A First Look at the 2022 Sugar Beet Harvest, Sidney, MT

Posted byChristi IfferganPosted inMontana, North DakotaTags:, , , ,

After much anticipation, the Sugar Beet Harvest has begun!

A look at the piler site before work begins.

After a day of hands on training, I will be working on one of the sugar beet pilers.  We have six pilers running 24/7 unloading beets from the trucks.  Each pile is 18 feet tall and 40 feet wide.  When we are finished, the piles will run the entire length of the lot you see in the above photo. 

The trucks start rolling onto the lot quickly.

I trained for both of the positions at a piler. The first position is the operator. The operator is responsible for directing the trucks onto the platforms & getting their beets unloaded.

The operator stands on the raised platform. They direct trucks on the left & right platforms to start the unloading process.

The second position is working on the ground. That position is responsible for getting each truck’s ticket. The truck receives the ticket at the Weigh House before coming onto the lot. Some of the tickets require you to get a sample of the beets from that load. The samples are sent to the lab where the sugar content is tested.

A coworker getting the truck’s ticket from the driver.

That person also directs each truck under a belt that returns all of the dirt from their load of beets. The operator dumps the dirt into the back of each truck. The dirt is then taken back to the farm.

The piler in action. You will see why the hard hats & safety glasses are so important—stray beets fly everywhere!

The pile is beginning to take shape.

I still have a lot to learn, but was lucky to have some great teachers. As the harvest progresses, I will be posting more photos & videos. I hope you find this process as fascinating as I did!

Published by Christi Iffergan

Hi! I am Christi, a full-time RV traveller since August 2021. I have always loved to travel, but COVID-19 put a stop to that. I was fast approaching 50, my condo was being placed up for sale and I was ready for a major change. Originally from a tiny town in rural Southwest Virginia, I am the mother to one son and a rescue Shih Tzu, Cappy. For the last 20 years, I worked in public library systems around the Charlotte & Myrtle Beach areas. I met some amazing people and made great friends along the way. Follow along on my adventures as I travel the US. I hope that our paths will cross one day!

19 thoughts on “A First Look at the 2022 Sugar Beet Harvest, Sidney, MT”

  3. WOW!! that was sooooo kool !! did you get hit in the head with any beets yet?? lol what a load of beets, who knew there were that many in one place !! interesting job as you always find, verity is the spice of life they say, and glad you`re getting your full of it, good for you! you should write a book on all your adventures one day, are you taking Cappy with you on your cruise ??? who will he stay with if your not??
    next trip Bon Voyage to Taos !!! Whoo-Hoooo !!!

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    1. No beets on the head… yet. We were told not to look up because you could get hit in the face & some of those beets are giants. They definitely stress safety & staying aware of your surroundings. I plan on staying attentive.

      Cappy has a great sitter who has taken care of him before, so he is in good hands. I will definitely keep you on standby if we need a backup.

      I am counting down the days until the cruise where I can relax & be taken care of for a few weeks.

      So good to hear from you!!

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      1. be glad to watch Cappy, dont have my Sadie girl any more, ok, so no heads up lol.. not in this case, glad you`ll be having some well deserved R&R time, and be well taken care of, now that`s more my speed,
        go put yer crown on and be Queen bee of the Cruise !! Enjoy and show us lots a pictures too !!

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  7. Hey girl, You are my hero. I so admire you and all of the adventures you take on! I hope you are keeping a journal of these adventures.Maybe someday you can write a book!I know a library where you can come to speak!!! Take care and watch out for those flying beets!

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  9. Hi Christi,
    Did you know that Jordan High School in Utah are known as the beetdiggers?
    “When Jordan High School was founded in 1907, the sugar beet industry was a large part of the local people’s lives, leading to the mascot name Beetdiggers. Farmers harvested sugar beets to be processed in the large factory located in West Jordan. Every fall, the students would have a two-week break to help in the harvest, according to the Deseret News.”
    You are now part of a long line of beetdiggers.

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