Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
“Sugarbeet Report” presented by NDSU Extension, features growing tips from NDSU sugar beet specialists and researchers.
This is the Sugarbeet Report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season. Right now, sugar beet activity in the Red River Valley varies depending on the location. Heather Dufault, Extension Agricultural Production Systems with the University of Minnesota, has an update from the Crookston area. Heather, how close are growers to planting sugar beets in your area?
Heather Dufault:Some maybe this weekend, but some maybe a couple weeks out yet. You know, it's really hard to tell. It depends on what ground is ready and what crops they're putting in first in their rotations, things like that. So we're still waiting for a few fields to dry out. You get the edges and the low lying areas that are still a little shiny and dark yet, you know, we're still playing the waiting game.
Bruce Sundeen:What's your soil temperature like?
Heather Dufault:Soil temps yet, I'm not sure. I have not done any soil temps yet for myself, so I don't know exactly where the soil temps are out there at this time.
Bruce Sundeen:How does this compare to normal?
Heather Dufault:Nothing is normal anymore in today's world, but I think we're right on track with weather conditions and things like that compared to other years. I would say in the next week and a half, you're gonna have several guys out in the fields getting things planted and going from there.
Bruce Sundeen:How are growers managing costs this year?
Heather Dufault:Costs this year are gonna be very touchy. You're gonna have to have some really good working relationships with your seed dealers, with your chemical reps, with your loan officers. You're gonna wanna make sure that you're trying to get the best bang for your buck on what you're putting in for your inputs. That said, it's gonna be hard on some of those fertilizer costs, definitely. But you're gonna wanna just try to reduce where you can without damaging your ability to make a profit or to have a decent yield on your crops this year.
Bruce Sundeen:Heather, does your family raise sugar beets?
Heather Dufault:Yes. Our family does raise sugar beets. I do help my husband with harvest in the fall. Sugarbeets have been in our family for about three or four generations now. It's good to see our son getting started with farming and raising sugarbeets as well. That's just a really good time for us as a family, I guess, if you wanna call it. Our harvest crew tends to be mostly family. It's kind of fun to see the different generations working together in the field and watching your kids grow up and do the same thing that your husband and his father used to love to do.
Bruce Sundeen:What are you looking forward to this season?
Heather Dufault:Just having a good season. Just looking forward to seeing where things lead for us, and we're going from there. But we're just like any other farm family out there just trying to get through the season. They're antsy. They're ready to get going in the fields just like everybody else, wondering what the season is gonna bring for us. And before I know it, harvest will be here. It'll all be a good year. But I just wanna say thanks for the opportunity. I work with extension, Heather Dufault. I'm with the University of Minnesota Extension. My position is a local educator that I cover for both Polk And Norman Counties in Northwest Minnesota. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to give me a call. (218) 280-1129. That's my extension cell. Thank you.
Bruce Sundeen:Thank you, Heather. Our guest has been Heather Dufault, extension agriculture production systems for the University of Minnesota. This is the Sugarbeet Report, bringing you the latest information from NDSU throughout the sugar beet growing season.