Caxton Magazines
What about our markets?
Last week I Briefly described how the Mechelse Veilingen market in Belgium operates. Let's consider some of the dynamics of South African fresh produce markets to appreciate the differences.
Issue date: 16 January 2009
Issue date: 16 January 2009
How is your ‘tone at the top’?
Do you recognise integrity? It's a bit like pornography - difficult to define but you know it when you see it.
Issue date: 26 december 2008
Issue date: 26 december 2008
The Waainek Wildflower Reserve
This reserve, established by Philip Erasmus on the Bosberg, is an excellent example of a private initiative in biodiversity conservation, writes Cameron McMaster.
Mixed bag of questions
Questions asked this weeks includes what to do when your ball rolls into a footprint and is the dropping zone part of the fairway.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
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Thatch&slate
I enjoy your column in the Farmer's Weekly and I hope you can assist me. I intend building a small cottage on 900m² of a north-facing plot on a tight budget.
Issue date : 30 Janaury 2009
Issue date : 30 Janaury 2009
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Where there’s a will, there’s a way
I have just returned from Israel- my wife and I went for a two-week break to visit the Holy Land. Part of our visit was spent in the Negev Desert in the southern part of Israel where I saw some amazing miracles take place. I saw those farmers planting wheat and cereal crops literally into sand dunes.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
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townie and the drought
"What have we done wrong to incur the wrath of God?" I asked neighbour Jan as we watched the swarm of locusts darken the sky.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
A brilliant, forgotten plan
Fishing for yellowfin tuna from my ski boat, "Kaspaas", was good that day, but then the wind picked up and turned the sea into a monster.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Chicken curry with pickle masala
Getting a curry right is a major achievement. Not because it's difficult, but simply because of the enormous pleasure that goes into the making and eating of this glorious dish.
Issue date: 30 January 2009
Issue date: 30 January 2009
Laminitis: too much rich food can cause lameness
Laminitis often has devastating consequences for your horse's ability to work. If it's too severe, your horse may even have to be put down, writes Dr Mac.
Immature litchis
If you want clients to support your business, you have to provide a product or service they want at a competitive price.
Issue date : 23 January 2009
Issue date : 23 January 2009
Other unexpected cucurbit pests
Bollworm and the spotted maize beetle are a couple of the pests which aren't recognised for the damage they can do. It's worthwhile to be aware of them so you don't get caught out with unexplained losses.
How are you at managing risk?
'It's so important to understand where our risks lie, and to have a clear measure of them.'
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
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Disastrous flights for racers
Freak weather, fatigue and inexperience can result in losses, more so if the birds are younger than six months old.
Why invest in co-ops?
Jannie Mouton, investment maverick and CEO of Zeder Investment, started investing in agribusinesses in the early 1990s, when IT technology was all the buzz. Amidst much scepticism, Zeder is today established on the investment portfolio map, turning old co-ops profitable by investing in agribusinesses such as KWV and Kaap Agri.
Hunger, too, is ‘natural’
Dr Hinner Köster, feed specialist and MD of Scinetic, the scientific technology centre within Afgri, argues that the preference for organics over more efficient production methods is based on emotion rather than logic and predicts that constraining researchers and decision-makers could be fatal for the developing world's food security.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
How to simplify farming – the Bien Donné Expo
The annual Bien Donné Agricultural Expo in the Western Cape,
hosted by the Agricultural Research Centre, is known for showcasing the latest and the best machinery and equipment, intended to make farmers' jobs easier. Joe Spencer was there.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Humates: snake oil or valuable resource?
While humates are promoted as an almost magic potion by some, sub-standard products have battered their reputation. Glenneis Erasmus talked to several agriculturists to find out what they are, how to use them and how to ensure product quality.
Building an empire on rented land
The Eastern Free State, where Maphale is determined to become a successful commercial farmer despite constant theft from Lesotho.
Game: a still-growing industry
A scientific analysis of price trends at last year's game auctions indicates that despite the economic downturn, demand for certain species was high and more animals were being sold directly to game capturers.
