Bees are the unsung heroes of the agricultural world. They quietly pollinate crops, ensuring that we have a steady supply of fruits, vegetables, and even the coffee beans that bring us to life in the morning. Yet, around the world, bees are in trouble. Misinformation, habitat loss and irresponsible practices threaten these vital insects. For one South African woman, Elizabeth Lamond, a love of bees, a corporate background, and a determination to protect her country’s apiculture and agriculture ignited a passion for creating change.
“As a child we lived in Phalaborwa and my father had a few hives of bees. His boxes were on my grandparents’ farm out in Bushbuckridge, a healthy foraging area way back in the day. Hence bee farming has always been in my DNA. I have spent a large part of my life in the corporate world involved with strategic financial planning,” says Lamond. Some 17 years ago, Lamond bought a small piece of land in the Marquard area of the Free State. While the farm, Susannaspos, was too small to make a sustainable living from any conventional farming practices, it was big enough to start her own beekeeping business and produce her raw honey, yoUBee Honey. “I did a course in beekeeping in Johannesburg a few years ago and then just got going,” she says.
STEADILY GAINING GROUND
She says women have steadily been gaining ground in the apiculture industry, and “although in the minority, have staked their claim to fame”.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 15, 2024-Ausgabe von Farmer's Weekly.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 15, 2024-Ausgabe von Farmer's Weekly.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.