Sugar Beet and Candy Syrup

[Will_D]

There's a thread running on Beoir about making Belgian Candy Syrup from real sugar beet.

It is getting me interested.

Its time to kick start the Irish beet industry.

I need some seed for to plant the Sugar Beet. Can I find any in UK or Ireland - not yet.

Anyone care to help search the net? If so please let me know and I will order some and plant it up!

[Tom]

I think farmers use sugar beet for their sheep in winter. Try a farmer's mart? Back home in N. Wales the fields were thick with the stuff. I never tried it but my dad did. He's surprised to this day he's still got teeth.

[Will_D]

Great news! Have just ordered a packet of seed from of all places Turkey!

Will start them off and will be offering baby plants if they germinate.

250 seeds are comming!

Will keep you posted.

@Tube can you create a forum for ingredients please?

[Tucan]

I think it would be a better idea just to buy some from a local farmer.Dont forget that you not only have to sow them you will also have to treat for weeds ,pest and  fungal disease.
The treatments are only available on a commercial scale and are expensive. If you want I can easily source some for you as this years crop are still available .Unfortunately I live in Wexford so transport might be a bit of a problem.
Just keep in mind that not all the beet grown in Ireland are sugar beat.Fodder beat is grown as fodder ( who would have thought ).

[johnrm]

Are we aiming for 100% Irish Belgians? 

[Will_D]

I think it would be a better idea just to buy some from a local farmer.Dont forget that you not only have to sow them you will also have to treat for weeds ,pest and  fungal disease.
The treatments are only available on a commercial scale and are expensive. If you want I can easily source some for you as this years crop are still available .Unfortunately I live in Wexford so transport might be a bit of a problem.
Just keep in mind that not all the beet grown in Ireland are sugar beat.Fodder beat is grown as fodder ( who would have thought ).

Yes I know that not all big, round dirty auld roots for fodder are sugar beet.

I believe that most are called Mangelworzel ( beta vulgaris ) or large coarse Swedes.

True sugar beet is a derived cultivar of b. vulgaris.

They look VERY similar so I would prefer to start with a known seed variety.

If you can get hold of the real deal then great.

I am only doing this on a home-brew scale so weeds,pests etc are not a problem

[Tucan]

No mater what scale you grow on fungus and pest are a potential problem.
So PM me with the amount you want and how you hope to transport and I know a farmer who'll trade for a few bottles of HB.
That way you'll have a chance to prefect your process before you're crop comes in.

[Will_D]

Now just doing some more research:

"If the beets are to be left for later delivery, they are formed into clamps. Straw bales are used to shield the beets from the weather. Provided the clamp is well built with the right amount of ventilation, the beets do not significantly deteriorate. Beets that freeze and then defrost produce complex carbohydrates that cause severe production problems in the factory."

I love the concept of "complex carbohydrates" that cause a problem for white, table, ugh!, sugar production!

[Ciderhead]

I've heard its almost tropical in Malahide you'll be growing bananas next