CATEGORIES

Townie - In Winter's Grip

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – is history, long to be remembered by the thousands who lined the streets of Windsor, and the millions who watched it on television.

Preparing For A Profitable Market Day

Studies show some communal farmers may be losing as much as 40% in value when selling livestock.

All Wrapped Up

Fellow kitchen mechanics, it’s time to return to the wrap for easy cooking, splendid eating, and minimal washing up.

Taking Irrigation To The Next Level

To ensure truly accurate irrigation scheduling, you need more than soil probes. IrriCheck provides an array of additional technology, from on-farm forecasting to advanced water-usage meters.

Decline In SA Timber Sales

Forestry South Africa, which represents the interests of over 21 000 timber growers at all production levels, recently held its 16th annual general meeting in KwaZulu-Natal. Lloyd Phillips reports.

Good Interim Results For Astral Interim Despite Tough Conditions

Despite facing a number of major challenges, Astral Foods Limited has been able to post a strong set of interim financial results for the six months ended 31 March 2018.

Strong Performance For Mohair, Despite Negative Publicity

Despite the recent release of controversial video footage by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which was taken by undercover activists on visits to South African Angora goat farms, the mohair market continued its strong performance.

From Our Archives

Teat-Washing Dangers

Livestock ID & Traceability System

The SA government has proposed launching a public-private committee to develop a national livestock identification and traceability system. This will greatly benefit all red meat producers.

Sustainability In Pasture-Based Dairy Farming

One of the questions modern farmers face is whether they can farm in an environmentally sustainable, yet profitable, way. Craig Galloway provided the answer in his PhD thesis on the sustainability of pasture-based dairy farms.

Fungal Wilt Diseases In Tomatoes

Fungal diseases are generally easier to control than bacterial diseases, as there are several effective fungicides available and many of these are systemic. On the other hand, the disease cannot be cured once it has infected the tomato plant.

Welcome To The Year Of The Wok!

Add a wok to your outdoor cooking and bring drama, high heat and fine flavours to your menus. Here’s a prawn extravaganza to get you going

The New All-Rounder

The Pöttinger Multiline concept is a combination of either a compact disc harrow or a stubble cultivator, and a seed drill.

Why Can't That Cow Stand Up? (Part 1)

A number of diseases and conditions can result in cattle and other ruminants being unable to stand up

Maize Farmers Likely To Switch To Sunflower In 2018

A late start to the rainfall season in parts of the summer grain production region should result in farmers decreasing maize production in favour of sunflower

A 5-star Country Cradle

A 5-star Country Cradle

Mazavaroo - A Mauritian Veld Fire In Your Mouth

I have known grown men to drink Tabasco straight from the bottle, while others in brave response chewed maniacally on raw chillies. But if you are a chilli fan, one of the most complex ways to enjoy this curious combination of flavour and pain is mazavaroo.

Harvesting the ‘Hands-free Hectare'

The ground-breaking Hands-free Hectare project (see FW issue of 24 March 2017), which sought to grow a crop using only autonomous vehicles, has come to an end with a successful harvest.

Why Can't That Cow Stand Up? (Part 2)

There are several reasons why an animal may be unable to stand up on its own. If you discover it in time, you may be able to save its life. Here are tips on preventing and treating this condition.

Water-use "Tattoos"for Plants

Water-use "Tattoos" for Plants

SA Wine Industry Struggling To Cope With Drought

SA Wine Industry Struggling To Cope With Drought

Ethical chicken farming a win-win Formula

Red Barn free - range chicken and egg farm started from necessity but grew into a passion. In addition to eggs and whole chickens, it also produces speciality products Jay Ferreira reports.

The Many Rewards of Game Farming in the Karoo

Game animals have brought a new dimension to farm life in the arid Karoo. Roelof Bezuidenhout spoke to Neil Dodds and Rob Hobson, two farmers from Jansenville, who have combined game with small stock.

A Concise History of Hydroponics

While hydroponic farming has been around since the Middle Ages, many developments over the years have made it far more efficient and affordable. Prof Gert Venter explains.

Global Food Demand And Prices To Decrease Over Next Decade

The “Agricultural outlook 2017-2026” report, compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as well as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, forecasts that over the next decade, demand for agricultural products will slow considerably, causing real prices of most agricultural and fish commodities to follow a slightly declining trend, thereby keeping them below previous peaks.

Townie Sport, Politics & Sharks

After golf, my next-best event to watch on TV is F1 Grand Prix.

Getting Started With Bananas (1)

To turn banana farming into a profitable venture, production must be well planned.

Dairy BLUP Basics

Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) brings together many aspects of animal breeding, and provides the most accurate and precise genetic evaluations possible.

Hippo Mills Turns 90!

The Hippo hammer mill was launched at the 1928 Pietermaritzburg Royal Show. Joe Spencer takes a closer look at the company.

Consider This Before Investing In Desalination

Desalination is an increasingly attractive tool to mitigate drought-associated risks. Gerrit van der Merwe and Hermias Nieuwoudt spoke to Glenneis Kriel about some important factors to take into consideration before installing a filtering plant.