Getting ready for a show

When competing in a show, you’ll need more than just a horse in good condition, cautions Dr Mac.

How to manipulate form

A fancier can make minute alterations to their training schedule to help their pigeons achieve peak form, writes Thomas Smit.

Some interesting developments

Nampo once again lived up to its reputation as the place to introduce new ideas and new technology. Joe Spencer reports.

New KZN land commissioner irks provincial farmers’ union

The KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union is frustrated that the province’s newest Land Claims Commissioner has cancelled an important meeting to discuss land conflicts in KZN.

Responsible veld management needed to protect grass owls

Farmers and other landowners have been asked to practice responsible veld management and burning in order to minimise losses to the national population of African Grass Owls (Tyto capensis).

SA forestry plantations under threat from yet another pest

Forestry scientists have discovered what they believe to be yet another forestry pest that could start attacking South Africa’s commercial forestry plantations.

International experts urgently needed to investigate TAU SA’s genocide claims

An international expert on genocide is motivating for an independent team to investigate whether or not there is indeed genocide taking place against the South Africa’s white farming community, as suspected by farmers’ union, TAU SA.

The Crop Estimates Committee’s 6th production forecast for 2011/12 summer crops

The Congress of South African Trade Unions’s (COSATU) angry attack on mechanisms that it alleges are behind rapidly increasing national maize, and other grains, prices has been met with criticism by the country’s agricultural sector.

Controlling nitrogen application is important

Your basic fertilisation of the potato crop should have been done according to a soil analysis, leaving the main variable, nitrogen, to be managed as circumstances require.

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Small-scale farming booms in Kenya

Seed research, a special training model and financial support are helping to transform small-scale farming in Kenya, improving both yields and returns. Bob Koigi reports.

Big lessons from a tiny country

Costa Rica’s farmers are a model for independence, hard work and discipline. Can we learn from them?

A Sussex stud herd in Vrede

James Stephen talks to Chris Nel about establishing a new stud herd and rehabilitating a previously neglected farm at the same time.

The basics of effective irrigation

Crop expert Bill Kerr gives tips on how to ‘read’ a crop and understand its irrigation requirements.

Food safety

A market may not process food, but it can surely be classified as a ‘food distribution facility’, the food here being ‘fresh produce’.

Accommodation for nurses

Jonno assists Daniel with a sketch for nurses accommodation in Northern KZN.

The truth about Rift Valley fever

Controversy has surrounded RVF and the efficacy of vaccines for the disease. Dr TK Smit, Dr J Heath and P Pieterson of Onderstepoort Biological Products attempt to set the record straight.

GM no threat

James Moffet (‘The whole GM truth’, 6 July, pg 8, letters page) has either never read the GMO Act or fails to understand it.

Buy local

One of the reasons behind the SA poultry industry’s strong growth in recent years is that dumping of frozen chicken from the US was downscaled drastically by the anti-dumping policy which Brazil is now challenging.

Turning the tide

My letter refers to the ‘‘Agriculture job creation questioned’’ article in the Farmer’s Weekly, (15 June 2012).

Caxton Magazines