Annelie Coleman
Annelie Coleman represents Farmer’s Weekly in the Free State, North West and Northern Cape.
Agriculture is in her blood. She grew up on a maize farm in the Wesselsbron district where her brother is still continuing with the family business.
Annelie is passionate about the area she works in and calls it ‘God’s own country’. She’s particularly interested in beef cattle farming, especially with the indigenous African breeds.
Hoof management guidelines
Although an animal with hoof problems may be able to function normally, malformed hooves can have an impact on production and performance. Annelie Coleman spoke to cattle farrier and hoof specialist, Johan Combrink, about problems encountered and how to deal with these.
Veld fires scorch eastern Free State farms
Thousands of hectares of eastern Free State veld were destroyed by wild fires over the past weekend, said Thinus Steenkamp, general manager for the Free State Umbrella Fire Association.
Drought depletes farmers’ cash flow in Northern Cape
Willem Symington, Agri Northern Cape’s Disaster Management committee chairman, said Namaqualand, Boesmanland and the Hantam District Municipality are being particularly hard hit by the now two-year-long drought in the area.
Commercial buffalo breeding: ‘It’s not just for the rich’
Father-and-son team Francoais Schutte Sr and Jr breed buffalo on their farm near Theunissen in the Free State. They are passionate about the species and say that commercial buffalo breeding makes sound economic sense. Annelie Coleman visited the Schuttes to learn more.
SA farmers must consider soya bean production
The growing emphasis on conservation tillage has pushed more grain farmers to practise crop rotation using soya bean and maize, said Gerhard Scholtemeijer from the Protein Research Foundation (PRF).
RPO welcomes arrest of stock thieves in the Free State
The Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) in the Free State has congratulated the South African Police Service (SAPS) and farmers in the Reitz district following the arrest of six suspected stock thieves recently.
Millions for restitution project in North West
New farmers in the province received farming equipment worth more than R6 million from Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Mcebesi Skwatcha.
World record price for SA mohair
The world record price for mohair was surpassed this week by a staggering R37/kg, resulting in the record price of R896/kg.
Free State veld fire warning
Free State Agriculture (FSA) has issued an urgent warning to its members to prepare for possible veld fire outbreaks in the province.
Always manage grazing with drought in mind
The only insurance against drought is a sound, scientifically based grazing management programme, coupled with a reasonable stocking rate even in times of plenty. So says Dr Mias van der Westhuizen, Free State rangeland specialist. Annelie Coleman spoke to him about the practical implications of good grazing management.
El Niño threat in SA on the wane
Indications were that an El Niño event could be still be expected during the coming spring and summer seasons in SA.
Nampo 2017 breaks attendance record with 78 000 visitors
The aim of Grain SA’s annual Nampo Harvest Day was not to chase numbers, but to form a conduit between producers and suppliers.
Women in agriculture continue to face exclusion
Women entering the agriculture sector needed to be aware that they were largely uninvited. This was according to Gloria Serobe, executive director of the Whiphold Investment Trust.
Land distribution without tenure almost worthless
Distributing land or houses without tenure was providing a settlement with no capital value, according to political analyst Mpumelelo Mkhabela.
Mielie Hop to transport visitors to Nampo
Nampo visitors again have the option of using the Mielie Hop shuttle, with a new service added for those based in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp.
Land Bank to launch new asset insurance policy at Nampo
The Land Bank’s programme for Nampo 2017 will include a discussion on its financial modelling initiatives as well as participation in the ‘Nation in Conversation’ series panel discussion.
Bothaville ready for Nampo 2017
The people of Bothaville in the Free State have been working hard to get the town ready for the influx of Nampo Harvest Day visitors next week...
One week to go before Nampo 2017 starts
Grain SA (GSA) has pulled out all the stops to ensure that Nampo Harvest Day 2017 will add value to the SA agriculture industry.
Weak leadership, inadequate planning hamper land reform
The structural weakness of land reform in South Africa, coupled with a lack of clear goals, have left the process on shaky ground, according Danie du Plessis, TAU SA regional representative. Annelie Coleman asked him what needed to be done to get the process back on track.
Limited govt drought aid forces farmers to innovate
South Africa’s commercial farmers are on their own during times of drought and cannot rely on support from government.
