It turns out that big, blue factory can't make a decent enough profit buying fair-trade cane sugar from poor countries. They can only compete with cleaner, greener homegrown 🇬🇧 beet sugar, by getting tariff-free deals to import the cheapest stuff, produced in ways illegal here.

Wk22 Don’t think I’ve ever seen such massive top growth. Crowns starting to show. And in the stop press, I found my first bolter.

Wk 23 Leaves are double the height of my Staffy, and the crowns look very promising. As I plan to lift in February a 3 spray fungicide program has been planned. I was lucky last year my LDB was my profit. I fear beets days are numbered.

Wk27. First fungicide applied. From some flagging mid July time, sufficient rain has fallen to keep growth upright, which is not the case with the wheat locally. Desperately need sunshine.

Wk 30 thought I would stand in the crop this time. The canopy is enormous and the sunshine conspicuous by its absence. Fungicide scheduled for the weekend. 🤞for an Indian summer.

Wk34,not much to report. Rain and a few bright sunny days have lifted sugars(I hope) and the canopy is staying green,unlike last year when Cercospora took most of the crops leaves. Mine are due to be lifted in February so let’s hope the lorry/fuel situation is resolved by then.

Wk 37. Canopy looking good, some rust but none of last years damaging cercospora and at least this autumn is proving sunnier than last years damp squib so🤞sugars are nearer normal.

That a wrap for FieldofSugarBeet 21. I was busy drilling sp barley. Thanks to George Palmer and Simon Smith for an excellent and hassle free job.

We’re back! Wk1 cover crop incorporated, primary cultivation done. Seed somewhere in Europe so just waiting for it to turn up.

We’re underway. Drilled 02/04. Pre em of Goltix and 60kg N. Seedbeds beautifully moist.

Wk1. Not visible in the photo but the green rows are just discernible if you get the sun in the right direction. A total of 7mm rain since 1/04 has put them under a bit of pressure.

Wk7 50% more rain in 6 days of May compared to the whole of April. Cue sighs of relief. 1L/ha of Conviso One applied yesterday. Crop not that messy but Fat Hen at 4TL , ideal timing.

Wk8 Another 7mm rain. Really starting to motor. Trace elements on this week. With wheat at 325 for harvest and 700 for osr, I’m afraid £27/t is going to see the industry deserted. Hope BS wake up, and I hope the supermarkets wake up to be rail crash that’s heading their way.

Whilst I love my Brown Hares( I have a lot) there are times they test it.

Wk 10 another whopping 3.8mm and beet still growing. Suffolk show and meet in the row seems the new norm. Little worried by the moisture situation, but hey combines out soon which will see the customary downpours.

Wk12 We had some rain!!!! Beet meeting across the rows which is 3 or so weeks ahead of the usual yardstick. Debating starting a fungicide programme with a sulphur base.

Wk16.Omm rain and a couple of days at 39c, staggered it still looks like a beet crop. Drought is punishing but it is still hanging on.

Wk20 25mm rain yesterday which has soaked in wonderfully. Hope to spray 1st fungicide tomorrow. How it’s survived 40c and no rain beats me. 🤞for a benign winter as late lift will give it the chance to make up lost yield

Thank you @tesco for helping me with the milk price cut. It will help offset the £2.10 you charge for Winalot shapes that a year ago were a £1.

@wenumfarmers