Business
Farmer's Weekly
Scaling Up Aquaponics
Investing in efficient systems that optimise the use of space and yield, while reducing cost, is one way in which Gauteng-based Ichthys Aquaponics is growing its business. Siyanda Sishuba visited the operation and spoke to owners Justin and Nikki Hess to find out more.
5 min |
August 2, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
'Feeding 10 Billion People Will Require GM Food'
Genetic modification will become an important tool in feeding the world’s growing population, which is expected to reach 10 billion people by 2050.
1 min |
August 2, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Fendt's Beautiful Beast Wins Big
By winning a platinum award in the world’s biggest international design competition, the Fendt IDEAL combine harvester has proved that it’s both beautiful and brawny. Denene Erasmus reports.
2 min |
August 2, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
The Basics Of The Suffolk Breed
This breed matures early, producing meat with a high ratio of lean meat to fat. This makes it an attractive proposition to the modern consumer.
1 min |
August 2, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Cover Crop Breakthrough Promises To Revolutionise Production In Dry Areas
The introduction of a no-till planter that can plant cover crops in vine and tree rows is enabling farmers in the Olifants River Valley to take the benefits of cover cropping to an entirely new level. Glenneis Kriel reports on the planter’s development and the value of cover cropping in general.
5 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Crop Diversity A Pillar Of Sustainable Production
Including more than three crops in a cash crop system may not only help increase yield, but significantly enhance the long-term sustainability of a farm. Dr Johann Strauss of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the benefits of crop diversity.
4 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
No Slowing Down For This Commercial Cattle Woman
Alwene Ford may be nearing what many would consider normal retirement age, but the 63-year-old commercial cattle farmer has no plans to slow down. Sabrina Dean visited her on her farm near Barkly West in the Northern Cape.
6 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Why Nitrogen Is So Important
Simply put, nitrogen controls the performance of the crop just as the throttle pedal controls the speed of a car.
2 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Assessing Grazing Capacity
The number of grazing camps on a farm should be weighed against the escalating cost of fencing material,
3 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
The American Quarter Horse
This breed is not only fast, but is also versatile, and can thus compete in English or Western riding disciplines,
2 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Ammonia-based Fertiliser Explained
The situation gets worse when the soil temperature decreases
2 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Bringing More South African Game Meat To Dinner Tables
Game meat is an often-prized, but scarce, protein source. According to independent meat safety consultant Dr Tertius Bergh, systems for improving the safety standards of processing game meat could ensure far more widespread consumption. Lloyd Phillips reports
5 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Tuli Stud Cattle Flourish In Karoo Small-Stock Environment
Tuli breeder Ben Raath believes his indigenous cattle hold their own against top feedlot breeds in terms of profitability on a weight per hectare basis. Sabrina Dean visited his farm near Britstown to learn about the commercial potential of the cattle, particularly with worsening climate change.
6 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Getting Started With Cabbage
Cabbage is grown throughout South Africa, with most production concentrated in Mpumalanga and parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
1 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Biofuels Vs Fossil Fuels
Although biofuels are not used in South Africa, they are commonplace in many countries. Jake Venter compares the combustion properties of biofuels and the fossil fuels petrol and diesel.
3 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Tools To Prevent Build-Up Of Pest Tolerance In Bt Maize
While Bt technology in genetically modified maize helps farmers to control certain crop pests more effectively, measures should be taken to prevent the development of resistance to the technology. Seed industry representatives Grant Pringle and Magda du Toit shared their opinions on this important issue with Lloyd Phillips.
4 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Harry Wolhuter And The Lions: A Tale Of Tooth And Claw
His encounter with two lions while on duty as a game ranger made Harry Wolhuter a celebrity throughout the British Empire and elsewhere.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Mondi Overcomes Hurdles To Post Strong Half-Year Results
The Mondi Group has shown overall positive financial results for the half-year ended 30 June, despite facing a number of challenges, including an international corporate simplification process, and a decline in revenue from its South African operations.
1 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Let's Hope The Tv Channels Never Go On Strike!
My bakkie’s licence expired on 31 July. I went to our local municipal office to renew it – only to discover that the employees were on strike and behind locked doors.
1 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Planting Cabbages
Cabbage is grown from seed. Eight weeks before planting, remove all weeds on the land. Plough the soil immediately before planting with a disc harrow or other suitable implement to a depth of between 450mm and 600mm. If necessary, fumigate the soil two weeks before planting to control nematodes.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
How To Win The Fight Against The Eldana Sugar Cane Pest
Eldana has a major negative effect on the yield and quality of sugar cane crops. Dr Des Conlong, senior entomologist at the SA Sugarcane Research Institute, says that only modern integrated pest management can reduce the impact of this pest.
6 min |
Farmer's Weekly 28 September 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Taking Nature Conservation Into The Future
Data from species and environmental monitoring is often hard to translate into real-world management solutions. Conservationists Dr Pieter Olivier, Andrew Purdon and Michael Mole are solving this challenge with practical software.
4 min |
Farmer's Weekly 28 September 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Your Personal Lab!
Compac has launched a new mobile field research unit for the citrus industry.
2 min |
September 28, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Chicken With Onions And Emmentaler Cheese
My brother recently returned from a business trip to France, where he had what he called the best chicken meal of his life. This recipe, reconstructed from memory, is the happy outcome.
1 min |
September 28, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Pasture-Based Dairy: Lower Cost And More Lactations
In an area where feeding total mixed rations is the norm for dairy production, Jurie and John Hartley milk 1 200 cows off pasture with impressive results. Gerhard Uys reports.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly 12 October 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Southern Kwazulu-Natal: Set For A Boom In Avo Production
South Africas avocado industry is soaring on the back of national and international demand. It aims to capitalise further on this by substantially increasing southern KwaZulu-Natals avocado production. Lloyd Phillips spoke to Athol Currie of The Fruit Farm Group South Africa.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly 12 October 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Produce Your Own Seedlings
Indigenous leaf crops such as African spinach (amaranthus, morogo or imfino) are rarely found in the commercial market but they can easily be grown in your nursery. Here are tips on how to do this.
1 min |
Farmer's Weekly 12 October 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Adaptability And Efficiency Help Tunnel Nursery Thrive
Ezigro Seedlings in Mpumalanga grows a wide range of seedlings all year round, thanks to resource-efficient tunnel production in an ideal climate. The tunnels provide another advantage: they allow for rapid adaptation to a changing market. Lindi Botha spoke to CEO Anthony Baird.
5 min |
October 19, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Public-Private Partnerships Transform The Sugar Industry
Numerous sugar cane fields in South Africa have been claimed through land restitution. Were this land to go fallow or be used for other agricultural purposes, the potential loss of sugar production would hold dire consequences for the sugar value chain. Lindi Botha spoke to Dawie van Rooy, director for agriculture at RCL Foods, about his companys response to this risk.
5 min |
October 19, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Saddle-horse Experts Share Know-How
FROM OUR ARCHIVES - DEVOTED TO SA FARMING SINCE 1911.
3 min |