Business
Farmer's Weekly
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.
1 min |
July 19, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Growing Chillies: Part 1
Individual consumers and communities have widely varying tastes when it comes to the flavour and pungency of chilli.
2 min |
July 19, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
1 min |
July 19, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly 3 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
4 min |
Farmer's Weekly 3 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly 3 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
Highlights Of Zimbabwe's ADMA Agrishow
Case IH played a starring role in the fourth annual ADMA Agrishow. Joe Spencer reports.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly 3 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
4 min |
Farmer's Weekly 10 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
6 min |
Farmer's Weekly 10 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
6 min |
Farmer's Weekly 10 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly 10 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly 10 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly 10 August 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
4 min |
July 6, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
4 min |
July 6, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
5 min |
July 6, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
3 min |
July 6, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
4 min |
July 6, 2018
Farmer's Weekly
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.
6 min |
May 10, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
1 min |
May 10, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
3 min |
May 10, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
6 min |
May 03, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
6 min |
May 03, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
2 min |
May 03, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Kalahari Red Basics
This breed has a fine head, lob ears, round horns that are bent backwards, and tender meat.
1 min |
May 03, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
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.
5 min |
6-13 January 2017
Farmer's Weekly
Are Lick Supplements Worth While In Beef Production?
Cattlemen operating under extensive conditions are always looking for ways to increase production and profitability, says Dr Liesel Foster, a beef producer from Zastron. Her PhD research concluded that farmers should carefully consider the cost and management involved in supplementary feeding to achieve this goal.
4 min |
6-13 January 2017
Farmer's Weekly
Showing: A Lot Of Work, But Well Worth It!
If you love beautiful horses and enjoy training them, showing might be the discipline for you, says Kim Dyson.
2 min |
7 April 2017
Farmer's Weekly
A Successful Boer Goat Stud In The Hantam Karoo
Careful management and marketing are both crucial in Boer goat production. Pip Nieuwoudt of Nama Stud, the oldest Boer goat stud in the Western Cape, spoke to Jeandré du Preez about his management strategy and how he tapped into the Middle Eastern market.
5 min |
7 April 2017
Farmer's Weekly
From Our Archives - Cut Post - Harvest Pear Losses
40 YEARS AGOFG Mitchell, of the University of California in the US, discusses tests done on the cooling and warming of Bon Chretien pears in the state, and their affect on pear quality.
4 min |