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Full Harvest Task Begins

With the successful conclusion of early harvest, growers have begun the task of completing full harvest in as timely as manner as possible. Early harvest went well, and Russ Fullmer, Sidney Holly Sugar agriculture manager, hopes full harvest proceeds without a hitch. So far everything is OK, he says. Early harvest started out muddy, and tares were high, but as things dried out the dirt tare got better.

Growers generally harvest their worst fields first. However, some growers held off harvesting their poorer fields until they knew whether or not their fields received acceptance under the Payment in Kind (PIK) program. We had no clue who would get accepted on PIK acres, because everyone was bidding against everyone else, Fullmer remarks. Beets that would normally get here in early harvest but didnt, we will put on the early ends so they get into the factory and processed quickly.

Area sugarbeets have big crowns this year, caused in part by the heat and by Cercospora. Were finding large crowns this year, Fullmer notes. The tare lab has to grind off this excess so this adds to the percentage of tare. Growers need to lower their knives.

However, because growers have varying sizes of beets within each individual field this year, knife adjustment becomes more difficult. The beets within the same fields are different sizes, so it is hard to adjust knives, Fullmer acknowledges. Growers have big and small beets in the same field. Lots of fields had partial replanting, so beets are not uniform. I expect well see this variation of size the whole way through harvest.

At the start of early harvest, beet sugar content hovered in the 15% range. The sugar level has gradually increased, and Fullmer hopes to see sugar continue to improve as harvest continues. Were hoping beets start to sugar up, he comments. Sugar continues to improve, and as beets dry out and the weather cools, sugar content should improve as well.

The amount of brei nitrates in the beets also determines sugar levels. Unfortunately, this years beets show high levels of brei nitrates. Brei nitrates are very high this year, Fullmer remarks. Beets didnt have as thick a stand this year because of late planted beets. Every rain also adds nitrogen.

In spite of the high levels of brei nitrates, Fullmer still hopes to see continued improvement in beet sugar content. He also points out that although sugars are not as high as some years, this year still will be better than many years hes seen. Hopefully the sugar content will rise, he says. This isnt a record breaker year on any of our parameters, but Ive seen lots worse years than this one.

Holly Sugar will have no idea of yields until growers have moved well into harvest. Its such a varied crop this year, Fullmer says. Its hard to predict what well see.

The rebuilt Dakota pilers located at the Sugar Valley Receiving Station in Fairview have performed well so far. We ran beets through both rebuilt pilers during early harvest, Fullmer says. We made a few minor modifications on them for full harvest. Both pilers are working well, and were happy with them.

The new computerized scale system at the Sidney factory yard also works quite well. This system works very well with the new program we have in accounting, Fullmer comments. The program makes life a little easier for the accounting department with inputs. Were doing things a little differently, and the more we automate, the better and faster we can get daily information.

Fullmer also reminds everyone to take extra care, allow a little more time on the road for traveling, and to keep safety in mind at all times during harvest. Its a busy time of year, and there are a lot of heavy trucks on the road, he states. Watch out for them.