CATEGORIES

Crop Diversity A Pillar Of Sustainable Production

Including more than three crops in a cash crop system may not only help increase yield, but significantly enhance the long-term sustainability of a farm. Dr Johann Strauss of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the benefits of crop diversity.

No Slowing Down For This Commercial Cattle Woman

Alwene Ford may be nearing what many would consider normal retirement age, but the 63-year-old commercial cattle farmer has no plans to slow down. Sabrina Dean visited her on her farm near Barkly West in the Northern Cape.

Why Nitrogen Is So Important

Simply put, nitrogen controls the performance of the crop just as the throttle pedal controls the speed of a car.

Assessing Grazing Capacity

The number of grazing camps on a farm should be weighed against the escalating cost of fencing material,

The American Quarter Horse

This breed is not only fast, but is also versatile, and can thus compete in English or Western riding disciplines,

Ammonia-based Fertiliser Explained

The situation gets worse when the soil temperature decreases

Bringing More South African Game Meat To Dinner Tables

Game meat is an often-prized, but scarce, protein source. According to independent meat safety consultant Dr Tertius Bergh, systems for improving the safety standards of processing game meat could ensure far more widespread consumption. Lloyd Phillips reports

Tuli Stud Cattle Flourish In Karoo Small-Stock Environment

Tuli breeder Ben Raath believes his indigenous cattle hold their own against top feedlot breeds in terms of profitability on a weight per hectare basis. Sabrina Dean visited his farm near Britstown to learn about the commercial potential of the cattle, particularly with worsening climate change.

Getting Started With Cabbage

Cabbage is grown throughout South Africa, with most production concentrated in Mpumalanga and parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Biofuels Vs Fossil Fuels

Although biofuels are not used in South Africa, they are commonplace in many countries. Jake Venter compares the combustion properties of biofuels and the fossil fuels petrol and diesel.

Tools To Prevent Build-Up Of Pest Tolerance In Bt Maize

While Bt technology in genetically modified maize helps farmers to control certain crop pests more effectively, measures should be taken to prevent the development of resistance to the technology. Seed industry representatives Grant Pringle and Magda du Toit shared their opinions on this important issue with Lloyd Phillips.

Harry Wolhuter And The Lions: A Tale Of Tooth And Claw

His encounter with two lions while on duty as a game ranger made Harry Wolhuter a celebrity throughout the British Empire and elsewhere.

Mondi Overcomes Hurdles To Post Strong Half-Year Results

The Mondi Group has shown overall positive financial results for the half-year ended 30 June, despite facing a number of challenges, including an international corporate simplification process, and a decline in revenue from its South African operations.

Let's Hope The Tv Channels Never Go On Strike!

My bakkie’s licence expired on 31 July. I went to our local municipal office to renew it – only to discover that the employees were on strike and behind locked doors.

Planting Cabbages

Cabbage is grown from seed. Eight weeks before planting, remove all weeds on the land. Plough the soil immediately before planting with a disc harrow or other suitable implement to a depth of between 450mm and 600mm. If necessary, fumigate the soil two weeks before planting to control nematodes.

How To Win The Fight Against The Eldana Sugar Cane Pest

Eldana has a major negative effect on the yield and quality of sugar cane crops. Dr Des Conlong, senior entomologist at the SA Sugarcane Research Institute, says that only modern integrated pest management can reduce the impact of this pest.

Taking Nature Conservation Into The Future

Data from species and environmental monitoring is often hard to translate into real-world management solutions. Conservationists Dr Pieter Olivier, Andrew Purdon and Michael Mole are solving this challenge with practical software.

Your Personal Lab!

Compac has launched a new mobile field research unit for the citrus industry.

Chicken With Onions And Emmentaler Cheese

My brother recently returned from a business trip to France, where he had what he called the best chicken meal of his life. This recipe, reconstructed from memory, is the happy outcome.

Pasture-Based Dairy: Lower Cost And More Lactations

In an area where feeding total mixed rations is the norm for dairy production, Jurie and John Hartley milk 1 200 cows off pasture with impressive results. Gerhard Uys reports.

Southern Kwazulu-Natal: Set For A Boom In Avo Production

South Africas avocado industry is soaring on the back of national and international demand. It aims to capitalise further on this by substantially increasing southern KwaZulu-Natals avocado production. Lloyd Phillips spoke to Athol Currie of The Fruit Farm Group South Africa.

Produce Your Own Seedlings

Indigenous leaf crops such as African spinach (amaranthus, morogo or imfino) are rarely found in the commercial market but they can easily be grown in your nursery. Here are tips on how to do this.

Adaptability And Efficiency Help Tunnel Nursery Thrive

Ezigro Seedlings in Mpumalanga grows a wide range of seedlings all year round, thanks to resource-efficient tunnel production in an ideal climate. The tunnels provide another advantage: they allow for rapid adaptation to a changing market. Lindi Botha spoke to CEO Anthony Baird.

Public-Private Partnerships Transform The Sugar Industry

Numerous sugar cane fields in South Africa have been claimed through land restitution. Were this land to go fallow or be used for other agricultural purposes, the potential loss of sugar production would hold dire consequences for the sugar value chain. Lindi Botha spoke to Dawie van Rooy, director for agriculture at RCL Foods, about his companys response to this risk.

Saddle-horse Experts Share Know-How

FROM OUR ARCHIVES - DEVOTED TO SA FARMING SINCE 1911.

Want A More Profitable Dairy? Take Care Of Your Calves!

Three key factors can reduce calf mortalities and boost milk yield: correct hygienic practice in calf cages, control of Cryptosporidium parvum, and implementing a colostrum programme. Specialist veterinarian Dr Chris van Dijk and feed specialist Kenneth Botha explain these. 

Effective, Low-cost Soil Conservation

Researchers have estimated that, over the past four decades, the world has lost a third of its arable land due to erosion or pollution. Solutions are constantly being sought. Frans Joseph and Mias van der Westhuizen of the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently tested the mitigating effect of a simple, inexpensive method to address soil erosion.

Minestrone: Magnificent Italian Soup

Italian cuisine is loaded with astonishing soups. There is, for example, Zuppa Pavese, a chicken based bowl of greatness topped by sourdough bread and a poached egg. At the greatest height, however, is minestrone, a classic with a thousand variations. Here is the version I cooked a few nights ago.

Rising Food Costs Chewing Into Sa Household Budgets

Food inflation is expected to start escalating towards the end of 2018, which will make it increasingly difficult for the majority of South African households to afford a balanced diet. According to the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), a range of tax factors are contributing to higher food prices.

Hunting Traditionally With The Khomani San

The Khomani San of the Kalahari are revered for their intimate knowledge of bush lore. Now they’re practising these skills commercially and offering hunting packages on the vast tracts of land they own around the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. In so doing, they are creating sustainable livelihoods for their community, too. Keri Harvey reports.