I overheard a farmer bragging about having 20 years of farming experience when arguing about a cultural aspect. The person with whom he was having a disagreement mentioned to me that he actually had one year of experience 20 times over.
If one does not learn anything new in a year, that can hardly be ticked off as more experience gained.
You often find neighbouring farmers planting the same crops under the same conditions, yet one would be struggling and the other one thriving.
You have to be continuously learning from events to improve your farming.
For instance, a farmer gets a batch of pepper seedlings and is in a hurry to get them planted but the soil is dry. He reasons that he will irrigate as soon as he has finished planting, but does not realise that the soil is on the hot side and the plants are on the soft side.
Denne historien er fra October 18, 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October 18, 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
South African Bakkie of the Year winners
The winners of this popular competition were announced at Nampo Cape, held in Bredasdorp, Western Cape, in mid-September.
Think of your farm as a trial plot in part
Always keep an eye out for different situations on your farm and analyse them so that you can fine-tune your methods and raise your yields. Learn from experience and don't repeat your mistakes
Biological crop protection: it's tricky but possible
Integrated pest management is a complex process that takes each farm's uniqueness into consideration. With growing support from all spheres, biological solutions are gaining traction.
The critical role of proper nutrition in pig and poultry production
Proper nutrition is vital for the health and productivity of pigs and poultry. Dr Sipokazi Nyeleka and JD Mostert spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about exploring essential nutrients, common feeding mistakes, and best practices for feed safety to optimise livestock growth and reproductive health.
How and when to dip, deworm and vaccinate your cattle
Livestock health management has evolved over the decades to include disease prevention and growing farm revenue. The most effective health management strategies are those that include dipping, deworming, and vaccinating animals. Prof Cheryl McCrindle takes a closer look at these practices.
Aquaculture on the rise
This report focuses on the production and trade of aquaculture and farmed fish over the next decade, and projects where the industry is likely to end up in 2032.
Food trends increase scope for valueadding opportunities
From veganism to upcycling, new food trends present avenues for value-adding and exploring new markets. After a recent visit to Switzerland, Lindi Botha reports on two companies making headway in that country.
Injecting livestock: best practices and vital considerations
Improper injection techniques can lead to animals suffering and the reduced efficacy of medications. Dangerous organisms and parasites can also develop resistance
Plant breeders' rights herald a new world of improved varieties
New technology to create improved varieties is being developed at warp speed. Keep up with it, but take care not to run foul of the laws that protect it
One person, hundreds of animals die in Memel fires
An elderly woman of 80 was killed in the veld fires that destroyed about 50,000 ha in the Memel and Vrede districts of the Free State in the last week of September.
