Michigan Demo Highlights Self-Propelled Sugar Beet Harvesters

About 450 People Attend This September Event

Self Propelled Sugar Beet Harvester Demo. Photos by: Don Lilliboe

September 18 was quite the day in eastern Michigan, as about 450 very curious sugarbeet growers and other interested persons — some from other parts of the country — showed up for a harvesting demonstration just outside Sandusky. The event featured self-pro- pelled beet harvesters from four com- panies: Ropa, Holmer, Grimme and Vervaet. Also in attendance, though not displaying a harvester, was a fifth manufacturer, Agrifac.

Each harvester on site topped and lifted beets from either 20- or 22-inch rows, as onlookers observed and asked questions of company representatives.

Sugarbeets harvested by the self-propelled European-built units were then carted and piled on field edges. There, Ropa Maus and Holmer Terra- Fellis 2 cleaner-loaders were used to clean the beets and load them on to waiting semis. Demonstrations were repeated morning and afternoon.

The demonstration was organized by Steve Poindexter, senior extension sugarbeet educator for Michigan State University. The event was coordinated through Michigan Sugarbeet Advancement’s Research Extension Advisory Council (REACh) initiative.

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The Holmer harvester draws a crowd of interested observers.

Steve Poindexter, Saginaw- based senior sugarbeet extension educator for Michigan State University, oversaw the planning and coordination of the September harvester demo.

The Vervaet Beet Eater captures visitors’ interest.

An underside view of the Grimme Rexor’s topping unit.

Both a Holmer Terra Fellis 2 and a Ropa Maus (pictured) were on hand, cleaning beets clamped at field’s edge and loading them into waiting trucks.

Ropa’s Tiger at work.