From Vietnam to chocolate, from dogs, wolves and opera to Lucas Davenport and Zapiro, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to whiling away those long summer days.
1 COURTNEY’S WAR by Wilbur Smith with David Churchill (Zaffre, R320) Lovers Saffron Courtney and Gerhard von Meerbach are caught on opposite sides during the Second World War. As both are eager for action, there’s a very real risk at times that they might become direct adversaries. A gallop of a plot from start to finish.
2 THE BOYS IN THE CAVE by Matt Gutman (Morrow, R350)
One of the year’s news stories that transfixed the world was that of the Thai youth soccer players whose team-building exercise with their coach went dramatically wrong: they had to be rescued after spending days trapped in a flooded labyrinth of underground caves.
Los Angeles-based Gutman was one of the top international correspondents sent in to cover the drama, which combined nailbiting tension and creative, untested rescue techniques. Written in a breezy style and reflecting the ‘boys will be boys’ response Gutman found on the ground, this clarifies a saga that the rolling news coverage often fragmented.
3 VIETNAM by Max Hastings (William Collins, R395)
Former war correspondent turned renowned British newspaper editor and columnist, Hastings has often been tempted into longer forms of writing. His 26th book is testimony to this: it is more than 700 pages in length.
Hastings, who was born in 1945, the year the conflict began, was a White House correspondent in the late 1960s and arrived in the Vietnam war zone in 1969. By the time Saigon fell and the war ended in 1975, approximately two million people had died. The war dominated news for much of Hastings’s life, shaping a pattern of reporting for him. It covered the often bloody impact on the people living in war zones as well as the strategies of commanders both on the ground and on the other side of the world.
Esta historia es de la edición December 21 - 28, 2018 de Farmer's Weekly.
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Esta historia es de la edición December 21 - 28, 2018 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
