Caxton Magazines
Conservation farming on communal land
Crop farming on communal land is suffering from the effects of soil erosion and climate change. But KZN communal crop farmer Nicholas Madondo is using conservation farming methods to fight back. Lloyd Phillips visited him.
Ethics and transformation as marketing tools
Compliance with transformation and ethical codes in agriculture has become a very costly exercise – but it appears that consumers and, especially, retailers are increasingly supporting compliant producers. Phil Bowes, transformation manager for the South African Table Grape Industry, explains how this is playing out for the fruit sector.
Beware of just chasing that 30% goal – Nkwinti
Some 21% of sugar cane land is currently under black ownership, up from 5% in 1994, SA Sugar Association (SASA) chairperson Bongani Linda said at a sugar cane industry event in Durban on 30 August.
Vleissentraal-ARC Special Performance Test Class Award Winner
The breeder and owner of the 2012 Vleissentraal-ARC Special Performance Test Class Award for his Red Poll bull...
Dairy farmers under pressure to reduce carbon footprint
Milk producers in South Africa might soon find that high input costs and low milk prices will be topped with increased pressure to produce milk in a more environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.
The Karoo’s first protected environment
The proclamation of the Compassberg Protected Environment, named after the landmark mountain, is an important step forward for conservation in South Africa. Primarily owned by game and stock farmers, the mountains, water courses, grasslands and scrub of this 42 000ha of high-lying land is the Eastern Cape’s first protected area. Heather Dugmore reports.
Get transplanting right for seedling survival
The yield potential of commercial forestry hybrids is all for naught if they aren’t transplanted properly. Dr Keith Little of the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) shared his tips with Lloyd Phillips.
We need action, not endless plans
Government is not short of ideas for agriculture. The trouble is, it fails to implement them.
Department denies cows left to starve to death
Mpumalanga’s department of agriculture has denied leaving 48 cows to die of hunger.
When knowledge is political power
Political analyst Max du Preez says SA commercial farmers can no longer afford a laager mentality: by familiarising themselves with the political dynamics and the inner workings of the ANC, they’ll be able to tell the loudmouths from the power players, and spotlight themselves as food producers and fighters against poverty. Annelie Coleman reports.
Dipping tip
You don’t have to inspect an Angora goat’s fleece closely to detect the presence of lice – a quick glance at the horn tips of a couple of goats will show if your flock is free of lice or not.
Controlling insects with insects
Biological control is – or should be – an important way of managing crop pests for all farmers, whether emerging or commercial. Paul Donovan explains why.
A valuable asset
I was most interested in Peter Mashala’s article (27 July, pg 58) about his recent trip with minister of agriculture Tina Joemat-Pettersson and others on a fact-finding junket to Costa Rica, courtesy of Walmart.
Veggies boost the bottom line
By including vegetables in their diversified farming business the Mongs have been able to make better use of machinery and labour already at their disposal, thus lowering the fixed input cost for each division. Denene Erasmus reports.
Bringing back the Afrino
This easy-care, dual purpose breed thrives in the harshest conditions, offers high net profits and is a pleasure to farm. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Possible drought looming
Farmers in South Africa’s summer rainfall area were recently warned not to underestimate the unpredictable rainy season ahead.
Young buffalo bull sets new record price of R26 million
Horison, a young bull bred by Jacques and Carolien Malan, set a new record by fetching R26 million at the recent stud game auction held at Mbizi in Bela Bela, Limpopo.
Communal sugar farm ‘sets an example’
The revival of 165ha of sugar cane by the Mansomini Irrigation Project in KwaZulu-Natal’s Glendale Valley was praised by Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) minister Gugile Nkwinti during a recent tour organised by the SA Sugar Association (SASA).
Adding space (& character)
Dear Jonno,
Attached is my two-bedroom unit. Where the entrance is facing south-east there’s more space to extend.
Avoid dehydration
Your horse relies on you to make sure it gets enough liquids to replace those lost while sweating during competitions, cautions Kim Dyson.
