Skip to main content

Beet harvest 2016

Sugar beet harvest is a crazy time on our farm with early mornings and late nights. I am at school or at home with the kids for the majority of harvest, so Boots and our truckers were my official photographers. 
Tractor with Digger & Loaded Trailer
Sugar beets are a root crop, so they grow underground. The harvesting process begins with the defoliating tractor which rips the leaves off of the root. 
Field of beets 1/2 defoliated and 1/2 not yet defoliated
Tractor and defoliator
Defoliated beet

Next, the beet digger uses a two part system to pull the beets up and run them through scrub rollers. These rollers then push the beets back to the elevator chain belt and into the tank. There are also Ferris wheel style diggers that circulate the beets into the tank.
Front view of Digger
Back view of Digger


Ferris wheel style digger

When the digger is full, it unloads into a trailer pulled by a semi. We use cage trailers which tip to unload,  but there are also live bottom trailers which open at the end and use conveyor belts to drop the beets.
Digger loading a semi and trailer

Ground after the beets have been harvested

We grow beets for a company called Western Sugar, so we transport our loads to the local beet dump. This is usually the kids' favorite part (but I think it is just because they get candy at the weigh station).
Pulling into the weigh station so they
know how heavy the load of beets is.


My favorite truck driver (my dad)
with the printout from the weigh station
Pulling into the dumping area


Beets loading to be taken to the pile
Transport truck
Eventually, this large pile of beets will be hauled to the Western Sugar plant in Fort Morgan to be made into sugar.
Huge sugar beet pile

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Day of Fall

Happy first day of fall everyone! We are celebrating with some work on the farm. Last night, our high school helpers took apart all of the irrigation pipe, and today we will load it up to put away. On our farm, the majority of the fields are watered with sprinkler irrigation that looks like this: Photo credit: Taylor Shea Goldenstein However, in the corner areas, we use irrigation pipe that runs from a well. The water runs down the rows and must be set to alternate every day. This process is done by hand and is one of our favorite summertime activities as you can see: Setting water on soybean field 2016 Checking the rows in a corn field 2015 Playing in the mud 2014 The weather here was cool and misty - this morning - so I planned on eating potato soup for dinner. By day's end though the weather heated up too much for soup, but I am sure I will get the chance to make it soon. Instead, the kids enjoyed some time playing. 
Post a Comment
Read more

The Perfect Pumpkin

So how exactly does one pick the perfect pumpkin? I think most of it is based on personal preference in terms of shape, texture, and color. However, there are some tried and true strategies to picking a good pumpkin.  At Pumpkins and More A-maiz-ing Farm, we encourage customers to go out in the field to search for their perfect pumpkin. Part one of this strategy requires wearing jeans and sturdy shoes. If you have never been into a pumpkin patch before, then you may not realize that the ground is uneven and the vines are prickly. Wearing gloves and bringing clippers are a bonus strategy. Once prepared, head out in search of a pumpkin that you find visually appealing. Personally, I am a fan of a big, spherical Lumina pumpkin or a tall, oblong orange pumpkin. Bah loves the perfectly round pie pumpkins, Boo likes the pink pumpkins, and Bubs appreciates all "puh-kins." No matter what your preference is, you want to look for a pumpkin free from bugs, with an intact vine, n...
Post a Comment
Read more

Surviving the afterglow

How many of you out there experience the post-holiday slump? I always feel like the first few weeks of January are depressing. The glow and excitement of the holidays are over. The weather is usually cold and gloomy. My house is in shambles from all-over toys, and I am crabby from trying to cut back on sweets. This year, though, I am working on continuing the joyful spirit and not allowing myself to get down in the dumps. I have found some techniques to help keep me on track that I am excited to share. 1. Make a routine and stick to it. This can be applied in almost every area of life but is especially useful in balancing work and home life. For some people, this may sound like torture, but my type A personality thrives on a schedule and organization. My routine revolves around efficiency. When I wake up, I shower and get the kids' breakfast ready. Then I wake them up so they can get dressed while I do my hair. When they are dressed, I do their hair while they brush th...
Post a Comment
Read more