop looks like it is
just about ready. Carl Majewski (Ext), Cheshire: Plenty of
sun all week. Most field corn in late milk stage, some is
just starting to dent. Great drying conditions - producers
have been making lots of dry hay (second & third cut) and
haylage/baleage. Blueberries starting to wind down. Early
apple varieties available PYO and in farm stands. Farm
stands also offering lots of veggies, some starting to
harvest pumpkins. Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: Good week for
the Lancaster Fair and haying with dry weather only
spoiled by an evening shower. Seeing good second cut to
compliment good first cut this year. Some third cut
haylage also coming in. Some temperatures in the mid-30s
with frost threatening. Lots of late season veggies on the
market. Fall mums in flower, pumpkins coloring up, both
showing up for sale. Fresh market potatoes being dug.
Field corn looks excellent, later planted fields starting
to catch up. Sweet corn readily available. Some earworm
problems. Late season raspberries coloring. Tom Buob
(Ext), Grafton: Third cut continuing. Regrowth is good to
excellent due to sufficient moisture. Cooler weather has
slowed growth, but still ahead of schedule. Steve Schmidt
(FSA), Grafton: Another good week for weather. We received
a tenth of an inch on Friday night, but other than that,
there was no rain. The temperatures were cool, with the
mornings remaining foggy. Typical weather for this time of
year. The corn that was planted early is in full dent
stage and is ready for harvest. Some of the later planted
pieces still need another couple of weeks to a month for
late planted fields. Ground water is still below normal.
We were able to cross "wet areas" of pasture ground with a
tractor, that normally you could not even get near. Crops
are still growing well and using the available topsoil
moisture. This may explain why subsoil moisture is still
below normal. George Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Fruit:
Orchardists harvesting peaches, plums, pears and Paula Red
apples. Highbush blueberry harvest winding down, and fall
raspberry harvest continuing. Cultivating and weeding
newly renovated strawberry beds. Orchardists busy
monitoring for pests, summer pruning trees, mowing orchard
floors, fixing up orchard roads and moving bins into
orchards. Vegetables: Harvesting an array of vegetables.
Farmers kept busy harvesting crops, monitoring pest
pressures and spraying pesticides for insect and disease
control where needed. Field Crops: Hay making and cutting
haylage continued during the week with the second cut and
some third cutting being made. The remaining first cutting
is only good for mulch hay. David Seavey (Ext), Merrimack:
Heavy corn crop, but ears are a little smaller than
normal. Some dry second and third cut hay put up. Poor
pepper crop due to lack of heat units and poor start in
the spring. Farmers spraying for ear worm but some finding
this difficult during showers. Excellent sweet corn crop.
Apple harvest underway. Orchards being mowed. Ideal
conditions prevail for fruit and vegetable diseases. Apple
maggot sprays applied. 

RHODE ISLAND - Karen Menezes (Ext), Newport: Good haying
weather and lots of field work being done. Harvesting
potatoes, sweet corn and summer vegetables. Still spraying
fungicides. Tomatoes and squash doing beautifully.
Roadside stands are displaying colorful mums and fall
crops. 

VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille:
Another nice week for fieldwork. Corn silage harvest is
now just around the corner and some producers will be
starting next week. Vegetables have been doing well,
especially sweet corn. Some manure being spread on second
and third cut fields. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans:
Farmers are continuing to harvest second and third crop
hay. The weather has become much cooler promising the fall
to come. Lynette Hamilton/Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham:
Apple size has been reported smaller this year by several
producers. The production is better than last year and the
color they think will be OK. Field corn harvest will be
one of the best we have seen, wet ground could be a
problem at harvest time. There is still a strong sweet
corn market and fall vegetables are starting to show up at
farm stands. Jeff Carter (Ext), Addison: Some manure being
spread on hay fields. Winter wheat at harvest. Soybeans
vegetative. Corn variable in growth and vigor. Poorly
drained sites range from complete loss to less than 5
ton/acre silage. Harvesting of first cut dry hay stretched
out all season, some second cut dry bales. Haylage harvest
on third cut in full progress. Good to excellent yield and
quality alfalfa. Grass regrowth good during August.
Pastures look improved with rain. Newly seeded hay fields
look good, but planted very late, June through August, so
no harvest expected. Late season weed control problems
moderate in both new seedings and corn. Eric Winchester
(FSA) Orange/Windsor: The past week has been relatively
cool with little precipitation. We finally received a
little rain over the Labor Day weekend. Most farms are
working on their third cut grass. This cut has been heavy.
A forth cutting may be possible this year for some fields.
Corn looks good. It is starting to dry out and will be
ready to chop very soon. The last of the sweet corn crop
is being sold at farm stands. One farmer noted that worms
have just started to show up in the sweet corn this past
week for the first time this season, although other
producers have had appreciable numbers of the pests all
season long. I talked to one Orange County pumpkin grower
who, despite sufficient weed control, ample opportunity
for plant pollination, and healthy-appearing plants, has
not had any pumpkins this season. The cause for this is
unknown at this time. Dennis Kauppila (Ext), Caledonia:
Good late-summer, early-fall week. Heavy fog in valleys in
mornings. Showery on Friday. Lots of hay moving. Corn is
looking real good. Most dairy farmers very pleased with
this growing season. A few trees beginning to show some
color. Chris Benedict (Ext), Chittenden: Cooler weather
last week quickened the ripening process in early apple
varieties. Most early varieties have been picked. Heather
Darby (Ext), Franklin: Third cut still being harvested.
I've seen corn from blister to dent stages. Some early
maturing corn fields being harvested. Sherwin Williams,
Rutland: Rain was a bit short (0.192 inches) for the week,
but two light showers helped. Seeding winter rye on fields
as they are picked. Picking good crop of late varieties of
sweet corn. All cole crops doing well, especially cabbage.
All crops showing maturity, tomatoes finally made it. Will
start to pick winter squash after Labor Day. Have a good
week at the fair.


AUGUST 2003 CROP WEATHER SUMMARY: Hot, humid and rainy
weather dominated the month of August, turning cooler and
dry toward month's end.  These conditions encouraged
increased levels of insect activity and disease, so
farmers actively sprayed fields for control.  Pasture and
hay condition continued to improve throughout the month. 
By August 24, both the third crop of hay and silage corn
were rated in good to excellent condition by crop
specialists, a significant improvement from ratings
earlier in the season.  Potato harvest was well underway
in Rhode Island and Massachusetts , though slightly behind
normal schedules.  A small number of cases of potato late
blight surfaced in northern Maine, but overall quality and
condition of the Maine crop remained good to excellent.
The harvest progress of Maine small grains was behind
normal schedules earlier in the month, but then caught up
to the five-year average during the week ending August 24. 
Shade and broadleaf tobacco harvest were both well behind
normal progress and were rated in fair to good condition;
blue mold had been detected in Connecticut broadleaf
fields.  Peach harvest continued throughout the month of
August, progressing behind schedule after experiencing a
late start.  Apple and pear harvests were just getting
underway by month's end.  Specialists in Maine rated
highbush blueberries in poor condition; however, good to
fair conditions prevailed throughout the rest of New
England as harvest was winding down.  Maine's wild
blueberry harvest was also nearing completion by month's
end and looked to be in good condition.  Cranberries in
Massachusetts were also rated in good condition at month's
end; growers irrigated and prepared for the first harvest
of white berries.

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Statisticians: Emily McAllister, Robin Helrich
Stat Assistant: Wayne Colpitt
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/
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****************** end of report ***********************