Sugar beets.

[Bucksnbears]

For those that don't know about them, here's a glimpse.
First off, they are planted in Apr/ May.
Full scale harvest starts in early October but the plants that process them needs some now to make sure their plants are ready when it's go time. Beet growers just started (pre lift). I believe each grower can harvest a small percentage now.
Here are some pics I took this morning of a field that got opened up yesterday.

Couple things I want to say about Beets.
They need a Long Growing season so any brassica plantings with them in the mix is a waste of $$.
Second, unlike turnips/ radishes, most of the beet grows underground and I've never seen a deer pull one out.
When they lift beets, small ones fall to the ground. When we get bad winters here, deer will migrate MILES to a sugarbeet field and will stay until snowmelt. There may be 10 miles or more of riverbottoms that are 100% vacant from deer during a harsh winter. Thats how important beets are to their survival.
They almost 100% depend on them for survival. Not kidding. There is basically no browse in our riverbottoms.
They will dig through FEET of snow to get down to the ground to find one. Often expending so much energy that by springtime, many can die right in the field. Seen it MANY times.
The beet field MUST be near thermal cover. Seldom will deer leave cover and travel more then a half mile. They may early but as winter lingers on (cold/ deep snow), it just gets to be to much effort and they often just curl up a die. So sad to see.
Anywhooo, here are some pics. Any questions, fire away.

 

[Sligh1]

I love it!!!!! Did you use round up ready or did you use herbicides like treflan, etc etc? & ample nitrogen I assume? Ton of value in nutrition & tonnage right there!!!!

 

[sundog78]

Not sure I follow. You’ve never seen a deer pull one outta the ground but they dig through snow to get at them? The greens can’t still be good at that time. I’m guessing they’re not pawing and digging them out of frozen ground. They just walk along and eat what they can get their teeth in before moving on to the next one? Only utilizing what the harvester leaves behind on the top of the ground?

I like the idea of spring planting them provided there was something that could be sprayed to keep the weeds in check

 

[Bucksnbears]

Skip. These are not mine. Just drove by a field this morning, pulled in and took pics.
I do believe they do like alot of nitrogen.

Side note. The guy next to me (300 yards away) planted beets this year.
Bout 80 acres. Unless we have a horrible winter, late season will be incredible for hunting.
But...,a farmer 2 miles away has a 300 acre field.
Basically the same riverbottom cover. Great thermal winter cover.
If HARD winter sets in, even though I have great winter food/ habitat, I totally expect deer to migrate the 2 miles. Deer here do the " safety in numbers" thing.
Hard to fathom for most but it happens every year around here.
Best way to put it is, say my neighbor and me have 50 deer early wintering here and feeding on beets on 80 acres but the guy 2 miles away has 200 deer feeding on his 300 acres, my deer will leave and go those 2 miles to be with more deer. Don't know why but they do.
This happens when an early HARD winter sets in.
Doesn't happen often but it has. I've seen standing corn right along the river that didnt/ couldn't get harvested before a HARD Winter sets in and deer will totally abandon it to migrat mile to a sugarbeet field even though the cover is the same.

The drawing power of sugarbeets in the winter is incredible.

 

[Bucksnbears]

Sundog, they feed on the small ones that fell to the ground during harvest.