Caxton Magazines
Lifestyle properties take the sting out of farming
The recent purchase by a United Arab Emirates businessmen of an upmarket private game reserve in Steytlerville, Karoo, between the Addo Elephant Park and the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site, has raised the eyebrows of smallstock farmers. This prompted Roelof Bezuidenhout to ask Wayne Rubidge dealer principal of Pam Golding Properties in Graaff-Reinet about the state of the property market in the vast Karoo.
Issue date : 20 February 2009
Issue date : 20 February 2009
Brussels sprouts subsidies again
Export subsidies recently introduced by the EU, and the threat of subsidies in the US, will hurt South African agriculture.
Issue date: 20 February 2009
Issue date: 20 February 2009
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How to stop disaster mismanagement
South Africa's Disaster Management Act of 2002 and the National Disaster Management framework is world-leading legislation, but incompetent application renders it almost worthless to the agricultural sector, which should be its primary beneficiary, says an advisor to Agri SA and author of the legislation Koos van Zyl.
Issue date : 20 February 2009
Issue date : 20 February 2009
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Staalmeester forage equipment does the job
In the competitive tractor-mounted forage harvester market, local company Staalmeester is taking the lead with an international standard product, the JF range. Joe Spencer reports.
Issue date : 20 February 2009
Issue date : 20 February 2009
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Khakibos makes this farm profitable
In the early 1990s crop and stock farmers Flip and Riana Minnaar decided to counter theft and low profitability by producing essential oils from crops like khakibos. This lead to a booming frozen herb operation, Icy Herbs CC, a 2007 finalist in the South African Food Review New Product Competition.
Issue date: 20 february 2009
Issue date: 20 february 2009
New farmers
A unique developmental initiative is alleviating poverty and uplifting the entire, often elderly, communal sheep farming community in the Dudumashe area of the former Transkei. With better disease and breeding management and by introducing superior rams, production and wool quality have improved significantly.
Issue date : 20 February 2009
Issue date : 20 February 2009
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Optimising SA wildlife ranching
South Africa's wildlife ranches could develop into an industry envied by governments and conservationists worldwide - if they consolidate, play up their strengths and overcome their weaknesses.
Issue date: 20 February 2009
Issue date: 20 February 2009
Emerging farmers get restocking support
Emerging farmers in the Eastern Cape are struggling to restock pig herds after the 2005 outbreak of swine fever forced them to cull all pigs.
Issue date: 20 February 2009
Issue date: 20 February 2009
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South Africa vs South America Who’s the best?
While Brazilian and Argentinian farmers can teach us about running cattle on lucerne and shortening the supply chain, they could do themselves a favour and come and see how we diversify and manage moisture. That's the opinion of Johan Mouton, Senwes senior animal and grassland scientist, who visited South Africa's great agricultural competition last year.
Issue date : 20 February 2009
Issue date : 20 February 2009
Your best crop choice: get Clues
Dr Adriaan van Niekerk's Clues computerised mapping system can already match optimal crops to Western Cape croplands and efforts are underway to expand it.
Issue date: 20 February 2009
Issue date: 20 February 2009
Making money from muck
Nutrient-rich dairy slurry was once considered a liability and a pollutant, but the current high fertiliser price has changed all that, says dairy technical consultant Gavin Brockett. Robyn Joubert spoke to him.
Rustic Berg holiday cottage for four
My wife and I have bought a place in the southern Berg and would like to build a small-to-medium rondavel for two adults and two infrequently visiting adult kids to spend pre-retirement long week holidays.
Issue date: 6 February 2009
Issue date: 6 February 2009
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Conserving biodiversitysaves farming
The viability of our farmland depends on conserving biodiversity - production won't be sustainable for future generations without healthy, functional ecosystems. After seeing both disaster and triumph in conservation, Cameron McMaster concludes that the role played by farmers is central.
Issue date: 13 February 2009
Issue date: 13 February 2009
When driving from the tee
Teeing mistakes and the rules that need to be adhered to on the teeing ground are the focus of this week's questions.
Issue date 13 February 2009
Issue date 13 February 2009
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SNAKES ALIVE!
It's not uncommon in country areas for a snake to slide out of the rough onto the fairway or even onto the green. Special rules govern dangerous situations
Issue date: 6 February 2009
Issue date: 6 February 2009
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What shall we say to these things?
In all my farming years, I've realised that if God is for me, there's no situation, no element, no problem that's too big for me to handle.
Issue date: 13 February 2009
Issue date: 13 February 2009
God’s new thing
As we are coming into a new era in South Africa, I really feel the Lord has already started to do a new thing. And as farmers, we have to be progressive.
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Healthy, tasty SA lamb
Local lamb is a perennial favourite among red meat eaters because of its tender, flavourful meat.
Issue date: 13 February 2009
Issue date: 13 February 2009
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Townie the computer guru
To call neighbour Jan intellectually challenged is a bit harsh. At 16 and still in standard 6, he discovered rugby and girls. After that, nothing else mattered.
Issue date: 6 February 2009
Issue date: 6 February 2009
Chromium for fat loss
After Christmas and New Year most people complain that their wallets are too thin, while their waistlines are too thick! As the economy puts us under financial pressure, we all need cheaper ways to do everything, even losing excess weight. One such aide is the nutrient chromium, found in a number of affordable yet healthy low-kilojoule foods.
Issue date: 6 February 2009
Issue date: 6 February 2009
