Sugar Beet Harvest

[Windy in Kansas]

On PBS yesterday I saw a portion of a show on the harvesting of sugar beets in the Ada, Minnesota area. I found it quite interesting and enlightening.

The show told that the area is nearly always short handed for workers during the harvest period and told that some retirees come from Florida year after year to help out. Sounds like it might be rewarding, educational, and somewhat entertaining. I'm somewhat of a night owl so I don't think the night hours would bother me at all.

Can some of you tell me about the length of the harvest season? Which month harvest generally falls in (fall no doubt)? Any idea what sort of hourly wages are paid?

I would appreciate any enlightenment. Thanks!

[Kazahleenah]

I grew up in the "thumb" of Michigan. Sugar beets are a big part of the economy there. Not sure what they pay, but the harvest runs from late summer through fall... then they produce sugar through the winter.

[oregon woodsmok]

I thought sugar beets were harvested with machinery.

[Windy in Kansas]

Originally Posted by oregon woodsmok

I thought sugar beets were harvested with machinery.

They are, but there must be catch semi-trucks for the beets to fall into from the digger. Also there is need for many extra workers in the yard where they are weighed, dumped, etc.

The processing plant I believe also uses many extra workers.

I might work for a couple of weeks to a month, but a long harvest is something I wouldn't care for.

Thanks for the information.

[Allen W]

Wonder what the tonnage harvested per acre would be? Deffinantly different job then harvesting grain.

[rancher1913]

around here (colorado) early harvest starts around middle of sept. and regular harvest runs from october to end of november depending on weather. unless you are a skilled equipment operator you would not be running any equipment, mostly the labor is for the factory to process the beets and thats mostly unskilled labor and shows it in the pay. the factory here starts around middle of october and depending on the size of the crop runs as late as april but most years its done by end of febuary. they pay a compleation bonus if you make it to the end because most can't take the shifts and quit after a month or so. its quite interesting to see the beets go from raw to sugar, the centerfuges are what I find the neatest.

[fishhead]

When I was trapping coyotes in NE CO they were raising sugar beets. That was back in the late 70's.

[jwal10]

In north central Oregon and central Oregon they need truck drivers from July to Sept for wheat harvest, potato harvest and then sugar beet harvest, same truck for all but a hopper bottom trailer for wheat and live belt for potatoes and beets. Tractor drivers for bank out wagons and spud and beet lifters and loaders. $12.00 to $20.00 pay depending on experience and ability. Need a CDL to drive a semi, all trailers are 40' to 52'ers depending on axle configuration, some pull pups for longer hauls too....James

[upnorthlady]

Windy - I live about 45 minutes away from Ada MN, so I can tell you all about sugar beet harvesting. My hubby did this for years, including this past fall. This whole area of northwestern MN raises sugar beets. The harvest usually starts on October 1st, and lasts until the harvest is done, which is about 2 weeks, if good weather, longer if it's wet or cold. The pay is about $18/hr and you work a 12 hour shift. Shifts are usually from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. My hubby always worked the night shift from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. (called the "zoo crew") You need to know how to drive a semi truck, because that's what you'll drive out in the field. It can get very muddy and sometimes you need to be pulled by the pulling machine. You haul a truck load of beets to a piler - a place where they stack up the beets. Pilers are about 10 miles apart up here. You need to know how to maneuver the semi through the piler and back up if needed. Also having a commercial driver's license is a plus, although not everyone requires it, but most do.

Many folks take a two week "vacation" to do the sugar beet harvest. Most places pay a "bonus" after the harvest, too, especially if it was a good one. There are many places that hire in October. If you are truly interested, I can give you a name and phone number to call. If they aren't hiring, they can tell you who is. Besides beet truck drivers, they also need beet topper drivers - can you drive a tractor? Ya, the work is interesting, but also exhausting. No breaks in the 12 hour shift - you just keep on hauling beets to the pilers, as many trips in a day as you can. (anywhere from 4 trips to the piler if it's a ways off and the fields were muddy, up to 15 trips a day if the piler is close to the field where you are harvesting.) There are also jobs driving the beet hauler semis from the piler to Crystal Sugar Co. Hope this helps!

[Windy in Kansas]

Fantastic information about the Ada area harvest and others as well.

I don't have a CDL so driving a semi would be out.

I farmed for years so do know how to drive a tractor. The show on PBS showed how the mow off the foliage and then slice off the tops. Expect I could pretty easily do either. I worked for about a year operating a payloader and large 4 wheel drive tractors so could probably handle some of the piler equipment.

Will give it some serious thought but at my retirement age am not too thrilled about getting no breaks. The breaks due to temperature---if there are some would be kind of nice to get acquainted with others, do laundry, catch up on rest, and see a little of the surrounding area. I'll print off this thread when I get home and keep it for future reference toward late summer. Does sound like a good possibility for obtaining a cash influx.

As to wheat harvest----no thanks. I farmed mainly wheat and I'd start itching before harvest when I'd work on my combine until a couple of weeks after it was over. Barley is worse and I've heard oats are bad too.

I certainly appreciate all of the replies. Perhaps others might benefit if they need to get on top of some bills, build $$s for a homestead, etc.

[upnorthlady]

Well Windy - I suppose you could drive one of the beet toppers then (tractor). The 12 hour shifts are 7 days a week. Not much time for rest and sightseeing. When my hubby did beets last year by the time he got home, ate something and checked on our beehives for a little bit he was ready for bed. Even though his shift started at 2 a.m., he got up at midnight, and gave himself time to get to the truck yard and get his semi up and running. Some days they actually work more than 12 hours if the weather is nice and sunny. Shifts will overlap. Hubby always ate his sandwich lunches while waiting in line at the piler. Not much for sightseeing around here. Flat farm fields. Like my husband always said: the fields are so flat around here, you can watch your dog run away from home for 3 days! However, east of Ada is nice woodland. And Fargo is always interesting.

[backachersfarm]

I read that all the sugar beet industry was going GMO. Anyone else hear about this?

[Windy in Kansas]

I don't see that there would be much down time for mowing foliage or for the topper, but the show did sound like that the temperature shut down the harvest fairly often, either too hot or too cold with the temperature of the beets being fairly critical. Maybe 10 to 20 degree window for harvesting because of spoilage, etc. Forget the correct number of degree allowance.

When I was driving in western Kansas this past Saturday I appreciating just how far one can see across the prairie. Gently rolling land but many times you can easily see for 5 to 10 miles. I particularly admired one spot near wildlife area Cheyenne Bottoms as there was a hill perfect for a house site and you could see miles and miles and the bottoms from it.

GMO beets---critics and court action has stopped them for now. At least that was the last I heard about them. Even had to tear up the seed crop of them.

[copperkid3]

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

GMO beets---critics and court action has stopped them for now. At least that was the last I heard about them. Even had to tear up the seed crop of them.

**************************************************
to Monsanto.....again.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011...-gmo-beets.php

[postroad]

We used to have a sugar beet industry here in Manitoba. Its been shut down for some reason?