Not a sugar beet...nor a steckling either
A steckling, a steckling...my kingdom for a steckling.....
But I will most happily settle for a nice definition of a steckling from any of you wonderful agricultural folks who happen to stop by. (I am working on this week's Farm Side and need to talk about beet culture.)
Sugar beets are not exactly big business in upstate NY and the Net has been helpful, but not absolutely so, in my quest to write about the recent federal court decision on GMO beets.
Thanks in advance for any help you are able to give. Quotable quotes about the beet industry would be most welcome as well. You can leave them in the comments or email me at threecollie AT gmail DOT com.
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7 comments:
Hi - Marcia here from Wyoming. I grew up in the Big Horn Basin where sugar beets were a main farming crop. I've been reading about issues with Roundup Ready beets - not sure if that is the same as GMO beets? Anyway here is an article pertaining to the Roundup beets - don't know if this is what you're looking for? http://www.starherald.com/articles/2010/09/26/news/local_news/doc4c9ec6d6162a4844614000.txt.
I was under the impression that the steckling is the first season beet (or any biennial root) that is replanted to grow through the next season to produce the seed. Beets are biennial.
I replant beets for seed that show the traits I want for future beets.
Here is a link explaining seed production and steckling:
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~seedsci/vsp01.html
As a consumer, here is my 2 cents:
I will only use cane sugar. I rarely buy processed items because when the label simply says "sugar," then it's most likely GMO beet sugar. I don't swallow GMOs in any form if I can help it.
I read that China won't accept shipments of our GMO corn. But the FDA, Monsanto and politicians are forcing us to accept this dangerous food. It's difficult and expensive to buy untainted, healthy food in the grocery stores any more, and this makes me ANGRY.
Steckling.....sounds like a German made gun to me;)))
My knowledge of Beets and Stecklings is zero but I love that photo!
Anyhow, thanks so much!
Nita, I believe you are correct...just wanted to be sure...and thank you so much. I was hoping for you or someone to know the answer for sure. I have become much braver about saving seed since I have been reading your blog btw. and thanks for the link,..just what I needed
Susan Rose, I also prefer cane sugar, but mostly because of the taste. It does taste a lot better to me
Linda, rofl, perfect. I wish I could print here the speculation in the barn the other night on just what a steckling might be. (I actually was pretty sure it was what Nita said above, but just wanted to be sure) Anyhoo, stecklings have featured heavily in many rather r-rated jokes around the place this week.
SCMomma, thank you! I have learned a lot about beet culture this week and once again discovered that agriculture is so much more than is seen on the surface. Heck I am a farmer and here is a whole branch of it that I knew next to nothing about. Fun to learn though.
Marcia, darn it, something happened and my response to your comment was seriously truncated. Thank you so much for your comments and for the website. I was amazed to find that even the NY Times is reporting on the topic.
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