The ability to handle real responsibility is one of the most valuable traits Mindy Robertson wants to instill in her own children as well as other children in her community. As the owner of a generations-old family farm, mother of five and shareholder in Amalgamated Sugar Company, Mindy has lots of experience to share and wants to see the next generation develop a love for agriculture as they learn about all that goes into bringing food from the field to the table.

Mindy and her husband, Ryan, both come from families with deep agricultural roots and spent their summers working in the fields or in the barn. Ryan’s grandfather was involved with starting the Idaho Potato Growers Association and Mindy grew up on a dairy farm.  No matter the weather outside, the cows always need to be milked so there is no such thing as a day off. Although milking cows is very different from growing crops, Mindy certainly learned the value of hard work, and she always wanted her kids to grow up on a farm so they could learn how to work hard and have real responsibility.

Before starting to raise their own sugar beets, Mindy and Ryan worked with Ryan’s dad to learn how to successfully plant, grow and harvest beets, before buying their own beet shares. Fast forward 20 years and the Robertson’s are deeply ingrained in the sugar beet community. Ryan is on the Board of Directors for Amalgamated Sugar Company and Mindy participates in the youth sugar beet grower program, teaching kids about growing sugar beets.

Mindy got involved with the Amalgamated Youth Sugarbeet Program 5 years ago. Mindy saw it as an opportunity to be a positive influence for the industry and to get their own children involved with their family business. The kids who participate in the program grow 2 shares (about two acres) of sugar beets, get paid for their work and complete a presentation and research project. They must also record data just like full time farmers. It is essential to be aware of and track variables like wind speed, temperature, rain quantity and any other challenges with the crop. The kids learn the importance of all these factors and get to see the outcome of their efforts at the end of the season when they harvest their shares.

Mindy, like many family farmers, wants her children to have experience with all the duties of the farm and know how to help and teach others. Mindy’s ability to reach out to teenage neighbors for extra help when someone calls in sick for work is certainly a benefit of having like-minded neighbors and community. And through the youth program, many other children in the community are learning about this essential crop and gaining valuable life skills like hard work and responsibility.

Mindy after helping the kids move their hand lines (irrigation) in their beet shares.

The Robertson Family