The Nebraska Extension 4-H and Open Class entries have seen many special projects over the years, from dry edible beans to sorghum and broom corn. This year, Nebraska Extension and 4-H's Special Agronomy Project for 2024 is sugar beets. The project is held across the state, in the Panhandle, where sugar beets are a staple crop, and in eastern Nebraska, where they are not typically grown.
“The beets can be shown in either open class or 4-H,” said Laurie Ziterkopf, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener. “They just need to bring in three roots and some leaves. They should check the (fair) book for details on cutting and how many leaves to display at the fair.”
While sugar beets are planted earlier than some crops, they are not harvested until after most fairs are complete in September. “We know they (beets) will be immature, but even in July, farmers are out checking their beets, digging up a few plants, and checking the sugar content. So, our beet entries will be judged on how true they are to variety,” Zitterkopf said.
The Special Agronomy Project in Scotts Bluff County is also collaborating with Western Sugar in Scottsbluff.
“Western Sugar is excited to have sugar beets be the special agronomy project for Nebraska 4-H in 2024,” said Michael Relka, Western Sugar agronomist. “Sugar beets are a crop that’s been grown in the western Nebraska area for over 100 years and is processed at the Scottsbluff factory into sugar.”
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Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn, Sugar Beets, Harvesting