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North West cattle farmer puts his trust in proven stud bulls
Kgomotso Bantsho has been farming Bonsmara cattle and goats full-time in North West since 2017. He says that support from other farmers is critical, and that each farmer needs to...
Broiler producer uses her position to uplift others
Jo-andra Cloete, who farms in Joostenberg Vlakte near Cape Town, started producing broilers only a few years ago. She is now mentoring over a hundred farmers, whom she supplies with...
Sustainable game farming in the bushveld
On his 2 500ha game farm near Lephalale in Limpopo, Willem Frost aims to provide local and international hunters with an authentic hunting experience, which promotes the farm’s overall sustainability...
Intensive sheep farm achieves 180% per year weaning rate
Sheep production has become a numbers game, with an operation’s profitability being largely dependent on the farmer’s ability to produce large numbers of sheep at low cost. Farm manager Dirk...
On a quest to breed ‘the perfect Brahman’
A dream to farm Brahman cattle saw Auldrich Spies switch from construction to farming. Ironically, it was his initial ignorance that led him to become a successful stud farmer today....
Tilapia farming: Untapped SA market holds opportunity for growth
David Fincham has more than 30 years’ experience in aquaculture and is one of South Africa’s foremost tilapia specialists. Through his business in Muldersdrift near Johannesburg, he has supplied 450...
Starke Ayres cabbage shines in winter planting programme
The Starke Ayres STAR 3316 cabbage cultivar has shown excellent growth and cold tolerance during a very cold winter in 2020. The company offers a range of cultivars for different...
Irrigated wheat: Conservation farming improves water usage and yield
South Africa’s water scarcity and the necessity to import well over one million tons of wheat annually mean that the country’s winter wheat growers increasingly have to optimise their water-use...
Soil: your most valuable asset
I have become more and more conscious of how many farmers fail to appreciate the importance of soil quality. More is made of land preparation and fertilisation than improving the...
‘Go after what you want’ – lessons from a young spinach farmer
Gauteng-based Gugulethu Mahlangu says volunteering for experienced vegetable farmers gave her the confidence to launch her own successful career in farming.
Making lucerne hay while maximising soil health
Free State irrigation farmer Freek Strauss grows lucerne for the local and export markets. At the same time, the crop improves the soil’s condition, thus increasing the yields of other...
All you need to know about cutworm control
The common cutworm is a prominent maize pest in South Africa. Professors Johnnie van den Berg and Hannalene du Plessis, researchers at North-West University’s Integrated Pest Management Research Group, provide...
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Special Focus
Planning for precision irrigation
Precision irrigation requires a system designed with all your resources and production goals in mind, with the aim of ensuring optimal production.
Irrigation systems for undercover cropping
Maximising water-use efficiency in South African undercover crop farming operations has become both a financial and moral imperative. But selecting the most appropriate undercover irrigation technologies can be a challenge...
Know the facts before switching irrigation systems
Drip irrigation systems have a well-deserved reputation for water-efficiency. Although this gives them an obvious advantage in water-scarce South Africa, irrigation specialist, Mark Zartmann, explains that there are several factors...
Benefits and risks of a digitised farm sector
Digital technology can make food markets more efficient and inclusive. However, according to a recent report, the digital divide places farmers in some of the world’s poorest regions at risk...
Farm shop with food and entertainment
Jonno designs a farm shop that includes a shisa nyama/braai area; an entertainment hall/restaurant, a car wash and filling station.
Fine dining and tractor game drives on a Free State farm
Since diversifying into accommodation and fine dining in 1991, Free State Merino farm De Oude Kraal has become a landmark. Brian Berkman recently visited it and soon understood why it has...
Table Mountain tiramisu
Dominique Marchand says her recipe for tiramisu was inspired by Table Mountain. This tiramisu needs only a few ingredients, requires no baking and can be made in a jiffy!
A festive feast for a jolly season
Traditional meets modern in this easy-to-make meal. A roasted leg of lamb meets a boozy ice cream bombe to really ignite the jolliness of the season.
Light fruit cake with brandy sauce
In the past, Christmas lunch in our family was an event of 50 to 60 relatives, friends and neighbours, held on the back lawn of my grandparents’ house under the...
Oven-roasted turkey legs with duck-fat potatoes
Turkey has long been the traditional Christmas lunch on our farm. It takes my mother two days to prepare the whole bird, starting with an overnight brining and ending with...
Meat-free pie
To assist in the annual struggle against cold weather, make and serve this hearty, warming, comforting and fine-tasting meat-free pie.
