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Market Gardener

How do you market beets during the growing season?

10 years ago

Do you sell them as:
1. bunching beets with tops on
2. separately from the greens - the advantage is that you can sell the greens separately for additional value, but you also risk the customers assuming that the beets are not as fresh as they really are.

Comments (10)

henhousefarms
10 years ago
We top them but do not sell the tops - have taken them in the past but no interest and no sales (same with turnips). After we top the beets we keep them in a cooler overnight with chilled water. When we set up at market we drain the water and sell in quart boxes. Keeps the beets nice and plump.

Tom
little_minnie
10 years ago
I bunch with tops. Others do the roots in baskets to be able to keep them several days. I like to have a different approach.
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randy41_1
10 years ago
i bunch with tops. i'm going to try bagging with tops this year. the tops look very wilted soon after setting out on the table if its windy.
Slimy_Okra
Original Author
10 years ago
I was worried about the wilting issue too. How do you keep your tops looking fresh, little_minnie? I wonder if a spray bottle with cold water would work
little_minnie
10 years ago
I put green top carrot and beet and radish bunches in a tub of water.
Mark
10 years ago
I sell beets in bunches with tops as long as the tops look good. After a late freeze or if leaf miner is a problem and the tops look junky, I sell them loose. The bunch price is much better so it's worth it for me to take the extra time.

When beets are harvested in the morning and kept cool until they go on display, they don't wilt all that fast. On very hot days, I accept that the beets on the bottom will wilt, but I just keep restocking from under the table and the fresh top bunches keep the display nice. Usually someone at the end of market will buy the wilted ones for a discount.

-Mark
myfamilysfarm
10 years ago
I've tried both and found that the ones with tops didn't sell as well in some markets, but better in others. It just depends on your market. If the tops are not pretty, holes and such, sell them as topped and by the pound.
Slimy_Okra
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for all the suggestions.
This will be my first year growing early beets in a high tunnel. I expect them to be ready in late May, about a month before outdoor beets. I will sell them bunched and see how it goes.
innisfail
10 years ago
We sell our beets by the basket ( 20 kilo's )
We pick them and put the add on our local Facebook buy and sell .
Almost all will sell quickly, just the beets not the tops .
Beets are our # 2 crop .
We have been doing it this way for 3 years, since I do not have the time to sell at the farmers market .
mossflower
9 years ago
I keep the beets in the cooler with the tops on. I use wet burlap coffee bags from a local roaster (they throw them away). I soak the burlap the day before market and keep it in the cooler i then put the burlap in my crates and the wet burlap keeps the beets fresh all day. On a hot day I use a spray bottle with water.

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