It's a crisp morning on this spring day, which is getting warmer as the sun's rays find their way down through the clouds. We are on the outskirts of Höganäs, in a field that has belonged to the Gibrand family for generations. Today's focus is on one of the very first and most important tasks of spring - sowing beetroot. The air is filled with anticipation, and the soil feels ready to receive the tiny seeds that will lay the foundation for this year's harvest.
"The seeds are so small that they are barely visible, but look carefully here," says Björn Hjälte, gently pushing some soil away from one of the tracks the tractor has just left behind.
Björn has extensive experience in agriculture and has worked for Steglinge for seven years. With a broad smile, he greets us and tells us that he has just harrowed the field, a process he describes as crucial to preserve the moisture in the soil before sowing.
"I harrowed yesterday. You want to do that close to sowing to give the best possible conditions," he explains.
Harrowing involves working, loosening and smoothing the soil to create an optimal environment for the seeds. Once this is done, the seeds are carefully placed in the ground with a precision seeder, along with NPK fertilizer - a combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - and manure to give the crop the nutrition it needs.
"Then you have to be lucky with the weather," says Björn. "Too strong storms and you may have to start from scratch, but at the same time a little rain is good. Otherwise we have to irrigate."
The field we are standing on is four hectares in size and is used to sow the early beets, which are expected to be ready for harvest sometime in late July. A little further away, 15 hectares are reserved for the late beets. Each meter of these fields can yield up to thirty beets, and in a good year Steglinge can provide its beets all year round.
As the tractor methodically drives back and forth across the field, and the soil is covered with new rows of seeds, we reflect on the care and precision required for each harvest to be successful. It is this dedication to detail, combined with experience and hard work, that underpins Steglinge's business. From preparing the soil to the first sowing in spring, every step of the process is an important part of ensuring a rich and sustainable harvest.
There is something genuine about being involved. Tradition meets new technology. Locally grown in its purest form. The symbiosis not only paves the way for a sustainable future, but also gives us the opportunity to appreciate the journey from seed to final sight. Now the beets' journey has begun, in time they will land in some form on our plates. We ourselves will leave the field with an appreciation of the craft that turns the treasures of the earth into our meals
