Business
Farmer's Weekly
DIY budget-friendly bird feeders
You can attract a variety of bird species to your garden with a cost-effective, easy-to-make feeder constructed with repurposed or common materials available from your local hardware store, writes Linda Piegl.
2 min |
March 28, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
South Africa's oldest hunt, point and retrieve club is turning 40!
The TVL Hunt, Point & Retrieve Field Trial Club is the pioneer of the versatile gun dog movement in South Africa.
1 min |
March 28, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Macadamia prices continue to rebound
Macadamia prices for the 2025 season have shown double-digit increases, but the industry was far from the recovery needed for long-term stability, according to industry role players.
2 min |
March 28, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The consumer is always right
People are ready to buy directly from farmers and farmer groups, and the trend towards sustainable food provides a good platform for selling to consumers, writes Dr Koos Coetzee.
3 min |
March 28, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The bond between Boer and Zulu
The friendship forged between Louis Botha and Dinuzulu as boys in rural Natal later led to co-operation and land donated to the Boers to establish a new republic around present-day Vryheid, writes Graham Jooste.
5 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Pet-friendly farm stay
Guest-farm owners and animal lovers Annatjie and Chris Geldenhuys treat pets as family, welcoming dogs of all shapes and sizes. They even roll out the welcome mat for cats and birds, writes Linda Piegl.
2 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
How the Bonsmara changed the trajectory of beef cattle breeding in SA and beyond
The Bonsmara is a South African breed that was bred to thrive under African conditions, says Louis Steyl, CEO of the breeders' society Bonsmara SA. He spoke to Annelie Coleman about the origins of the breed and the value it has added to sustainable and profitable beef production on a global level.
4 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Students chosen for global poultry programme
Lihle Sindaku, a master's student at North-West University (NWU), has been selected to participate in an international poultry programme aimed at bridging academic study and industry insights.
1 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Harnessing renewable energy: sustainable solutions for SA farmers
Sustainable energy options like solar, wind, biogas, and others enable farmers to reduce their reliance on the national power grid and insulate their farms from electricity price hikes, writes Cobus du Plessis.
8 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Advancing the use of integrated pest management in crop production
Experts in integrated pest management are gaining importance as fruit-importing countries tighten their phytosanitary regulations. Nadine Botha, technical and commercial manager at Insectec, spoke to Magda du Toit about her journey from growing up in a small mining town to taking on a leading role in the field.
4 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Challenges to overcome when direct seeding onions.
Achieving the planned onion population and bulb quality requires precise seeding, especially in summer rainfall areas, writes Bill Kerr.
2 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
BMW covers all the bases with all-new X3
In January, BMW rolled out the all-new Rosslyn-built X3. The Citizen's Mark Jones sampled the latest generation of the popular SUV to discover why the three-model line-up caters for everyone.
2 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Global and domestic outlook for canola
Canola is an important global crop, and while South Africa is not a significant player in the industry, production and trade abroad have a significant impact on local production and prices.
2 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
A cottage for people sharing the facilities
Dear Jonno, We write to you for some ideas for a cottage that can be built and rented out to people working in our vicinity.
1 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The cost structure of solar energy systems for farms
Transitioning to solar energy involves understanding the various components of a solar power system, the different options available, and how the costs thereof are calculated, writes Cobus du Plessis.
6 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Charred mango and steak salad
The first few twinges of autumn are in the air, but you can keep the tantalising taste of summer alive with this gorgeous salad. Recipe and photo: South African Mango Growers' Association.
1 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Record number of entries for dairy championships|
Judging for Africa's largest and oldest dairy competition, the South African Dairy Championships, recently took place in Durbanville in the Western Cape.
1 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
BLUP values vs 'good looks'
In this article, Louis Steyl, CEO of the breeders' society Bonsmara SA, explains why farmers should buy bulls based on both BLUP values and conformation, without prioritising either factor.
3 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
ARC donates zeolite-trial vegetables to community
The Agriculture Research Council (ARC) at Nietvoorbij in the Western Cape has embarked on an initiative to donate vegetables produced in its zeolite research trial to underprivileged communities.
1 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
An integrated approach is required for fly control in stables
Whether they're a general nuisance or disease carriers, it's essential that flies are controlled throughout their life cycle, writes Dr Mac.
2 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Herbicide management in canola rotations
Careful planning of weed management is essential when introducing canola to a crop rotation system. Adama's Hardus van Vuuren spoke to Glenneis Kriel about achieving effective weed control and preventing herbicide-related crop damage.
6 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Outlook for dairy farmers in 2025
The sharp increase in feed prices in 2024 resulted in weak profits for dairy farmers. Conditions will probably improve slightly during 2025, writes Dr Koos Coetzee.
3 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Second-hand ewes for meat
This story showed that a farmer could make good money with slaughter lambs, provided they had the right stock and followed the correct breeding programme.
3 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
From provocation to intricate plots
With the coolness of autumn in the air, the four reads Patricia McCracken has selected this week are rich with ideas that are guaranteed to warm up the grey matter.
3 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
South Africa's agriculture sector must prioritise self-reliance and diversified market expansion
South Africa's agriculture sector remains constrained by long-standing domestic challenges, including deteriorating infrastructure, inefficient municipalities, unreliable transport networks and the slow release of government-owned land to beneficiaries with title deeds. These structural issues limit the sector's ability to grow sustainably and must be urgently addressed.
2 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Advice for aspiring farmers
Louis Steyl, CEO of Bonsmara SA, offers some advice to prospective farmers about how to go about setting up a cattle farm for future success, and stresses the importance of establishing a solid foundation.
4 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
New Plant Health Act aimed at improving agricultural trade and biosecurity
The Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Act (No. 35 of 2024) repeals the Agricultural Pests Act (No. 36 of 1983). Magda du Toit spoke to industry leaders to gain their insights on the implications of the new Act.
3 min |
March 14, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The genetically unique Senepol: ideal for beef production in Southern Africa
Since its arrival in South Africa in 2001, the Senepol has become a strong contender in the country's beef cattle arena. Tiekie Muller, owner of the Nooitgedacht Senepol stud, spoke to Annelie Coleman about how the growing number of Senepol stud breeders underpins the value of the breed under exacting African conditions.
5 min |
March 07, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Microwave mango and granadilla cheesecake
This delicious mango fridge tart is so easy to make, perfect when you want a quick yet indulgent dessert (it only takes 25 minutes to whip up). The fruit’s gorgeous colour and fragrance are maximised.
1 min |
March 07, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Global outlook for wheat in 2024/25
In its latest estimate, the International Grains Council has adjusted global wheat production for the coming season due to poorer-than-expected harvests in the EU. However, global supplies remain strong, while global consumption is expected to increase to reach about 804 million tons. Janine Ryan reports.
2 min |