Lee Anne...even the "skinny beets" will take about 55 days to mature ("cylindra" comes to mind). There are earlier maturing varieties though that are the round ones...Red Ace is a good one and has great greens as well. Ruby Queen is fairly early, too.
I wonder if your mom has been growing only sugar beets, which take nearly 100 days to mature and that's why her disappointment?
Shoe
