State
NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY CROP WEATHER

Week ending date 5/01/05

Issue                                        
NH-CW3704
Volume 25, Number 1
(issued weekly on the Internet, May - October)
May 2, 2005 - 4 pm

-- Agricultural Summary

Continuous Rain Saturates Fields
For the week ending May 1, 2005, there were 2.9 days
available for field work across New England.  Topsoil
moisture was rated 38% adequate, 62% surplus.  Subsoil
moisture was rated 2% short, 54% adequate, 44% surplus. 
Pasture condition was rated as 10% very poor, 19% poor, 24%
fair, 43% good, 4% excellent. Rain throughout the week in
most of New England limited farmers from working the fields. 
Heavy rain in Maine, caused flood warnings throughout the
week and in Northern Maine, snow and wintry conditions hit
on Friday.  Temperatures during the week were below average
to average in the six states.  Major farm activities
included: planting sweet corn, early vegetables, and
potatoes, spreading manure, fertilizer and lime, plowing and
harrowing fields, pruning trees, fertilizing orchards,
working in the greenhouses and fencing.  
 
       SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS NEW ENGLAND
---------------------------------------------
                        -- Percent --
Soil Rating    This Week  Last Week  Last Year
---------------------------------------------
Topsoil Moisture
   Very Short      0         --          2
   Short           0         --          6
   Adequate       38         --         70
   Surplus        62         --         22
Subsoil Moisture
   Very Short      0         --          3
   Short           2         --          4
   Adequate       54         --         81
   Surplus        44         --         17
---------------------------------------------

-- Field Crops Report

Excessive rain limited farmers from preparing fields for
plantings.  However, when weather permitted or field
conditions allowed farmers were spreading manure, fertilizer
and lime.  In parts of New England, farmers plowed, disced
and harrowed fields that drained well from all the rain. 
Farmers were busy removing debris in fields that were
flooded along rivers and streams in parts of Maine. 
Pastures were progressing but still too wet.  In Connecticut
tobacco seedlings were in beds.  Massachusetts potato
planting progress was slightly ahead of last year but behind
normal.  Maine potato growers were cutting seed potatoes and
waiting for soils become drier.  



-- Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report

FRUIT: Orchard producers were pruning trees and spraying
fertilizer and fungicides.  Apple trees were budding but
some concerns of scabbing.  Also, reports of some problems
with peach trees.  Blueberry growers burned fields for
pruning, applied fungicides to blueberry fields to protect
against mummy berry and monilinia blight.  Growers were busy
planting strawberries and raspberries.  Cranberry vines
looked good but some black-headed fireworm larvae detected.


VEGETABLES: Growers prepared fields by subsoiling, plowing,
discing, and spreading lime.  Cool season vegetables were
being planted: cabbage, carrots, lettuce, parsnips, peas,
potatoes and spinach.  Sweet corn was planted under plastic. 
Also, greenhouse growers were busy planting vegetables.  
                                        
-- Crop Progress Tables

       FIELD CROP PROGRESS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND
----------------------------------------------------
   Crop      2005  2004  5-yr Avg    Condition
----------------------------------------------------
Barley, ME    0      0      0           --  
Oats, ME      0      0      0           --  
Potatoes     
  Maine       0      0      0           -- 
  Mass        0     10     30          Good     
  Rhode Isl   20    20     20          Good 
Silage Corn   0      0      0           --     
Sweet Corn    5     10     10          Good   
Tobacco
 Shade         0     0      0           --
 Broadleaf     0     0      0           --
Dry Hay       
  First Cut    0     0      0           --        

----------------------------------------------------
FRUIT CROP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND
-----------------------------------------------------
                     
  Crop           Stage      Fruit Set     Condition
-----------------------------------------------------
Apples           D/Bud         Avg          Good  
Peaches          D/EB          Avg        Fair/Good    
Pears           Bud/EB         Avg          Good    
Blueberries 
   Highbush      D/Bud         Avg          Good     
   Wild, ME      D/Bud         --           Good 
Cranberries,MA   D/Bud         --           Good    
Strawberries     D/Bud         Avg       Good/Excel
-----------------------------------------------------
D - Dormant, EB - Early Bud  

-- Weather Summary

For the week ending Sunday, May 1, 2005
----------------------------------------------
       AIR TEMPERATURES   PRECIPITATION
STATE   LO  HI AVG DFN      LO      HI
----   --- --- --- ---    ----    ----
ME      27  67  45  +0    2.26    6.67
NH      18  70  46  +0    0.96    4.67
VT      25  71  48  +1    0.57    2.57
MA      30  72  51  +1    0.69    3.56
RI      36  68  51  +1    1.87    2.10
CT      31  71  51  -1    0.86    2.66
---------------------------------------------- 
Copyright 2004:  AWIS, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

-- Weather Information Table 

For the Period:     Monday April 25, 2005 
            To:     Sunday May 1, 2005 
 
                      AIR           CUM SINCE MAR 1   
                  TEMPERATURE    GROWING DEGREE DAYS  
                  -----------     BASE-50F  BASE-60F  
STATION          LO  HI AVG DFN   TOT  DFN  TOT  DFN  
-------          --  --  --  --   --- ----  --- ----  
MAINE
Albion           30  65  46  -3    16   +0    0   +0   
Allagash         28  65  43  +2     0   +0    0   +0   
Augusta_State_A  31  62  47  -2    31  +18    1   +1   
Bangor_Intl_Arp  31  67  49  +3    35  +28    0   +0   
Barnard          29  63  46  +2    11   +6    0   +0   
Bath             31  60  46  -2    13   +7    0   +0   
Bethel           28  65  44  -4    10   +3    0   +0   
Brassua_Dam      28  60  42  +2     0   +0    0   +0   
Brunswick_ME     33  58  46  -2    22  +16    0   +0   
Caribou_Municip  32  64  46  +3    14   +9    0   +0   
Corinna          30  65  47  +2    21  +14    0   +0   
Danforth         32  61  45  +2     6   +2    0   +0   
Dover-Foxcroft   27  62  44  +0     6   +1    0   +0   
Durham           30  63  45  -5    11   -2    0   +0   
East_Hiram       32  67  45  -2    12   +5    0   +0   
Eustis           28  59  41  -1     0   +0    0   +0   
Frenchville      32  62  44  +3     5   +5    0   +0   
Gray             35  63  47  -1    35  +29    4   +4   
Greenville_ME    31  58  45  +0    10   +4    0   +0   
Guilford         30  63  45  +2     5   +0    0   +0   
Hollis           28  66  45  -2    14   +8    0   +0   
Houlton          30  65  47  +4    26  +21    0   +0   
Kennebunkport    30  62  47  -4    17   +0    1   +1   
Livermore_Falls  27  65  45  +0    11   +6    0   +0   
Moosehead        30  58  42  +2     1   +1    0   +0   
New_Sharon       27  64  45  +1    14   +9    0   +0   
Patten           32  63  44  +2     1   -4    0   +0   
Portage          32  64  45  +2     4   -1    0   +0   
Portland_ME      32  62  47  +0    32  +26    4   +4   
Rangeley         28  61  40  -2     0   +0    0   +0   
Sebec_Lake       29  67  46  +2     6   +0    0   +0   
Vanceboro        32  62  46  +2     7   +4    0   +0   
Waterville       30  65  46  -3    12   -4    0   +0   
 
NEW_HAMPSHIRE
Barnstead        27  70  46  -3    25   +7    0   +0   
Benton           34  64  46  -1    11   -7    0   +0   
Berlin_AG        32  64  45  -2     7   -6    0   +0   
Bethlehem        33  66  47  +1     7   -9    0   +0   
Concord          33  69  50  +2    49  +31    6   +6   
Diamond_Pond     31  63  45  +5     0   -1    0   +0   
First_Conn_Lake  29  59  41  +0     3   +2    0   +0   
Greenville       36  70  49  +2    61  +44    6   +6   
Keene_AP         32  66  50  -1    50  +19    1   +1   
Lakeport         36  67  48  +2    31  +18    0   +0   
Marlow           31  63  46  -4    14   -8    0   +0   
Mount_Washingto  18  39  29  +2     0   +0    0   +0   
North_Conway     32  67  46  -2    11   -2    0   +0   
Otter_Brook_Lk   32  67  48  -3    25   -6    1   +1   
Plymouth         32  66  46  -1     9   +2    0   +0   
Rochester        29  67  47  -3    43  +20    6   +6   
Weare            36  67  48  -2    27   +5    1   +1   
 
VERMONT
Ball_Mt_Lake     31  66  47  +0    10   -6    0   +0   
Bethel           33  69  48  +3    13   +0    0   +0   
Burlington_Intl  40  68  52  +4    58  +29    9   +9   
East_Haven       31  67  46  +3    13   +8    0   +0   
Island_Pond      30  63  45  +2     5   -3    0   +0   
Montpelier       36  66  49  +3    39  +23    8   +8   
Morrisville_AG   32  66  47  +1     3  -10    0   +0   
Mount_Mansfield  25  54  38  +1     0   +0    0   +0   
Northfield       34  67  48  +4    12   +2    0   +0   
Pownal           34  67  48  +2    31  +12    0   +0   
Rochester        36  67  48  +3    14   +1    0   +0   
Rutland_AG       36  68  49  -2    19  -22    0   -2   
Sunderland       33  68  48  -3    24  -19    0   +0   
Sutton           32  62  44  +1     6   +1    0   +0   
Townshend_Lake   34  68  48  -2    23   -2    1   +1   
Union_Vill_Dam   29  71  47  -2    17   -9    0   +0   
 
MASSACHUSETTS
Ashburnham       34  68  50  +3    42  +29    2   +2   
Boston/Logan_In  41  68  52  +0    80  +37    9   +9   
Greenfield       35  69  50  -2    49   +9    6   +6   
New_Bedford      33  65  51  -2    62  +16    3   +3   
Otis_AFB         43  68  54  +6    93  +78    9   +9   
Plymouth         34  66  50  +2    56  +40    3   +3   
Walpole          35  70  51  +2    78  +51    4   +4   
West_Medway      36  67  50  +0    52  +25    3   +3   
Chicopee/Westov  37  72  53  -3   100  +26   11   +9   
Worcester        36  66  50  +2    79  +60    8   +8   
Worthington      30  68  47  -1    27  +10    1   +1   
 
RHODE_ISLAND
Providence       38  68  53  +2    84  +50    6   +6   
Woonsocket       36  68  52  +2    80  +57    6   +6   
 
CONNECTICUT
Bakersville      31  70  48  -6    45  -20    5   +3   
Bridgeport/Siko  42  66  53  +1   102  +54    8   +8   
Hartford/Bradle  35  71  53  -1   114  +55   14  +12   
Norfolk          33  68  48  +1    48  +34    4   +4   
Norwich          37  67  51  -3    61  +11    6   +6   
Thomaston_Dam    36  67  50  -2    61  +29    5   +5   
Willimantic      33  67  51  +1    83  +54    7   +7   
 
                   1-WEEK PRECIP     4-WEEK CUM PRECIP
                  -------------     -----------------
                   TOTAL               TOTAL
STATION           INCHES    DFN DAYS  INCHES    DFN DAYS
-------           -----   ----  ---   -----   ----  ---
MAINE
Albion              4.86  +4.03    6   13.29  +6.49   22
Allagash            2.71  +2.07    6    8.64  +3.74   25
Augusta_State_A     4.65  +3.74    5   11.88  +4.71   20
Bangor_Intl_Arp     3.68  +2.89    5    8.15  +1.49   17
Barnard             5.37  +4.53    6   13.30  +6.59   26
Bath                5.13  +4.22    5   14.52  +6.29   19
Bethel              5.04  +4.20    5   14.75  +7.73   18
Brassua_Dam         3.70  +2.93    6    9.45  +3.57   23
Brunswick_ME        6.67  +5.76    4   15.89  +7.66   17
Caribou_Municip     3.46  +2.84    6    8.70  +3.66   28
Corinna             4.50  +3.66    6   11.74  +4.91   19
Danforth            4.53  +3.70    6   11.12  +4.97   25
Dover-Foxcroft      3.40  +2.56    4    8.97  +2.26   18
Durham              5.59  +4.68    5   16.06  +7.71   20
East_Hiram          4.75  +3.84    5   15.11  +7.31   20
Eustis              2.38  +1.62    5    8.74  +2.66   22
Frenchville         2.26  +1.62    6    6.12  +1.22   26
Gray                5.82  +4.91    4   15.89  +7.89   18
Greenville_ME       4.97  +4.13    6   11.80  +5.09   26
Guilford            4.98  +4.14    5   13.37  +6.66   22
Hollis              4.77  +3.80    5   16.06  +7.93   22
Houlton             3.22  +2.54    6    8.29  +3.26   26
Kennebunkport       4.59  +3.64    5   14.41  +6.42   20
Livermore_Falls     4.23  +3.32    5   12.92  +5.37   20
Moosehead           3.47  +2.70    6    9.59  +3.71   25
New_Sharon          4.52  +3.61    4   14.05  +6.50   19
Patten              5.93  +5.25    7   12.49  +7.46   25
Portage             4.30  +3.68    6   11.00  +5.96   26
Portland_ME         4.79  +3.88    4   13.03  +5.03   21
Rangeley            3.18  +2.55    6    9.58  +4.57   27
Sebec_Lake          5.36  +4.52    6   13.90  +7.19   25
Vanceboro           4.43  +3.59    6   10.93  +3.76   25
Waterville          4.99  +4.16    5   13.63  +6.83   16
 
NEW_HAMPSHIRE
Barnstead           1.79  +1.09    7   10.91  +5.09   25
Benton              1.06  +0.36    6    7.14  +1.86   24
Berlin_AG           2.26  +1.45    5    9.42  +3.02   19
Bethlehem           1.03  +0.33    5    5.85  +0.29   23
Concord             1.62  +0.92    4    9.12  +3.30   23
Diamond_Pond        2.95  +2.18    6   11.64  +5.63   34
First_Conn_Lake     2.43  +1.66    6    8.07  +2.06   28
Greenville          1.43  +0.59    5   10.19  +2.93   19
Keene_AP            2.10  +1.32    4   10.78  +4.50   22
Lakeport            1.41  +0.61    5    9.69  +3.16   22
Marlow              1.07  +0.16    4    9.80  +2.08   23
Mount_Washingto     4.67  +2.87    5   17.62  -0.08   30
North_Conway        3.59  +2.63    6   11.06  +3.01   24
Otter_Brook_Lk      0.96  +0.18    4    9.01  +2.73   22
Plymouth            1.35  +0.51    4    8.53  +1.73   18
Rochester           3.09  +2.11    5   13.21  +4.85   20
Weare               2.49  +1.58    5   12.32  +4.60   23
 
VERMONT
Ball_Mt_Lake        2.03  +0.98    4    9.34  +0.89   21
Bethel              1.56  +0.62    5    8.84  +1.72   22
Burlington_Intl     1.01  +0.32    5    5.12  -0.02   22
East_Haven          1.54  +0.84    6    6.89  +1.07   30
Island_Pond         1.66  +0.96    6    6.70  +1.49   27
Montpelier          1.64  +1.01    5    7.12  +2.21   26
Morrisville_AG      1.74  +0.97    6    7.89  +1.59   27
Mount_Mansfield     2.57  +1.31    6   12.68  +1.71   35
Northfield          1.77  +1.04    4    8.32  +2.77   22
Pownal              1.12  +0.07    5    9.25  +0.80   25
Rochester           1.85  +0.91    5    9.60  +2.48   22
Rutland_AG          0.57  -0.13    6    6.08  +0.96   24
Sunderland          1.48  +0.76    6    9.30  +3.68   28
Sutton              1.72  +1.02    6    8.03  +2.21   32
Townshend_Lake      1.84  +1.07    5    8.90  +2.29   24
Union_Vill_Dam      1.23  +0.49    5    8.02  +2.29   24
 
MASSACHUSETTS
Ashburnham          1.66  +0.84    6   11.47  +4.67   26
Boston/Logan_In     0.80  -0.03    4    6.74  -0.79   22
Greenfield          1.79  +0.88    5   10.08  +2.98   22
New_Bedford         2.30  +1.39    6   10.49  +1.95   26
Otis_AFB            2.99  +2.08    5   11.23  +3.56   25
Plymouth            2.41  +1.43    5   10.84  +2.36   23
Walpole             1.36  +0.43    4    9.96  +1.80   21
West_Medway         1.81  +0.88    5   10.27  +2.11   24
Chicopee/Westov     1.19  +0.28    5    8.71  +1.09   25
Worcester           1.70  +0.77    5   10.15  +2.02   23
Worthington         1.50  +0.48    6   11.67  +4.19   28
 
RHODE_ISLAND
Providence          1.95  +1.04    6    9.76  +1.34   23
Woonsocket          1.96  +0.99    6   12.65  +4.45   24
 
CONNECTICUT
Bakersville         1.17  +0.26    5   10.80  +3.07   26
Bridgeport/Siko     1.35  +0.44    6    7.55  -0.19   24
Hartford/Bradle     1.26  +0.35    5    8.69  +0.96   24
Norfolk             1.11  +0.06    5    9.90  +1.00   26
Norwich             2.29  +1.18    5   10.86  +1.56   23
Thomaston_Dam       0.91  -0.14    6    9.39  +0.98   24
Willimantic         1.14  +0.16    5    9.16  +0.93   26
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: It
has been a wet week. Most hayland has been fertilized.
Planting has not yet started. Ross Eddy (FSA),
Hartford/Tolland: Spreading manure and fertilizer. Some
plowing but many fields have wet spots or are under water.
Frost in outlying areas this morning. Early sweet corn
emerged under row cover. Plants at green houses slow to
bloom for Mothers Day. Tobacco seedlings in beds and
greenhouses doing okay. Frank Himmelstein (Ext), New London:
Rainfall during the week slowed field preparation and
warming of the soils. Some discing of drier fields occurred.
Fields disced prior to rains this week went from dry to very
saturated with water in wet areas. Jude Boucher (Ext),
Tolland: There were more rainy days than fair weather days
this past week, with scattered hail on Thursday evening.
Field conditions were wet, allowing  for a couple of days of
field work on well drained soils only. Lorriane Los, (Univ
of C)t: Apple scab is of primary concern on apples, with at
least three apple scab infections so far. Dawn Pindell
(FSA), Windham: Cold, and heavy showers. Spreading manure,
harrowing fields, finishing pruning, and emerald green hay.
Karen Vozarik (FSA), New Haven: Excessive moisture has made
it difficult to work in fields. Some producers reporting
problems with peach trees. Most fields have already been
tilled and some planted. Richard Meinert (Ext), CT
Cooperative: Spring started out well then became too hot and
dry too early. Now April rains are keeping things cold and
wet. Farmers are doing what field work they can between
rains but progress is slow. Spreading manure is the primary
task although some sweet corn went in under row covers
already. 

MAINE - Marvin Hedstrom, Northern Aroostook: Potatoes and
small grains: Spring is slow getting to Northern Aroostook.
Snowed 4-6 inches on April 29. Growers hauling seed home and
getting planting equipment ready. Will take several days for
ground to be ready for tillage and planting. Dee Potter
(Ext) Aroostook : There has been no field activity yet in
the northern part of the County. Received eight to ten
inches of wet heavy snow late last week. 
Pam Hickey (Ext), Central Aroostook: Wet snow, cut seed
potatoes and cold temperatures. Steve London, Southern
Aroostook: Potatoes and small grains: Nothing happening yet.
Gray Gleason (Ext) Penobscot: Rain nearly every day soil
extremely wet. Albert Dow (NRCS), Piscataquis:  Bottom lands
were flooded to some extent. All fields were extremely wet.
Some fencing is being done. The report from one fertilizer
dealer in regard to availability of nitrogen is that "there
is all kinds,  but  is expensive." Donna Lamb (Ext),
Piscataquis: No field operations due to the high amount of
rain received in the last week. Some fields did experience
flooding. Water levels are now dropping, but more rain is
expected next week. Kathy Hopkins (Ext),Somerset: Too much
rain and standing water for field work. Janet King (FSA),
Somerset: Its been a cold and wet spring for the farmers and
getting ready for planting. Donald Burke (FSA), Waldo: Few
outdoor farming activities were conducted during the week,
after receiving over six inches of rain. Fungicide
application on blueberry fields for Monilinia blight has
been on going. Vegetable and flower seedlings are growing in
greenhouses. Some burning of blueberry fields remains to be
done. A few early crops have been planted outdoors under
floating row covers. Pastures are green but wet. Trudy Soucy
(FSA), Knox/Lincoln: Wet weather has held up outdoor farming
activities. Fungicide application on blueberry fields for
Monilinia blight, will be important this year. Dr. David
Yarborough (Ext), Washington: Wild blueberries: Fields being
burned for pruning and pre-emergence herbicides being
applied. Fungicides being sprayed in mid-coast fields to
protect against mummy berry disease infection. Wet weather
has been conducive to infection.
Sandy Truslow (FSA), Cumberland/York: Farmers are getting
anxious, but fields need to dry out before planting can
start. Only excessively drained fields can be driven on at
this point. Orchardists can now see how many trees were
killed from the winter damage of 2004. Gary Raymond (FSA),
Franklin: Field work is at a stand still because of
excessive surface moisture. Fields adjacent to rivers and
streams have flooded three times. There is a lot of debris
to clean up. Grass should take off with a little sunshine.
Marcia Hall (FSA), Oxford: Oxford County has received
several inches of rain in the last week. The water levels in
the rivers and streams are above normal. Hayland and
pastures are looking good but in need of warm and sunny
days. Guy Piper (FSA), Kennebec: Everything is water logged.
Some fields are mostly underwater. Walk on soil is like
walking on sponges. Too wet to even plow, harrow or anything
right now. Streams are starting to recede a little bit, most
were overflowing with the amount of rain over the past
weekend. Even too wet to spread manure. May dry out starting
today, but too wet to get on the land right now. May have
one or two who have tried it, but for the most part it is
too wet.

MASSACHUSETTS - Arthur Williams (FSA), Berkshire: Uncovering
strawberries, spreading manure and fertilizer on mostly corn
fields. Starting to plow. Planted sweet corn under plastic.
Vegetable farmers are hard at work with greenhouse produce.
Some fence repairing from winter damage. Corn fields are wet
in areas, (but no cracks in ground). The county has had
nearly one inch of rain on top of last week  two and a
quarter. This week's weather has been cool and damp in the
low 30 degrees. Breeze nearly everyday. Grass getting green.
Frank Caruso (Ext), Plymouth: Cranberries: Vines look very
good coming out of the winter, much better than 2004 when
there was severe windburn damage. Some beds have isolated
spots of leaf drop, primarily where the snow cover lasted
the longest. Buds look good at this point. Some early sweep
netting has detected some black-headed fireworm larvae. The
biggest question is whether the extremely high populations
of winter moth larvae will feed on cranberry buds, as
cranberries are one of this pest's favorite hosts. Growers
are applying pre-emergent herbicides, cleaning out ditches,
finishing renovations to beds prior to planting, sweeping
for insects, and applying fungicides in root rot areas.
Jason Otto (FSA), Bristol: With some early heavy rains and
weekly showers some fields are very wet. Plowing and
harrowing has started. Strawberry plants are being planted.
John Devine (FSA), Franklin: Cool and wet conditions over
the weekend slowed progress made earlier in the week. Field
conditions are somewhat wet but manageable. Farm activities
include manure and fertilizer spreading, tillage and early
planting. Commercial fertilizer supplies are readily
available at this time although unit prices have increased
dramatically. Organic fertilizer prices are also higher due
to increases in trucking costs. Ted Smiarowski, Jr. (FSA),
Hampshire/Hampden: Field conditions are very wet due to
recent rains. Dairy farms are spreading manure, lime,
repairing fences and seeding new hay fields. Vegetable
growers are subsoiling, plowing and spreading lime. They are
also planting peas, sweet corn, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage,
carrots, spinach, parsnips and strawberry plants. Sweet corn
is up under plastic 5-6 inches. Spinach and fiddleheads are
being harvested. Orchardists are applying fertilizer and a
protective fungicide spray. Gary Guida, Worcester: Soil too
wet to try to plow. Greenhouse and farm stand operations
getting busy for Mother's Day. Retail sales of perennials
good when weather is. Hello everyone, hope you had a great
winter. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE - Amy Ouellette (Ext), Belknap: Cool, cloudy,
wet week. Received 1.2 inches of rain locally. Only driest
fields can be worked. Some corn planted under Remay and
plastic. Tina Savage (Ext), Carroll: Snowy winter, rainy
April, water levels high, some rivers at flood stage.
Pastures greening and growing well, fertilizer and lime
applications getting done as conditions permit. Fruit trees
at green tip stage, sprays for Scab and Mummyberry being
applied. Looks like everything came through the winter well.
Let's hope for a dryer spring than last year.  Plant sales
would be helped by a sunny weekend. Carl Majewski (Ext),
Cheshire: Seems to be a cooler than normal spring so far,
with some much-needed rain over the past week. Dairy farms
spreading manure and doing some tillage, but the big push to
plant corn has yet to begin. Some are seeing a fair amount
of winterkill in alfalfa. Vegetable growers finishing
tillage and planting cool-season crops. Fruit trees seem to
have made it through the winter in great shape, and growers
have started spraying. Greenhouses are open for business and
are full of colorful bedding plants, hanging baskets, etc.
Steve Turaj (Ext), Coos: A rainy week slows down many field
preparation activities, and cornfields too wet to work. Some
had spread manure, since they were ready for planting the
week before. Fields beginning to green up. High tunnel
greenhouse operation nurseries starting up. Getting ready
for Mother's Day openings. Temperatures remain cold,
dropping to below freezing at night. Frost yet most nights.
Not a pest at this point but interesting blister beetle
collected here in April eyed by UNH lab. Meloe niger, an
uncommon species, earlier and farthest north location found
so far. Tom Buob (Ext), Grafton: Growth is very slow due to
cool wet weather. Activities include spreading manure and
tillage. Some winter kill of alfalfa. Ground is very wet
with all the rain we had in April. Steve Schmidt (FSA),
Grafton: Two nice days to plant. Subsoil and topsoil were
dry, but have become more adequate. Two inches of rain since
20th. No rain from April 1st to 20th. Manure spread,
harrowed and plowed. Pastures are starting to green. George
Hamilton (Ext), Hillsborough: Field Crops: Liming and
fertilizing hayfields; spreading manure, plowing, discing ,
fertilizing and getting ready to plant corn. Fixing fences
in pasture.  Also, getting ready to make new pasture and
hayfields seedings. Vegetables: Transplanting tomatoes into
high tunnels. Early season vegetable's peas, lettuce and
greens are being planted, along with early sweet corn.
Liming, fertilizing, plowing, discing and getting ready to
plant fields.  Cherries are in full bloom, plums are at
white bud stage and peaches are at advanced pink stage to
bloom. Apples are in pre-pink stage to pink stage.
Blueberries at 0.25 green stage to early pink bud stage.
Pruning continues in young apple and pear trees, along with
pruning blueberry bushes and raspberry patches. Orchardists
are chopping brush in orchard or pushing prunings out of the
orchards. Fertilizing orchards. Protective fungicide sprays
applied on fruit trees between rain showers. Planting fruit
trees, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Sadie
Puglisi (Ext), Merrimack: Some cool season vegetable crops
being planted. Manure is spread. Nada Haddad (Ext),
Rockingham: Preparing, liming, fertilizing vegetable fields.
Planting early vegetables will start very soon once the
fields become drier. Cool days and nights. Livestock grazing
on pastures. Garden Centers are getting busy. Pam Marvin
(FSA), Sullivan: Plenty of rain recently. Could use some dry
days to get field activities and planting done. Silage corn
planted on dryer fields so far. Many fields being fertilized
with manure and harrowed. Cold mornings hopefully will not
hurt budding stage on many fruit trees and bushes. Early
vegetables have been planted. Orchards busy with pruning and
fertilizing. Hay fields have greened up nicely and growing
fast with all this rain and sun in between. Geoffrey Njue
(Ext), Strafford: A very wet week. Good growing conditions
for grass. Pastures and hayfields growing well. It was a
difficult week for working the fields. Greenhouses and
nursery sales doing well. Gardeners buying plants for early
spring gardening. Vegetable growers planting tomato plants
in greenhouses and hoop houses. 

VERMONT - John St. Onge/Kim Peterson (FSA), Lamoille: Had a
nice jumpstart to spring with warm temperatures and sunshine
up until last week when things turned wet and cold. Most of
the well drained cropland has been harrowed with some manure
spreading on many farms. Have not seen any livestock on
pasture yet. 
Terence Bradshaw, UVM: Cool and wet. Apples trees and buds
in good condition with excellent potential for apple scab
development. Dave Blodgett (NRCS), Orleans: Drier conditions
earlier in April allowed farmers to get a jump on field
work, however, the recent rainy weather has slowed progress.
Farmers are spreading their stored manure on cropland and
chiseling the drier fields. Perley Sparrow (FSA), Windham:
New seeding alfalfa is under way with some farmers losing
about 30% from winter kill. Fertilizer being spread on
pastures and hay fields. Fences are in average repair from
winter damage. Some field corn has been planted along with
sweet corn. Heavy frost on this second day of May causing
some problem with the veggie growers. Dennis Kauppila (Ext),
Caledonia: Kind of a wet, cool week. Grass beginning to get
green. Mid April gave us very dry warm conditions; Many
farmers were able to spread a good share of their manure and
get some corn ground ready. Our winter had more snow after
Christmas and temperatures did not get down to 25 below.
Snow melted gradually. Seems like plenty of water in the
soil now. Conditions are ready for some real growing the
next time we have sun and warmth. Heather Darby (Ext),
Franklin: Plentiful rain has recharged soil moisture. Very
little field work was completed last week due to rain. Some
manure spreading and field preparation were done in earlier
weeks. 


Reporters are from: Extension Service (Ext), Farm Service
Agency(FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS),
or other knowledgeable individuals.


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Statistician: Travis Averill
Stat Assistant: Lynne Arsenault
Deputy Director: Gearld Tillman

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
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