Yes, Some Tractor Tires Really Are Filled With Beet Juice: Here's Why

Oliver Helbig/Getty

It's not conscionable health-conscious juice barroom regulars who are getting their regular dose of beets. Out successful nan fields, farmers are consuming beet juice by nan gallon, but they're not guzzling it — they're putting it successful their tractor tires. It's a clever, eco-friendly solution to an aged problem: tyre ballast. 

Beet juice, branded nether respective different names, has been utilized for complete 25 years arsenic liquid ballast successful tractor tires to adhd weight, amended traction, and little nan halfway of gravity for amended stability. This dense liquid is pumped into tires to springiness farmers amended power erstwhile moving connected uneven terrain aliases erstwhile hauling dense loads. Since beet juice is heavier than h2o and won't frost successful subzero temperatures, it's particularly celebrated successful colder climates.

Before anyone asks, nan beet juice utilized successful tires isn't nan aforesaid you'd portion to get much antioxidants successful your diet. This beet-derived liquid tyre ballast is simply a byproduct of sweetener beet processing, truthful it's not only highly effective but sustainable, giving caller usage to a constituent which would usually only beryllium waste. This isn't a caller trend; Scientists successful Bavaria person tested retired ways to use pickle brine to clear snowy roads, and successful immoderate bluish U.S. states, crews are clearing their roads pinch a earthy substance besides made from nan humble beet.

Photobes/Getty

There are respective little costly options for liquid ballast, but beet juice stands retired from nan crowd for a fewer reasons. Compared to accepted options for illustration calcium chloride, beet juice is acold little corrosive and safer for some nan instrumentality and nan environment. This is simply a win-win for farmers who want to widen nan life of their tractors without sacrificing performance. Windshield washer fluid is different beet juice competitor. It does person antifreeze properties and is cheaper upfront, but it's besides toxic to group and animals, flammable, and contains chemicals you wouldn't want soaking into your soil.

Beet juice has nan separator successful weight, safety, and eco-friendliness. It weighs astir 11 pounds per gallon, which adds a important magnitude of ballast without nan dangers of corrosion aliases chemic toxicity, and resists freezing each nan measurement down to temperatures of -35 degrees. With applicable solutions apical of mind for farmers, it's not astonishing that a elemental merchandise for illustration beet juice is specified a communal choice. They cognize much than astir that things don't person to beryllium analyzable to beryllium good, particularly erstwhile it comes to their equipment.

Classic tractors from nan 1980s are regaining popularity, and erstwhile paired pinch a longevity-friendly ballast solution for illustration beet juice, these aged workhorses are proving they still person plentifulness of life near successful nan field. So, while your expert mightiness declare that this agleam red, vaguely dirt-tasting rootlike is bully for your heart, your section husbandman will show you that it's moreover amended for traction. There. That's a point you cognize now!