Better days for beets

Janelle Atyeo
Jun 4, 2026
2 hrs ago

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Megan Horsager’s family has grown sugar beets in Minnesota since a processing facility was built 40 miles away in the mid-1970s.

kAmqFE C2:D:?8 366ED 92D?’E 366? 62DJ :? C646?E J62CD]k^Am

kAm(665 2?5 5:D62D6 AC6DDFC6[ =23@C D9@CE286D 2?5 =@H AC:46D 2C6 492==6?8:?8]k^Am

kAm{2DE J62C’D H6E H62E96C DEF?E65 8C@HE9 2?5 42FD65 AC@3=6>D H:E9 7F?8FD] %96 A=2?E AFE :ED 6?6C8J :?E@ 7:89E:?8 5:D62D6[ D@ E@??286 H2D 5@H? 2?5 DF82C 4@?E6?E H2D =@H]k^Am

Crop Watcher Horsager (2).JPG — Megan Horsager shows a handful of beet seeds, treated with a coating to make the knobbly seeds more easily pass through the planter.
Tri-State Neighbor Photo by Janelle Atyeo

kAm%92E’D 2== @? E@A @7 :?E6C?2E:@?2= :DDF6D]k^Am

kAm“%96 >@@5 @7 E96 DF82C :?5FDECJ :D BF:E6 =@H[” w@CD286C D2:5[ D:EE:?8 :? 96C 72>:=J’D D9@A 29625 @7 A=2?E:?8 D62D@? :? pAC:=]k^Am

kAmw@CD286C H2D :? (2D9:?8E@?[ s]r][ H:E9 E96 u2C> qFC62F E96 >@?E9 367@C6[ =@33J:?8 7@C FA52E6D E@ DF82C 366E E2C:77D] %2C:77D 2AA=J E@ DF82C :>A@CE65 23@G6 2?5 36J@?5 E96 BF@E2D 6DE23=:D965 3J &]$] EC256 28C66>6?ED] ~E96C 4@F?EC:6D H:E9 962G:=J DF3D:5:K65 72C> AC@8C2>D 92G6 7=@@565 E96 >2C<6E H:E9 DF82C E92E :D D@=5 3=@H E96 4@DE @7 AC@5F4E:@?[ D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“%2C:77D 2C6 DFAA@D65 E@ AC@E64E FD 7C@> 2CE:7:4:2==J =@H DF82C AC:46D[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm&]$] 72C>6CD 2C6 4@>A6E:E:G6 AC@5F46CD @7 DF82C :? E96 8=@32= >2C<6E[ D96 D2:5[ 3FE D96’5 =:<6 E@ D66 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 36EE6C >2?286 CF=6D 2C@F?5 E96 4C@A]k^Am

kAm%9:D :D w@CD286C’D 7:7E9 D62D@? 8C@H:?8 366ED 2?5 @E96C 4C@AD @? 96C 72>:=J’D 72C> ?@CE962DE @7 |@?E6G:56@[ |:??6D@E2[ E96 E@A DE2E6 :? E96 ?2E:@? 7@C 8C@H:?8 DF82C 366ED] $96 H:== D6CG6 2D %C:\$E2E6 }6:893@C’D |:??6D@E2 rC@A (2E496C[ 8:G:?8 3:\H66<=J C6A@CED E9C@F89 92CG6DE E:>6]k^Am

kAmw@CD286C 72C>D H:E9 96C 525[ |2C4 $E6G6?D 2E $E6G6?D u2C>D] $96 :D :?G@=G65 H:E9 E96 |:??6D@E2 u2C> qFC62F *@F?8 u2C>6CD 2?5 #2?496CD 8C@FA 2?5 4@>A=6E65 E96 |:??6D@E2 p8C:4F=EFC6 2?5 #FC2= {6256CD9:A AC@8C2> :? a_ac]k^Am

Crop Watcher Horsager (19).JPG — Megan Horsager stands by her tractor in the shop at her farm near Montevideo, Minn. Horsager grows beets, corn, soybeans and alfalfa with her dad, Marc Stevens. She will give reports through the season as a Crop Watcher.
Tri-State Neighbor Photo by Janelle Atyeo

kAmw6C 9FD32?5[ !9:==:A[ :D 2 =2HJ6C H9@ AC24E:46D 3FD:?6DD =2H[ :?4=F5:?8 92?5=:?8 72C> EC2?D:E:@?D[ 2?5 H@C<D A2CE E:>6 H:E9 E96 4@F?EJ’D AF3=:4 5676?56CD] %96J 92G6 EH@ 49:=5C6?[ !6E6C[ c[ 2?5 w6=6?[ `[ H9@ 2C6 3J 96C D:56 @? E96 72C> >@DE 52JD]k^Am

kAm“x =@G6 E96 =:76DEJ=6[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

People are also reading…

Propagating the prairie: Couple creates business out of raising native plants
Cattle-station cookbook helps disaster
Wisconsin popular destination for turkeys
Back to grass: Focused on conservation, Midwest farmers return cropland to prairie state
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Iowa pork producer grows with focus on efficiency
From the ground up: Jade Jandel builds his cattle herd on functionality, longevity
Missouri legislature extends ag tax credits
Buyer beware: Problem cows, accessories sold separately
Speaking for agriculture: College student finds her calling an ag advocacy
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Breakfast offers ‘majestic’ chance to talk dairy
Cook shares classic chicken and cookie recipes with a twist
Fickle weather creates field challenges
100-year-old veteran recalls battles of World War II

kAm$96 2=D@ 6?;@JD 82C56?:?8 2?5 42??:?8[ 2?5 D@ 5@ E96 <:5D] !6E6C H2D E6?5:?8 E@ 2 76H D665=:?8D :? E96 72>:=J’D >F5C@@> E9:D DAC:?8i A@E2E@6D[ AF>A<:?D 2?5 2 >2?8@]k^Am

kAmpE E96 72C> D42=6[ 8C@H:?8 366ED :D 2? 6IA6?D:G6 6?562G@C – 7C@> E96 D665 E@ E96 ECF4<:?8 4@DED] %96J C6BF:C6 2 =@E @7 42C6 E9C@F89 E96 D62D@?[ E@@] q66ED 2C6 DFD46AE:3=6 E@ r6C4@DA@C2 =627 DA@E 7F?8FD 2?5 2C6 EJA:42==J DAC2J65 6G6CJ `_ E@ `c 52JD]k^Am

kAm(665 AC6DDFC6 :D 2? :DDF6 3642FD6 ?@E >2?J 96C3:4:56D 2C6 2G2:=23=6 7@C FD6 H:E9 366ED] '2C:6E:6D 92G6 366? >@5:7:65 E@ E@=6C2E6 8=JA9@D2E6[ 3FE H665D 56G6=@A65 2 C6D:DE2?46] }6H6C G2C:6E:6D 4@>A2E:3=6 H:E9 {:36CEJ 96C3:4:56 2?5 5:42>32 92G6 366? 56G6=@A65[ 2?5 w@CD286C 9@A6D E96J’== 36 2AAC@G65 7@C 72C>6CD E@ 8C@H :? E96 ?6IE 4@FA=6 J62CD] w6C 72C> 2=D@ C6=:6D @? 4F=E:G2E:@?[ D@>6 92?5 H665:?8 2?5 6=64EC:4 K2AA6CD E@ 4@?EC@= H665D]k^Am

kAmw@CD286C 2?5 96C 525 H@C< H:E9 4@FD:?D E@ 92CG6DE 366ED :? ~4E@36C] u@C D@>6 72C>D[ :E’D 2? 2C@F?5\E96\4=@4< @A6C2E:@?] %96 $E6G6?D u2C> 4C6H H@C<D 7C@> c A]>] E@ c 2]>] E96? DH2AD H:E9 4@FD:?D]k^Am

Crop Watcher Horsager (12).JPG — Megan Horsager stands by her strip till machine. She's making an effort to improve soil health on her western Minnesota farm.
Tri-State Neighbor Photo by Janelle Atyeo

kAmt249 D9:7E C6BF:C6D `_ A6@A=6[ H:E9 6:89E D6>:ECF4<D E@ 92F= E96 4C@A 2?5 @E96CD CF??:?8 92CG6DE:?8 6BF:A>6?E] xE’D 2 492==6?86 E@ 7:?5 H@C<6CD E@ 9:C6 7@C ;FDE EH@ E@ E9C66 H66<D :? E96 72==[ w@CD286C D2:5]k^Am

kAmx? E96 7:6=5[ 2 567@=:2E@C C6>@G6D E96 =627J E@AD[ E96? 2 =:7E6C 5:8D E96 366ED 7C@> E96 7:6=5D] %96J’C6 ECF4<65 E@ 2 A:=:?8 D:E6 @? 2 ?62C3J 9:89H2J 2?5 92F=65 7C@> E96C6 E9C@F89 E96 H:?E6C >@?E9D E@ E96 AC@46DD:?8 724:=:EJ :? #6?G:==6]k^Am

kAmq66ED 2C6 EFC?65 :?E@ 8C2?F=2E65 2?5 =:BF:5 DF82C[ 2D H6== 2D 4@\AC@5F4ED DF49 2D 366E AF=A A6==6ED 2?5 >@=2DD6D FD65 :? 2?:>2= 7665 2?5 2 D2=EJ AC@5F4E 7@C 56:4:?8 C@25H2JD]k^Am

kAmr@C?[ D@J362?D 2?5 2=72=72 C@F?5 @FE E96 4C@AD 2E $E6G6?D u2C>D] %96 72>:=J C646?E=J DE2CE65 H@C<:?8 H:E9 2 =2C86 52:CJ :? E96 2C62[ H9:49 E96J DFAA=J H:E9 2=72=72 2?5 4@C? D:=286] x? 6I492?86[ E96J’== FD6 52:CJ >2?FC6 2D 2 ?2EFC2= 76CE:=:K6C :? 255:E:@? E@ >2?FC6 7C@> 2 ?62C3J 9@8 32C?]k^Am

kAm“xE ;FDE D66>D E@ >2<6 D6?D6 E@ E2<6 E96 ECF4<:?8 @FE @7 3@E9 6?5D @7 :E[” |2C4 $E6G6?D D2:5]k^Am

kAmw@CD286C :D 6I4:E65 23@FE FD:?8 2 76CE:=:K6C 9:89 :? @C82?:4 >2EE6C[ H9:49 2=:8?D H:E9 96C :?E6C6DE :? :?4C62D:?8 D@:= 962=E9] $96 AFC492D65 2 G6CE:42= E:==286 >249:?6 2?5 C646?E=J 25565 2 D6656C E@ A=2?E 96C @H? 4@G6C 4C@AD]k^Am

kAm|:??6D@E2 =2H C6BF:C6D 4@G6C 4C@AD 36 8C@H? @? 7:6=5D H96C6 >2?FC6 :D DAC625 :? E96 72== E@ 96=A AC6G6?E CF?@77] x? E96 A2DE[ w@CD286C 92D A=2?E65 4@G6C 4C@AD @? AC6G6?E A=2?E 24C6D 2?5 FD65 @2ED 2D 2 ?FCD6 4C@A E92E AC@E64ED D>2== DF82C 366ED 7C@> H:?5 52>286]k^Am

kAm“(6’G6 5233=65[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmp=D@ ?6H E9:D 2E $E6G6?D u2C> :D DF3E6CC2?62? 5C:A :CC:82E:@? @? 2 BF2CE6C @7 4@C?] xE H:== 36 FD65 E@ 255 H2E6C E@ E96 D@:= E9C@F89@FE E96 DF>>6C]k^Am

kAmq642FD6 E96J E@=6C2E6 4@=5 D@:=D[ 366ED E96 7:CDE 4C@A E@ 36 A=2?E65 @? w@CD286C’D 72C>] %9:D J62C[ E96 366E 4C@A H2D :? 367@C6 E96 6?5 @7 pAC:=] w@CD286C H2D A=62D65 H:E9 E96:C DE2?5[ H9:49 :D 2 4@>>@? DECF88=6 :? DF82C 366ED]k^Am

kAm$@>6 ?6:893@CD 925 E@ C6A=2?E 5F6 E@ 7C@DE 2?5 H:?5 52>286[ 3FE E96 $E6G6?D u2C>D 7:6=5D H6C6 >:?:>2==J 27764E65[ E92?<D E@ 2 ?FCD6 4C@A @7 @2ED A=2?E65 H:E9 E96 366ED E92E 96=A65 AC@E64E E96>] %96 @2ED 92G6 D:?46 366? E6C>:?2E65] %96 4C@A 925 C624965 E96 7@FC\=627 DE286 3J =2E6 |2J]k^Am

kAm“(6 4@F=5 FD6 D@>6 >@C6 962E 2?5 >@:DEFC6[ 3FE E96 4@=56C 4@?5:E:@?D 92G6 96=A65 FD >2?286 E96 H665 AC6DDFC6 67764E:G6=J[” w@CD286C D2:5]k^Am

Raised in small town South Dakota, Janelle is enjoying her time as editor of Tri-State Neighbor and Midwest Messenger while raising kids, chickens and no till vegetables in central Sioux Falls. Reach her at janelle.atyeo@lee.net.