Beet '22

DrWazzock · Sep 29, 2022

It had 3 litres of Bortrac at bulking so I think I covered that.
My crop now looks better than it’s looked all summer. A lot of new leaf. Probably ought to delay harvesting so sugars go up again? The roots are a very decent size all things considered. A resilient crop.

Bill Turtle · Oct 12, 2022

Harvest 22 underway.

Timbo · Oct 12, 2022

Any further thoughts on value £ / t ?

Bill Turtle · Oct 12, 2022

Ok for next year, not enough for this crop, hence, better to get them out and put a decent crop of wheat in, even though they would have put a lot more yield on between now and Christmas.

DrWazzock · Oct 13, 2022

Averaging 15.5 % sugar here.
Will it really go up if I leave it?
The plants are trying to grow a new top from a very low base. How’s the sugar level going to recover as daylight and temps decline?
My worst five acres that was decimated by wind and frost in the spring has a very significant amount of completely dead rotten beet in it due to crown roasting I’ve mentioned before. It will keep somebody busy on the picking off table and won’t want leaving in a heap. It’s also fairly swamped with wire weed and bindweed which is living up to its name.
Another vintage year.

DrWazzock · Oct 18, 2022

Getting on.
Sugars averaging 15.8
Dirt tare a bit high at 6.5 so firing up the cleaner loader tomorrow.
The better land is yielding fairly well with good sized roots. The dry sand is rubbish.
The worst 2 acres of really dry sand is only fit for sheep feed as nearly every root is either completely or partially rotted. It really is a terrible piece of sand over ironstone though. Not sure quite what to do with it.

Flat 10 · Oct 19, 2022

Where the moths and the yellows have got into a crop they are going to be dire as you describe. Have one field like that here. I’ve heard sugars as low as 15

Breckland Boy · Oct 19, 2022

Keep hearing some horror stories too, re low yield and sugar. With the amount of regrowth in my beet, they too, will be low sugar%. Hardly worth sending them in once they are low 15's / high14's.
Suffered a number of years ago with each lorry load adjusting back to 20tonnes.

Flat 10 · Oct 19, 2022

Breckland Boy said:
Keep hearing some horror stories too, re low yield and sugar. With the amount of regrowth in my beet, they too, will be low sugar%. Hardly worth sending them in once they are low 15's / high14's.
Suffered a number of years ago with each lorry load adjusting back to 20tonnes.

So did I

ollie989898 · Oct 19, 2022

I don't know how you guys put up with it. Beet is a handful of a crop to grow and work with and you have those fudging sharks to contend with. Would pish me off just loading the trucks and seeing them take it away.

Flat 10 · Oct 19, 2022

ollie989898 said:
I don't know how you guys put up with it. Beet is a handful of a crop to grow and work with and you have those fudging sharks to contend with. Would pish me off just loading the trucks and seeing them take it away.

I could tolerate BS, it’s the neonic ban and the bloody moth that’s getting me down

ollie989898 · Oct 19, 2022

Flat 10 said:
I could tolerate BS, it’s the neonic ban and the bloody moth that’s getting me down

It is just so typical of the authorities these days though. On the one hand they seem to think home grown or local produce is important for reasons of food miles. They also presumably want to support rural communities (or do they). On the other hand they won't allow neonics despite the fact they are widely used on beet in Europe and then they wonder why suddenly no one wants to grow the stuff- it's not even as though beet is a flowering crop that is that attractive to bees or flying insects. There is no joined up or holistic thinking. I can remember seeing linseed, bean and pea crops very regularly as a lad. These days they are basically also-rans with a heck of a lot more cereals involved. How is that good for the environment in the long run?

alomy75 · Oct 19, 2022

ollie989898 said:
I don't know how you guys put up with it. Beet is a handful of a crop to grow and work with and you have those fudging sharks to contend with. Would pish me off just loading the trucks and seeing them take it away.

Because in a ‘normal’ year and pre putin; beet was capable of producing better GM’s than winter wheat…

farmerfred86 · Oct 19, 2022

on our 3rd lift here. All sugars are now above 16% which will help. The first 2 lifts were dreadful and the low sugars only made it worse.

spin cycle · Oct 19, 2022

Flat 10 said:
I could tolerate BS, it’s the neonic ban and the bloody moth that’s getting me down

i'd love to grow a little fodder beet but i've come to the conclusion if the winter is mild enough that 'powers that be' allow a neo nic derogation it means growing any that year is pointless

Hindsight · Oct 19, 2022

spin cycle said:
i'd love to grow a little fodder beet but i've come to the conclusion if the winter is mild enough that 'powers that be' allow a neo nic derogation it means growing any that year is pointless

Any neo nic derogation is specific to Beet grown for Sugar. Does not include Fodder Beet or beet grown for AD. So even if there is a neonic granted you will not get it on a Fodder Beet variety.

spin cycle · Oct 19, 2022

Hindsight said:
Any neo nic derogation is specific to Beet grown for Sugar. Does not include Fodder Beet or beet grown for AD. So even if there is a neonic granted you will not get it on a Fodder Beet variety.

i know....thats my point....to my way of thinking trying to grow beet after a mild winter is a hopeless undertaking

Hindsight · Oct 19, 2022

spin cycle said:
i know....thats my point....to my way of thinking trying to grow beet after a mild winter is a hopeless undertaking

yep. certainly a risk.

Mixedupfarmer · Oct 19, 2022

spin cycle said:
i know....thats my point....to my way of thinking trying to grow beet after a mild winter is a hopeless undertaking

Winter feed is becoming difficult in this part of the country, what with no neonic dressing for fodder beet or brassica forage crops, and a dry summer and Autumn

Flat 10 · Oct 19, 2022

farmerfred86 said:
on our 3rd lift here. All sugars are now above 16% which will help. The first 2 lifts were dreadful and the low sugars only made it worse.

3rd lift already?!?! Of how many? To wissi?

Beet '22

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Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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