Meet The Farmer
Let's take a closer look at step one of the agriculture system: producing plants.
Did you know that some sugars come from vegetables? It’s true!
Rachel Arneson is a Sugarbeet Farmer in Northwest Minnesota. Her family has been farming sugarbeets for 60 years. She loves producing sugarbeets because she gets to be outdoors and solve problems.
Rachel plants her sugarbeets early in the spring. She can’t plant too early though or the sugarbeets could be killed in a late frost. To protect her growing sugar beets, she also makes sure her fields don’t have weeds. If it is too rainy or humid, a fungus can grow on the leaves. Rachel covers the sugarbeet leaves with an anti-fungal spray so the plants can grow good, healthy sugarbeets.
When it is time to harvest, Rachel always hopes for good weather. If the ground is too muddy, she can’t get the sugarbeets out. Sometimes sugarbeets freeze in the ground and aren't harvested.
Growing sugarbeets is hard work! Rachel has to problem solve every day. We sure enjoy the sugar that comes from those sugarbeets in our breakfast cereal, soda pop and snacks!
DISCUSSION
What role does the farmer (producer) play in the agriculture system?
Why are sun, air, water, and soil part of the agriculture system?