CATEGORIES

What Does It Really Cost To Start Farming?

The expenses involved in launching a farming operation can be prohibitive, as set-up costs and market risks must be considered. But just how much does one need in the piggy bank to get going? Lindi Botha looks at the finances involved in three different farming businesses.

Breeding For Maximum Profit With Minimum Fuss

The success of a livestock breeding concern depends on choosing a breed that makes economic sense and optimises return on investment. For a part-time farmer, an additional requirement is that the breed is hardy enough to thrive without pampering. Part-time stud breeder Dirco Swart of Frankfort told Annelie Coleman that the Beefmaster ticked all these boxes.

Tender Care And Raw Courage

Margaret Dewar, a trained nurse, left the comforts of her home in Germiston in 1914 to minister to the needs of wounded and dying soldiers. Graham Jooste tells her remarkable and tragic story.

Culture Vs The Constitution: The Suffering Of Zulu Widows

In theory, South Africa has strong laws to protect the property ownership and inheritance rights of all women. However, a 2018 study conducted by Bongi Owusu for her master’s dissertation in social science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal found that these laws are often not implemented in rural Zulu-speaking communities. She explains how this prejudices widows in particular.

Karoo Farmer Gives Lambs ‘Teeth' Against Predators

In a desperate attempt to limit livestock losses due to predation, Karoo farmer Eddie Steenkamp devised a plan to protect his livestock, and has achieved remarkable success. Jeandré van der Walt visited him to find out more.

Breeding Cattle That Thrive In Namibia's Arid Regions

The Afrikaner, once the most popular breed in Southern African, is ideally suited to today’s uncertain climatic conditions, says Namibia-based breeder Jan Blaauw, co-owner of the Salztal Afrikaner stud.

Butternuts: Know Your Market And Maintain Quality

Butternuts are a reasonably easy crop to grow, with few insoluble problems. The real challenge is to match the cultivar with the market. Mpumalanga-based producer Francois Steyn spoke to Lindi Botha about how he solved this problem

Booming Succulent Market Beckons SA Farmers

Nearly half of the world’s succulent species are endemic to Southern Africa. Despite this, our commercial farmers have yet to cash in on the thriving global succulent market. Glenneis Kriel spoke to Anthony Rausch, chairperson of the Johannesburg Succulent Society, about the many exciting opportunities available, and ways to overcome production challenges.

Insects: Know Your Friends From Your Foes

Hannelene Badenhorst, a PhD candidate in entomology at the University of the Free State, explains the value of differentiating beneficial insects and other arthropods from harmful ones before resorting to blanket chemical control. Lloyd Phillips reports.

Watch Out For Epididymitis

This sexually transmitted disease could be the reason your lamb crop is smaller than expected. Roelof Bezuidenhout offers advice on prevention.

Running Veld-Adapted Dohne Merinos Since 1945

The Blaine family near Kei Road in the Eastern Cape began breeding Merinos in the 1880s, and by the 1940s had established the Ross Dohne stud. This became a foundation stud in the Dohne Research Station’s breeding project near Stutterheim. Tom Blaine spoke to Mike Burgess about their determination to adhere to the ‘original true intention’ of the Dohne Merino.

No-Till Expertise From Argentina

Several Argentinian implements were showcased at a recent farmers’ day that focused on no-till and conservation farming. Pieter Dempsey reports.

Nitrogen And Green Beans

Getting the application rate right.

Getting Down To Business With Geese Farming

Anton and Sharon Kock’s Ember Down goose down and feather business has been built on ethical farming practices, attention to detail and meticulous management.

Legal Evictions: Landowners Need To Know Their Rights

Media reports and public debate often simplify and blur the sensitive issue of evictions. Typically, evictions are seen solely from the perspective of the landowner or from that of landless people, and there is a failure to distinguish between lawful and unlawful evictions. Annelize Crosby, policy head for land affairs at Agri SA, explains the various perspectives and the relevant laws.

Adelaide's Desperate Struggle To Survive The Drought

The drought in the district of Adelaide in the Eastern Cape has paralysed production on farms and left many residents of the town without water for months.

Don't Ignore These Aspects Of The Land Panel Report

Dr. Tinashe Kapuya, Value Chains lead at the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy, takes a closer look at the report produced by the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture to highlight some of the suggestions that have received little public attention.

Breeding A Million-dollar Bird

Pigeon breeding and racing remains a popular pursuit, with some fanciers aiming for the ultimate goal of turning their hobby into a career. Sabrina Dean visited brothers Daniel and Justin King of Kingslea Lofts in Bloemfontein to find out more about the demands, and thrills, of the sport.

Improve Fertiliser Placement With Strip-tillage – And Maximise Yield

According to Michael Petersen, lead agronomist at US-based Orthman Manufacturing, the main pillars of success for strip-tillage are vertical tillage, residue management, seedbed preparation and fertiliser placement. Stehan Cloete explains the technical aspects of these factors.

A Grass-based Approach To Beef Stud Farming

The Arwin Farms Bonsmara Stud, founded in 1982 in the Dordrecht district of the Eastern Cape, is run entirely off the veld. Mike Burgess visited Johan and Michael-John Greyling to find out more about their grass-based beef genetics, and the lessons they learnt along the way.

Planting A Bean Crop

Before planting beans, arrange for a soil analysis. This will enable you to address soil fertility correctly. Each component should be topped up if necessary, after which you can apply nitrogen as required.

‘High-End' Properties Not The Target Of Expropriation - Mahlati

About 60% of South Africans do not have tenure of their land, and according to Dr Vuyo Mahlati, president of the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA), radical correction steps need to include expropriation without compensation. Donwald Pressly reports.

The Long, Hard Road To Profiting From Potatoes

In 1998, at the age of 45, Frans Vlok left his job as head of Kynoch fertiliser services in the Western Cape to pursue his lifelong dream of farming full-time. He was joined in the business eight years later by his daughter, Monique Vlok, who told Glenneis Kriel of their struggle to succeed.

The Farmer's Role In The Quest For Sustainability

The concept of sustainable development is straightforward: the future should be a better, healthier place than the present. Farmers have a major part to play in forging this future.

The Basics Of The Persian Breed

This indigenous fat-rumped meat breed does well in arid semi-desert, savanna bushveld and coastal spekboom veld. The lambs mature early.

Plant Nutrition: Part 1

Managing plant nutrition is crucial to successful hydroponic production. In this issue, we discuss the macro-elements nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, and their interaction with one another.

How To Deal With Desertion From Work

The operation of a business can be severely disrupted when an employee is absent without leave. This in turn can hit the company’s bottom line.

Gold For John Deere

John Deere was awarded the only gold medal in the DLG/Agritechnica 2019 Innovation Awards for its eAutoPowr transmission and intelligent e8WD system for the 8R Series large tractors.

Breeding Fuss-Free Sheep

The changing climate and rising input costs are forcing farmers to find innovative ways to remain economically viable. Hugo Wiehahn, owner of Hugo Wiehahn en Seuns Mutton Merino stud near Caledon, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how his livestock have helped him achieve this goal.

Analysing SA's Trade In Live Plants

The value output generated by trade in live plants has not increased at a similar rate to that of the horticulture sector as a whole. Yet this remains a subsector with much growth potential.