Business
Farmer's Weekly
Set up marketing facilities and community structures
Avoid the situation where buyers are expected to struggle while processing and later loading your livestock because of poor or non-existent facilities
3 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Charity always begins at home
We all know the expression 'charity begins at home', but why then do so many people make a mess of it in their own lives and businesses?
3 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Egg and chicken meat shortages loom as bird flu gains momentum
Continuous outbreaks of bird flu may lead to egg and chicken meat shortages in South Africa.
3 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
The Rockefeller: a vibrant oasis in Cape Town's revamped Foreshore
Brian Berkman says this edgy hotel and apartments complex makes access to the N1 and N2 a breeze.
3 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Understanding insurance
In this article, Janine Ryan looks at what specific insurance packages are available for farmers in South Africa.
4 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
The basics of cutworm management
While the presence of weeds strongly influences the pest status of cutworm, the influence of soil moisture on factors such as their biology and behaviour are often overlooked. Entomologist and Bt-maize expert Prof Johnnie van den Berg and Zunel van Eeden, a master's student at North-West University's Integrated Pest Management group, have undertaken research on cutworm behaviour, control and insecticide resistance.
4 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Perseverance despite communal challenges
Zolani Tsheko, the second vice-chairperson of the National Wool Growers' Association, is a wool producer in the communal area of Thornhill near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess recently visited him to gain a better understanding of the production challenges faced by communal farmers, who Tsheko is obligated to lead in terms of his mandate.
4 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
'Love for agriculture' will guide new head of Agri Enterprises
Pieter de Jager was recently elected CEO of Agri Enterprises. He spoke to Magda du Toit about his plans for the company.
2 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
A last-minute rescue plan for farmed rhino
Jason Gilchrist, a lecturer at the School of Applied Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University, writes that conservation charity African Parks plans to release 2 000 rhino into the wild across Africa.
3 min |
October 20, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Rocky space debris that deserves our attention
Unusual finds by a South African farmer add to the country's space rock heritage, says Roger Lawrence Gibson, a professor of structural geology and metamorphic petrology at the University of the Witwatersrand.
4 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Spring is in the air and all the equine parasites are celebrating
It's time to start spraying and dosing your horses as the flies and ticks are multiplying
2 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
How to mitigate risks when sawing
In this article, Husqvarna looks at the safety precautions that should be taken when operating a chainsaw.
2 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Nitrogen applications until the cabbages are harvested
LAN is the preferred fertiliser for post-plant fertilisation of the cabbage crop. It contains nitrate that is available to the crop but unfortunately also easily leached from the soil
2 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Weaning your calves
The priority in beef production is to produce as many calves as possible. The main objective of weaning is therefore to enable a cow to calve every year by allowing her to regain condition after weaning.
3 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
A review of A Country of Two Agricultures
Wandile Sihlobo has once again crafted a balanced and influential book that deconstructs the complex realities of the agriculture sector in South Africa
3 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Quick to go up, slow to come down
Price movement in value chains with dominant role players shows a 'rocket and feather' effect, quick to increase but slow to decrease
3 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Getting citrus off the ground
To make sure his plants are virus-free, this nursery owner never allows the roots to come into contact with the soil. Producing virus-free citrus plants for sale takes rigorous management, says Trevor McKenzie of Nucellar Nursery in Simondium, Western Cape. He produces under the Citrus Superplant Scheme, which means all the plants he grows must be certified by inspectors to ensure they conform to the scheme standards.
2 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Bank on the new improvements at this elegant hotel with Indian flair
Brian Berkman says to search the Internet for affordable deals at this five-star Cape Town establishment.
3 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Meet a pioneer in the organic industry
Jenny Slabber, the owner and founder of Talborne Organics, has more than 40 years' experience in the organic industry.
2 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Walnuts: a rising star in SA's nut basket
Walnuts make up the smallest portion of South Africa's nut cultivation, yet show much promise as a profitable crop that can be grown across a host of areas in the country. One of the first to take the leap, Rotondo Walnuts is paving the way for a robust future industry.
9 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Farming of the future
Regenerative agriculture is said to be the farming way of the future. It is believed that switching to regenerative agriculture methods minimises carbon emissions, promotes biodiversity, protects the soil, and ensures agricultural sustainability
6 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
How Africa should tackle invasive alien species
Invasive alien species are a serious threat to the planet, writes Julie Coetzee, a researcher at Rhodes University. In this article, she highlights four key messages for Africa in this regard.
4 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Getting started with organic farming
'Organic farming' has become a buzzword in agricultural production over the past decade, but it holds real benefits for farmers from a production perspective.
6 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Quality feathers fetch a premium price
Over the years, Laubscher Coetzee has established himself as a producer of top-quality ostrich feathers. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his production strategy.
7 min |
October 13, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Exposing a secretive bark stripper
When Mike Burgess noticed multiple trees on his farm, De Hoek in the Eastern Cape, were being ringbarked, he was intrigued as to what animal could be responsible as since he had taken possession of the property 20 years earlier, it had never happened before.
2 min |
October 06, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Hitting the road in a luxury Lexus SUV
Kyle Kock of CAR magazine gives his driving impressions of the Lexus RX 500h F Sport, with its impressive price tag that starts at R1,6 million.
2 min |
October 06, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Dealing with botulism
Botulism, also called lamsiekte, is a disease of cattle, goats and sheep. It paralyses the muscles of animals so that it is difficult for them to get up or walk. Proper management can help prevent the disease.
2 min |
October 06, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
The critical element that determines cabbage yield
Farmers know that nitrogen is necessary for growing cabbages and other crops, but many do not fully understand its importance for maximising yields
2 min |
October 06, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Opportunities and propagation tips for traditional plants
Traditional medicine is used in the treatment, prevention and cure of various ailments and injuries. There are many opportunities in the traditional medical sector for the propagation of these plants
10+ min |
October 06, 2023
Farmer's Weekly
Focus on longevity gives dairy the edge
Fair Cape Dairies won the ARC National Master Dairyman of the Year Award for the fourth time in 2022. Johannes Loubser spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the drivers of the dairy's success.
6 min |