Strong work ethic and passion for farming pays off
Maize and sunflower producer from Senekal, John Dipale, ascribes his success to hard work and passion for agriculture. At 64, John works even harder than the young men on his...
Straight talk: a top farm worker on labour issues
Jerome Thomas, Western Cape Farm Worker of the Year, started his career as a general labourer on Kanonkop Estate 15 years ago. He now works as a supervisor and serves...
A school in the care of the community
Small-town agricultural schools often struggle in today’s educational climate, characterised by departmental underfunding. But Winterberg Agricultural High School has maintained its high standards, and developed its farm into a self-sufficient...
Feed a Child feeding scheme is making a difference
A visitor to the Feed a Child feeding scheme is greeted by a heartwarming and humbling sight: laughing children anticipating a nutritious hot meal. The project, started in 1988 with...
Farm choirs learn sobering power of song
De Kock Boerdery’s award-winning farm worker choirs have been the saving grace for many of the singers. Choir leaders Elsie Oliphant and Willem Krotz told Denene Erasmus how singing in...
State cuts support for prize-winning farmer
Mojala Mosoeu has been farming with cattle for 16 years. In 2011, after a nine-year wait, he received a farm as part of the government’s land reform programme. Now he...
A long struggle bears fruit
Headman Manyota, a developing farmer, farms citrus in the Kat River Valley near Fort Beaufort. Last year, he achieved a massive 874% increase in production over 2013. Grant Hollins visited...
Success lies in doing what you know best
You don’t have to own a farm to make money from agriculture. Getting involved higher up the value chain is easier and less risky. Derich Priga, owner of D&M Fresh...
Land reform lessons from the Western Cape
Recent research into land reform projects in the Western Cape sought to establish the differences between successful and unsuccessful projects. Jacques Claassen visited an example of each and explains how...
Success with organic farming
Wensleydale Farms in Centurion, Gauteng, is well established as an organic grower. New owner Magapa Phaweni plans to use her business skills to build on the farm’s success and expand...
VKB-GFADA maize project helps developing farmers
Ten developing Free State maize farmers are achieving success, thanks to the help of a dedicated mentor and the support of agricultural companies. Susan Botes-Marais reports on the VKB-GFADA Maize...
Dedicated mentorship helps achieve maize success
David Matobako, an ambitious young farmer, is proving that agricultural reform is not an idle dream. Susan Botes-Marais visited him on his Free State farm and saw how a sound...
From manual labourer to managing partner
Erik Phinallephe (55) was born and raised in Stellenbosch and started working as a general farm labourer when he was only 12.
The success of People First Piggery co-operative
Hard work and tenacity have turned a tiny enterprise into a flourishing commercial operation.
The basics of hands-on dairy training
Your Future Dairy Training offers aspiring farmers hands-on and practical training.
From cashier to award-winning beef farmer
Pinky Buthelezi never dreamt that leaving rural KwaZulu-Natal for Gauteng in 2000 would result in her receiving the ARC’s 2013 Gauteng Emerging Beef Farmer award. Mike Burgess visited her on...
Mentoring without interfering breeds success
SA Stud Book-Farmer’s Weekly 2014 Mentor of the Year, Pat Hobbs, is highly respected among the Nguni breeders’ community – not only for producing top quality stud cattle, but for...
Where have all the young people gone?
Agri science student Lisa Coetzee was one of only two South Africans chosen to attend the Youth Ag Summit in Canada in 2013. Building on her experiences there, she has...
Finding healing and success on a Karoo farm
Despite lacking farming experience, Carole Kirkwood Pretorius converted a rundown Karoo farm into a small but commercially viable enterprise in only six years.
Restaurant manager turns commercial farmer
Through dedication and hard work, William Matasane of Senekal in the Free State has changed from being a restaurant manager to an award-winning commercial farmer in less than 10 years....
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