Beet yields 2020

[davidroberts30]

don't know anything about sending sugar beet so..
is it possible to clean and wash before sending?

 

[robbie]

Dad told me a tale from years ago a grower was getting stung for dirt so he rigged up a washer on the cleaner using a petrol pump and a crude sump to recirculate the water, apparently the beet in the lorry looked as clean as a new shilling but the factory defected them for being to clean.

 

[two-cylinder]

High dirt tares aren't new.
I well remember the thoughts of our old beet haulier who passed away over a decade ago:
He said 'The way I look at it is this: for every ten lorries I see going in to the factory- there ought to one coming out loaded with dirt, or a mountain of earth there dwarfing the factory buildings- but I don't see either?'

 

[Flat 10]

Dad told me a tale from years ago a grower was getting stung for dirt so he rigged up a washer on the cleaner using a petrol pump and a crude sump to recirculate the water, apparently the beet in the lorry looked as clean as a new shilling but the factory defected them for being to clean.

My grandad told a tale of loading by hand a horse and cart of beet to take to the station. His dad told him were too dirty and to tip them up to bash the dirt off and reload them....

 

[DrWazzock]

My cousin reckoned BS dirt tare scales zero at 5%.

 

[robbie]

Your cousin might be right Dr!!!

I'm sure we can all sleep sound knowing the NFUs make sure it's fair all round

 

[Breckland Boy]

I had high tares on my last lift, for 3 days tares were all 5,6,7 and then the next day every load jumped to between 15.9 to 24%
It was so obvious from the return it was something wrong in the tare house. It's as if when they flipped the calender over they set the tares for that day much higher.

I'd expect perhaps an odd random high one if they catch a stone in the sample but to have such a clear pattern was just wrong.

I aired my views in no uncertain terms with the fieldsman and have lodged a complain with NFU factory rep so we'll see what happens.

A random stone within the sample isn't necessarily representative of the entire load.
If you have had dirts averaging say 7% over a couple of days, surely anything from the same heap that is significantly higher should be regarded as an anomaly and the load given your average dirt tare.
I hope the nfu reps reduce your tares but don't hold your breath.
I just cannot believe the system is fair in any way. Is there really 3 tonnes of dirt on each lorry that comes back at 10. 5%? ( Burys average yesterday) 400+ loads is 1200 t of dirt each day!!
I find it all incredibly frustrating.

 

[robbie]

Never mind all done and dusted.
We had one small area hardly worth bothering with that we left till last and then had two tractors to pull the harvester through as far as it would possibly go and then chain the tractor to the back and drag it out and repeat. We left a bit about 30 foot square but to see us you'd think beet were 50 quid a ton

I'm normally a happy go lucky Chap but I have found beet disheartening this season......that being said as me and my mate came back into the yard with the harvester and trailer we were chatting about march and "gettin the drill out" and that's pretty much what's wrong with the beet job,were our own worst enemies

 

[Flat 10]

If I remember I will do a test as i have some beet on heavy ground to come out next week. See what I make the dirt.

 

[Bill Turtle]

Robbie if that is breck soil surely it’s impossible to get to stick to anything? Does it get any stones in it? I assume it’s just slightly silty sand?

 

[Flat 10]

Just to say, I don't really have a problem at all with BS or NFU Sugar but I have always found the dirt tares suspiciously high. Be good to find out how many tonnes of topsoil and stone BS sell from each factory and work that back from the average dirt tare....

 

[Breckland Boy]

March drilling??
Have you ordered seed without cruiser?

 

[robbie]

Correct proper Breck soil, slightly silty and a bit loamy sand......

 

[Flat 10]

March drilling??
Have you ordered seed without cruiser?

A bit........

 

[Breckland Boy]

A bit........

My brother has convinced me to sign up....... again.
Half the original planned area but all non cruiser. The only way to get seed on farm in time to allow drilling in good time

 

[Bill Turtle]

This is what NFU sugar should do as a matter of course. Audit dirt, sugar and byproducts sold to check the sums are accurate.

 

[Rookie]

Is some of the dirt tare we are being done for not actually dirt /soil but in the form of top, even though top tare is a fixed amount. ?
Just lifted some recently off sand and seemed fairly clean for soil but quite a bit of stringy / snotty top attached to beet which happens after a spell of sharp frosts and makes topping a challenge. Normally dirt tares of 3 to 4%, but we are around 8%.
I would say that the Newark area has been a lot drier than last year up until the last 10 days. In fact, Hardly made a mark carting off the fields the other day where as last year we were getting stuck with the harvester and having to leave areas but dirt tares were lower than this season..? Seems strange.!

 

[robbie]

This is what NFU sugar should do as a matter of course. Audit dirt, sugar and byproducts sold to check the sums are accurate.

They wouldn't so that it might upset there chums at BS.

 

[two-cylinder]

No NFU sugar chairman will rock the boat because he doesn't want to be remembered for being the last!

 

[robbie]

Yes without a doubt, first jez now his dad,
He's had a sh!t few years of it.

And my Nana's in hospital so he can't ever sneak into the farmhouse and have a bucket or two of coffee while he's carting from ours! But atleast he won't nab my stash custard creams nan keeps for me

@carbonfibre farmer he's found my bloody custard creams!!!!!!!!