[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] sugar beet connections

[Royal Natzke]

Hello:

I am Dorothy Natzke's husband, Royal, and I have my own question. At a recent
meeting of our Germans from Russia group we were sharing where our ancestors
came from and where they settled in North America. I was amazed at how many
times individuals mentioned that their people were employed in the sugar beet
fields in NB., CO, KS, ND. During WWII we raised sugar beets on our farm in
Brown Co, WI. I recently viewed the excellent video on sugar beets produced by
the people in Scotts Bluff, NB.

My question: did the Germans from Russia/Volhynia raise sugar beets in the old
country, or did they just pick that up as entrance level employment when they
came here? I don't recall if we saw sugar beet fields when we were in western
Volhynia in '01. We did see them in western Pomerania in Kreis Greifenberg
(Trieglaf - where my people came from).

Were sugar beet companies recruiting workers through a Germans from Russia
network that went all the way back to Europe? or just here in the US and
Canada? or was it just by word of mouth?

Any help would be appreciated.

Royal