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Returning To His Farming Roots Paid Off
Viking Farming near East London in the Eastern Cape is a small but intensive vegetable operation that supplies supermarkets and processors across the Eastern Cape and even the Western Cape. Mike Burgess visited Valhalla farm to better understand how owner Mike Pedersen-Horn has managed to build up this adaptable and profitable business over the past 20 years.
Highlights Of Zimbabwe's ADMA Agrishow
Case IH played a starring role in the fourth annual ADMA Agrishow. Joe Spencer reports.
Is Agripreneurship The Future For SA's Smallholders?
‘Agripreneurship’ has become a catchphrase of international agriculture, particularly for largerscale commercial operations. However, Dr Maxwell Mudhara, director of the Farmers’ Support Group at the University of KwaZuluNatal, discusses whether this concept is applicable as a development tool for the world’s smallholder farmers, especially the women and youth of rural South Africa.
Freedom: It's In The Taste
Robert Patson of Happy Land Farm in Kyalami believes freerange chickens not only hold the answer to healthy food, but that his model of farming could help alleviate poverty for individuals and communities. He spoke to Gerhard Uys.
Healthy Flour, Healthy Profits
Gideon Milling, a stone ground milling company in the Western Cape, was launched in 2013 by a group of entrepreneurs to improve farmers’ profitability and food security. Aubrey Terblanche and Jurianne Schreuder spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the company’s vision and success.
Controlling Brown Stomach Worm In Sheep And Goats
These parasites occur in the lining of the stomach. If not treated in time, they can cause production losses and even result in death.
Ascochyta Blight: A Growing Problem In Common Bean
This seed-borne disease seems to be spreading in South Africa, and is also more virulent than in earlier years. Fortunately, fungicides are available to deal with the problem.
No-till On A Small Farm: Part 1
A big problem with a small farming operation is that it is usually cash-strapped and therefore cannot afford mechanisation. This makes it difficult to compete against larger farms.
Coming Soon: A Fresh Look For The Cape Town Market
At the recent annual general meeting of the Sandveld Potato Producers’ Association held in Velddrif, Philé van Zyl, director at the Cape Town Market, spoke about plans to expand and upgrade the facility’s trading floor. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel.
Getting Settled On Carnarvon Estates
In 2009, the managing director of Nerpo, Aggrey Mahanjana, took charge of the 5 000ha Carnarvon Estates land reform farm in the Eastern Cape. Today he can look back on a successful journey, but one that has had its share of bumps and potholes. Mike Burgess reports.
Indigenous Goats Flourish In Free State
Indigenous Veld Goat breeder Erik de Witt is following his dream of preserving indigenous livestock breeds. Sabrina Dean visited him and learnt that with innovative marketing, it is also possible to make handsome returns on these unique animals.
Saving Our Land: The Basics Of Biodiversity
South Africa’s rich biodiversity is not only fascinating and beautiful; it provides a wide range of products and services for commercial and subsistence purposes.
Boiling Point In Agricultural Labour Relations
Collective bargaining, which involves sitting around a table and coming to a mutually acceptable agreement, is a cornerstone of the democratic process. The protests that occurred recently in the Sundays River Valley were coercion, not collective bargaining. This is according to Jahni de Villiers, Agri SA’s head of labour and development.
Deer Farming: A Big Export Business In New Zealand
With large exports of deer venison and antler products worldwide, New Zealand deer farmers are at the top of their game. Gerhard Uys spoke to Bill Robinson of Raroa Red Deer Stud.
Recent Heavy Rainfall Across Summer Grain Region Welcomed
The heavy rainfall across large parts of the western summer grain production region over the Easter period has been welcomed, although it is expected that this could result in further delays to the production season, which started late.
Bush-Vine Wine
16years agoMost wine producers make use of trellised vines to produce their grapes, but this wine farmer from the Western Cape grew his grapes along bush vines to save on labour and water costs.
Intensive Lambing System Produces Better Weaning Percentages
Theron Swanepoel of AM Swanepoel Boerdery near Smithfield in the Free State began converting his extensive lambing operation into an intensive system more than a decade ago. At the recent Free State National Wool Growers’ Association Congress, Swanepoel explained why the system works so efficiently.
Big Demand For Small Leaves
Urban Legend Hydroponics on the West Coast is barely a year old. Yet its microgreens and baby salad leaves are so popular that the business cannot keep up with demand.
Digital Security
John Deere’s new PIN code locking system helps deter the theft of valuable GreenStar in-cab displays and StarFire satellite receivers. Joe Spencer reports.
Kalahari Red Basics
This breed has a fine head, lob ears, round horns that are bent backwards, and tender meat.
Soldier, Sportsman And Legendary Farmer
Neville Fletcher of Cathcart in the Eastern Cape is an extraordinary man. A war veteran who saw action in the fierce Italian campaign, he returned to South Africa to enjoy a long, highly successful farming career. As if that were not enough, he was a national champion in both tennis and gymkhana. Mike Burgess visited him.
Are Lick Supplements Worth While In Beef Production?
Cattlemen operating under extensive conditions are always looking for ways to increase production and profitability, says Dr Liesel Foster, a beef producer from Zastron. Her PhD research concluded that farmers should carefully consider the cost and management involved in supplementary feeding to achieve this goal.
Showing: A Lot Of Work, But Well Worth It!
If you love beautiful horses and enjoy training them, showing might be the discipline for you, says Kim Dyson.
A Successful Boer Goat Stud In The Hantam Karoo
Careful management and marketing are both crucial in Boer goat production. Pip Nieuwoudt of Nama Stud, the oldest Boer goat stud in the Western Cape, spoke to Jeandré du Preez about his management strategy and how he tapped into the Middle Eastern market.
From Our Archives - Cut Post - Harvest Pear Losses
40 YEARS AGOFG Mitchell, of the University of California in the US, discusses tests done on the cooling and warming of Bon Chretien pears in the state, and their affect on pear quality.
Flying For The Environment
The Bateleurs, a non-profit company, provides a flight support programme for conservation and the environment. In operation for 20 years, this unique organisation has a membership of about 220 pilots and has conducted numerous conservation missions across Africa. Keri Harvey reports.
Quality And Efficiency Drive Commercial Lettuce Production
Many people who enjoy lettuce in their salad may not be aware that it can be a fairly challenging crop to grow commercially. Dicky and Koshik Sitaram, whose family have been producing fresh produce for many years in KwaZulu-Natal, shared the lessons they learned with Lloyd Phillips.
Grass-Fed Beef: The Trend That Favours Communal Farmers
Joseph Kau, an agricultural economist at the Agricultural Research Council, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the grass-fed beef movement in South Africa and the opportunities it presents for communal farmers, as well as the obstacles thwarting progress.
The Benefits Of Feeding Dairy Calves Milk Only Once A Day
The myth that calves are better off receiving milk twice daily was recently dispelled in a study by Animal Sciences master’s student Bertus Myburgh. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel.
Converting From Wheat To Sheep On A Small Farm
Alfreda Mars, who plants 160ha to wheat in rotation in the Swartland, has realised the limitations of growing this crop on such limited land. Today, she focuses more on sheep and feed crops, and the future looks bright.