CATEGORIES

Renewables Will Soon Be Cheaper Than Eskom Power

Without decisive intervention, Eskom’s unsustainable debt levels will plunge the entire economy into darkness. But the rising prominence of renewable energy is providing hope.

Lessons Learnt On A Wine Farm

Reyneke Wines was among the first organic wineries in South Africa to receive a five-star rating in Platter’s Wine Guide. Owner Johan Reyneke spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his long and often challenging journey to establish a successful chemical-free wine grape operation.

Wheat Producers, Treat Fungicides With Caution!

South African wheat producers should guard against over-application of fungicide, according to Dr Tarekegn Terefe, senior researcher at ARC-Small Grain, Bethlehem. The unnecessary use of fungicides can harm the environment and result in the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains. Farmers should also rotate between fungicides from different chemical groups, he writes.

Feeding Cattle During And After A Drought

During a cattle information day hosted by the Berg Farmers’ Association in Barkly West, Johan Mouton, manager of research and development for ruminants at RCL Foods, shared some advice on how to manage feeding for livestock after a drought. Sabrina Dean reports.

Water Quality And Quantity Reach Crisis Levels

The billions of litres of raw sewage flowing into the country’s rivers daily has reached crisis levels, and pose a threat to the country’s agricultural exports, according to a water specialist.

Growing Chillies: Part 1

Individual consumers and communities have widely varying tastes when it comes to the flavour and pungency of chilli.

Another Tough Season For Olives

While production statistics are not yet available, it is evident that olive production has not yet normalised following the drought in the Western Cape, said Karien Bezuidenhout, the manager of SA Olive.

Growing Tomorrow's Farmers: A Win-win For A Top Fruit Producer And A Community

When Tomahawk Farm was sold in a land claim, the owners faced a crossroads: up and leave, or stay and help. With the future success of the farm and the livelihoods of the local community in mind, they opted to equip a new generation of farmers to take the reins. By Lindi Botha.

Selecting Beefmasters For Functional Efficiency

Selecting breeding stock using economically important criteria over many years has enabled Tony Spolidoro to build up a stud herd of hardy, productive, no-nonsense Beefmaster cattle second to none. Chris Nel visited him on his farm near Magaliesburg in North West.

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.