Sugar beet harvesting

[farmallman]

These are pictures from yesterday when we were harvesting and loading sugar beets in Lambton County, in Ontario Canada.

<img src = "http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v127/51/39/510337692/n510337692_412171_1964.jpg">
This is the beet harvester

<img src = "http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v127/51/39/510337692/n510337692_412170_1613.jpg">
Because the field is so long, and the capacity of the harvester bin is not big enough (and our beets yielded well), my father had to run back and forth and take beets

<img src = "http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v127/51/39/510337692/n510337692_412174_4104.jpg">
This is them loading beets

Any questions or comments, or if you want more pics, please e-mail me at [email protected]

 

[georgeky]

Great pics. Thanks.

 

[DLM]

How many rows does that harverst take. Back in my harvest days the harverst took one roe at a time that was back in the 50'S That is in Southern Colo. Don

 

[farmallman]

That is a 6 row harvester at 20 inch spacing. you can get a 9 row at 20 in spacing and a 6 row at 30 inch spacing, maybe more options are available. That what I know of.

 

[Jim Broughton]

Good looking crop ! You must be close to a processing plant for a crop that large...here in Oregon, the "big boys" keep "consolidating" the processing plants, so farmers have to drive farther and farther to market !!
I'm afraid my little Farmall Cub would be overwhelmed in your fields !!
Enjoy and good work,
Jim B.

 

[farmallman]

Ya, the nearest plant to us is in Croswell, MI. It is about an hour and half trip there, depending on the border crossing.

 

[Mitch Furness]

Pardon my ignorance but what do you do with sugar beet - sugar i guess. We have Sugar Cane here in Australia, I assume this is your version of raw sugar production.

Mitch

 

[farmallman]

Yes, the factory processes them to extract the sugar. Because the US and Cuba dont get along, the US does not import sugar from them, so this is another way of getting sugar.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hi farmallman,,,That beet harvester of yours is very impressive. I have never seen one like it before. the roto beeter on the front of the lifter with what looks like a rather large basket and 4wd self propelled to boot. COOL
I went down to the ND red river valley for two years and worked for a farmer but we just had a tractor on a six row topper and then a six row lifter and then drive them damm trucks threw the mudd along side the lifter. I remember one night i got to drive the 4wd tractor pulling the trucks along side the lifter and when they were loaded i would drop them on the go when they were leaving the field using what they called a safety hitch.....And yes it was a blast,,I loved it. the valley was alive 24 hours a day and we would just GO. )

 

[Anonymous-0]

Very interesting! Would like to see more pics of the beet loader. Is that tempory storage. I am in Red River Valley and a number of growers have 12 row lifters on 22 inch rows that can load 30 tons in about 7 min directly to semi. Most run triple rear tires and duals or triples on front for traction to pull the harvestor. The beets must be above 32 degrees and under 55 degrees when delivered or they shut down accepting them. That is why they harvest whenever possible.

 

[Allan in NE]

Interesting.

Down here they run those semis right out in the field and it takes four trucks to keep up with one topper.

Trailers are different also. Look like a large bear cage on wheels. :>)

Thanks for the pictures,

Allan

 

[john in la]

I would not think the fact that the U.S. does not get along with Cuba has anything to do with the sugar market.

The U.S. has trade restrictions on foreign sugar to try and keep it out of our country so the price will be inflated enough so that U.S. growers can make a profit. In a checks and balance system the U.S. also has production quotas on U.S. sugar farmers. So much of the quota is given to beets and so much is given to cane.

Now the question I would have is where do you fall in (quota or trade restriction) since you grow the beets out of the country but use a plant in the U.S. to process your beets.

This topic is big news around here every year when the quota comes out because I live in a big sugar cane area.
If you look at the big picture you will see all the jobs the U.S. has lost to plants that use sugar (candy makers and others) moving to Mexico or Canada to try and get away from high sugar prices.
Do not get me wrong. I feel for the farmer and think some of them need help but like most government aid it benefits less than 2% of the farmers with 50% of the aid. Helping big mega farm cartels is not helping farmers in my book.

 

[jim johnson]

I hauled beets before and we ran right beside the digger with the semi and went straight to the plant. Seems like a needless step in there to haul to the pile and then load the truck from there, not to mention the waste.

Just courious!

Jim

 

[Allan in NE]

Yeah,

Really don't understand that extra step; once ya get 'em loaded, get 'em hauled. Not to mention the cost of that loader.

'Course, guess the cost of the other trucks would be a princely sum too. :>)

Does that look like a grain truck to you? Sure looks odd for a beet truck with the tarp and all.

Dunno, different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Allan

 

[farmallman]

The reason we do it this way is because of compaction, first of all. Secondly, many people harvest at the same time, so there are not enough trucks to haul. The trucks are contracted to haul to the plant in MI.