





CERTIFIED ORGANIC (open pollinated)
BREEDER: I. GOLDMAN
Badger Flame Beet Seeds
All the vegetal sweetness of the beet, without the polarizing earthiness—the brilliant Badger Flame is here to redeem the beet's dirty reputation. 80 days to maturity; 55 days for small beets.
Our Badger Flame beet seeds were produced in Oregon and Washington. Each seed sold supports public plant breeding research at University of Wisconsin-Madison. All products are certified NOP but not US-COR (Canadian Organic) Compliant.
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Details
Beta vulgaris
This striking, flame-colored beet is the brainchild of breeder Irwin Goldman. Irwin is brilliant. In many ways, he thinks like a chef, and he’s passionate about focusing people’s attention on the characteristics in vegetables that typically go unnoticed. In this case, he wanted to create a visually striking beet, one with a vibrant orange-yellow interior and cylindrical shape. But he also wanted to take on the beet’s dirty reputation—the earthy flavor that many blame for their beet aversion.
It turns out, this signature earthiness is caused by geosmin, an organic compound produced primarily by microbes in the soil, but also by certain plants. Irwin's lab has spent years searching for the genes that produce this earthiness, and, in doing so, they discovered how to change the beet's flavor. Led by Irwin and technician Nick Breitbach, their team selected the Badger Flame over several years, combining laboratory analysis with old-school techniques (read: eating beets raw in the field). The result? A beet that is mild and sweet, and delicious raw.
Our Badger Flames’ story continued in the fields of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, where Farm Director Jack Algiere trialled the beets for several years. His participatory breeding work—studiously selecting the best roots from each crop in tandem with seedsman Matthew Goldfarb—helped to improve our initial foundation seed.
The Badger Flame Beet is a Plant Variety Protected Variety (PVP #201400381). Anyone interested in commercial seed production or sales of this variety should pursue a license from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (web: www.warf.org, email: licensing@warf.org). These licenses support future breeding efforts and respect the community investment in the beet's creation. Our Badger Flame seeds were produced in NY and WA.
Growing
Days to Maturity
70-80 days
Appearance
- 6-7" cylindrical orange-yellow beets. The flame-like colors deepen as the season progresses.
Field Notes
- Soil Requirements: Light, workable, well-drained soils with an optimal pH of over 6.0.
- Boron deficiency can cause internal browning; confirm adequate boron levels with a soil test.
Spacing After Thinning/Transplanting
- Plant spacing: 3-4”
- Row spacing: 12-18”
Direct Seeding
- Sow seeds 1/2" deep well-worked soils, at least 55˚F. Can be seeded throughout the season until 8 weeks prior to hard frost.
- Sow seeds every 1”; thin seedlings to 3-4’’ apart depending on desired size.
- 5-8 days to emergence, slower in cold soil.
Transplanting
- Start seeds indoors 5-7 weeks before last frost. Sow seeds 1/2” deep. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 85˚F.
- Start seeds every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvest until 8 weeks before hard frost.
- Move transplants outdoors to harden off gradually for 3-5 days, protecting seedlings from wind, strong sun, hard rain and cold.
- Transplant outdoors when soil temperatures reach at least 45˚F.
Pest + Disease Info
Diseases: Cercospora leaf spot: rotate crops. Scab: irrigate well.
Harvest
Harvest when roots reach desired size, before hard freeze. Full size is 6-7" long.
Storage
Wash and dry before storage. Cut tops at 1" above the crown. Store at 38-42˚F and 95% humidity for best results. Will store up to 6 months. Monitor quality.
Seed Specs
Average 2,000 seeds/ounce, 30,000 seeds/pound.
Cooking
Delicious raw or roasted: slice thinly and serve raw with salt, pepper, lemon juice and a drop of olive oil; or wrap in foil and roast at 400° until tender.

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RECIPES
Think: potatoes so creamy you don’t need butter. A beet you can snack on like a carrot. Our vegetables were chef-selected for effortless flavor. Find your dinner inspiration below.
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OUR SEED-TO-TABLE COMMUNITY




























The Badger Flame beet is a smaller oblong golden beet that was developed by horticulturalist Irwin Goldman and his team at the University of Wisconsin. What is unique about this particular beet is that it was bred over 20 seasons to have a very low amount of geosmin, the compound that gives beets their earthy flavor. Gone is the polarizing “essence of dirt” that some people dislike about beets.
My younger son admitted that he could not taste any of the earthy flavor he usually dislikes in beets (personally I like the earthiness). He also commented that the Badger Flames were almost fruity in flavor and extremely sweet. We enjoyed these colorful sugar bombs roasted and then lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil and good quality balsamic vinegar. It didn’t need anything more, though I ended up adding some Burrata and basil to make the dish more inviting to my older son who loves cheese but hates beets. 😂
Would I grow this again? Most definitely! It’s the mildest and sweetest beet I’ve grown thus far. I will note that I usually love sautéed beet greens, but the leaf miners got to a lot of the leaves first, and some leaves had signs of what looked like powdery mildew.
These beets were started in 2” soil blocks and transplanted just as the first true leaves were barely forming. Yes, it can be done! Seeds are available from@row7seeds
Harvesting the vibrant golden beauty of Badger Flame Beets grown from @row7seeds
Their sweet & mild flavor and creamy texture add a fresh take on any beet dish. Raw or cooked, both ways these beauties are delicious!
Dinner tonight at the #ToddMahal… Badger Flame Beets from @row7seeds shared with me from @fluent.garden
@maciekkobielski is harvesting badger flame beets at Magic Farms. Grown from @row7seeds, these badger flames are meant to have all of the vegetal sweetness without too much earthiness. Taste them thinly sliced with tonburi as part of our spring menu.
@maciekkobielski is harvesting badger flame beets at Magic Farms. Grown from @row7seeds, these badger flames are meant to have all of the vegetal sweetness without too much earthiness. Taste them thinly sliced with tonburi as part of our spring menu.
Gimme the beet!
Our @row7seeds badger flame beet bread
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On our harvest menu we are currently serving a cold course with badger flame beets cooked with sugar kelp, tomato “xo” sauce and coriander capers.
For this dish, we cut the beets into a consistent shape. Normally, this would be a wasteful practice. However, in the name of sustainability and being responsible with how we cook at the restaurant, the trim from the beets is juiced. This beet juice is used for the hydration of our bread. The flour used is equally important; we use locally grown and milled organic flour (hard red winter wheat and rye) from small valley mills and next-step produce. The combination of flour and juice creates a special bread. The color is stunning, the aroma of this bread is fantastic, and the flavor is a blend of earthy savory and a hint of natural sweetness. And most importantly proving that upcycling an item thought of as waste can be just as delicious if not better than it’s origin.
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Pictured is our sous chef, @dannybravato , posing with a fresh bake. Any Mac Miller fans out there?
📸 @reylopezphoto_
Organic Beet and Badger Flame Beet Terrine… Pickled Walnuts, Whipped Chèvre and French Beans.
Badger Flame beets with chive cream and Aleppo pepper
Badger Flame. @row7seeds
We are down to our last keg of Badger Flame, an incredibly special forest beer that was a collaboration with @burnsblossomfarm utilizing a very remarkable varietal of beets from @row7seeds. Badger flame beets are bred entirely for flavor, and this beautiful root tastes like sweet carrot and honey; we were blown away when we sliced into it, badger flames are so sweet you can eat them raw. To our palate, they are as much carrot as beet (and super pretty!)
As delicious as they are, beet beers are a unique sell, as we found out, they are an incredibly polarizing vegetable. Much like the Grateful Dead, you either like them or you don’t. Beets (especially badger flame beets) are such a perfect ingredient for beer though. The delicate sweetness, grounded earthiness, and gentle bitterness play so well with barley malt, and we couldn’t have been happier with this unique and delicious ale. If you get a chance, stop by the Wolf and reward your curiosity and taste a one-of-a-kind beer that we absolutely love.
Cheers,
🐺🌕
We are excited to be featuring these particular beets in our new Roasted Beet plate. The “Badger Flame Beets” were bred here in Madison by @row7seeds for their striking orange and yellow interior with a mild and sweet texture.
Here, we’re serving them on a bed of green goddess Greek yogurt and topped with an ancho-chocolate crumble and hazelnuts. Rich and earthy balanced by bright and fresh.
One of the great highlights of Wisconsin cheese culture is the annual release of Upland's Rush Creek Reserve, which is produced through the unique quality of the dairy cow's seasonal transition diet. The addition of winter hay creates an exceptionally rich flavor. As well, the cheese takes on woodsy taste from the spruce bark wrap. And this year, in fact, our chefs find this iteration to be one of the best that they've had yet.
To celebrate this lauded "savory custard", we've created a baked gougère, which also incorporates Uplands' Pleasant Ridge Reserve into the pastry, and filled with whipped Rush Creek Reserve. Topping it off are Seckel Pears, Badger Flame Beets, and a wedge of Rush Creek Reserve.
If you ate a ton of 🌭’s or not yesterday… today calls for some SALAD 🥗
Back on the menu for a limited time… our escabeche salad. Always inspired by what @esoterraculinary is growing. Right now it’s full of @row7seeds beets, Mokum carrots and radishes. Tossed with crunchy bitter green and lots of cilantro… she’s punchy, bright and oh so crave-able… this might just be the cure to what ails you today ☀️
Cloudy and light rain. Perfect day for planting badger flame beet transplants