Mike Burgess
Memories of mountain streams
It was vivid childhood memories of fishing the streams of Barkly East that lured Mike Burgess back to spend three glorious years in these dramatic highlands of the Eastern Cape.
Tapping into the Saalboomspruit’s ‘golden bounty’
Mike Burgess has fished the Saalboomspruit in the Eastern Cape’s Barkly East district for almost four decades. He shares how he has never been disappointed with the exceptional indigenous yellowfish this pristine highland ecosystem produces.
Joshlin Simbra Stud: Small herd, strong genetics, big results
At the 2024 Champion of the World Competition, the top Simbra cow and third-placed bull came from the Joshlin Simbra stud, located near Komga in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess spoke to the co-owner, Linley Jones, about how this stud of just 80 cows managed to win such a prestigious award.
Senepols: low-maintenance, high-performance cattle
In 2024, Blackpool Senepol sold a bull for a new South African record price of R165 000. Owner Chris Sheard spoke to Mike Burgess about how he built a stud capable of producing one of the best Senepol bulls the country has ever seen.
Breeding productive, well-adapted Angoras in the Eastern Cape
Pieter Jordaan runs Angora goats and Merinos on 16 000ha near Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape. The 2024 Agri Eastern Cape Young Farmer of the Year finalist spoke to Mike Burgess about how his stud, Legacy Angora, has added value to his farming enterprise by consistently producing a quality product for the market.
Why a dairy farm turned to producing pineapples
In 2019, dairy farmer Jonathan Willows and his business partner, Laine Collett, launched a pineapple operation on a dairy farm in the Eastern Cape. They spoke to Mike Burgess about why and how they rebooted a once-successful pineapple farm to set them up to produce 7 000t of the Cayenne variety a year.
Inside the Cornish Beefmasters stud
Marcel Stapelberg, co-owner of the Cornish Beefmasters stud, spoke to Mike Burgess to give him a better understanding of why and how the family established their stud in less than a decade.
How a mixed communal farm crossed the commercial threshold
According to Vincent Mhlonitshwa, making the transition from a communal to a successful commercial farmer requires mentorship. Mike Burgess visited him near Elliot in the Eastern Cape to better understand how a mentor helped establish the foundations on which he built a mixed farming operation on less than 1 500ha.
Eastern Cape tractor business celebrates 20 years of growth
Elliot Tractor Works, a repair and maintenance centre for all makes of tractors, was launched in 2004 on the outskirts of Elliot in the Eastern Cape by Craig Davidson and his father, Francis. Two decades later it has diversified to include a sales and manufacturing division despite numerous challenges.
The Gagelas’ unique livestock operation
In 2009, the Gagela family expanded their livestock initiative from the communal areas of the Eastern Cape to include a commercial farm near Dordrecht. Mike Burgess reports on the family’s unique agricultural journey, driven by the late George Gagela.
Success story of a Brangus stud on an Eastern Cape dairy farm
In 2001, Steve Kretzmann, introduced a beef component to his dairy farm, Edendale, in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess visited him recently to better understand the impact that the Panorama Brangus stud has had on his agricultural venture near East London.
From backyard chicks to top show poultry breeder
Clinton du Preez has approximately 600 chickens of various breeds neatly housed in the backyard of his Stutterheim home in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess visited him recently to better understand his life-long passion for breeding and showing top-quality poultry.
Young sheep farmer builds thriving business despite challenges
Luvo Kiyane is not only at the helm of a profitable livestock initiative on a shared state land reform farm in the Elliot district of the Eastern Cape, but also owns a vibrant wool services business. Mike Burgess writes about his successful journey into the South African agriculture sector.
From a DJ to a successful farmer in the Eastern Cape
Lubabalo Ngcwembe (43), from Zwelitsha near Qonce, shares his remarkable journey into farming, overcoming challenges to build Ikhasilethu, a thriving livestock and vegetable enterprise.
White Savanna goats add meat to beef enterprise
Desmond Siteti, the Agricultural Research Council’s Eastern Cape emerging beef farmer for 2021, believes that his flock of white Savanna goats is the perfect complement to his beef operation near Makhanda in the Eastern Cape.
The uphill battle of a communal sheep farmer
Zolani Tsheko, the second vice-chairperson of the National Wool Growers’ Association, is a wool producer in the communal area of Thornhill near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess recently visited him to gain a better understanding of the production challenges faced by communal farmers, who Tsheko is obligated to lead in terms of his mandate.
Rusks: A homemade success story
Almost two decades ago, Heather van Zyl began baking rusks in her kitchen for neighbours and friends. Today she sells 60t across five provinces. Mike Burgess visited her recently on the farm Van Zylsrust near Lady Grey in the Eastern Cape to better understand her secret to success.
From communal to commercial: a Bonsmara farmer’s success story
Mthobeli Dintsi was a 2022 provincial winner in the National Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo Farmer of the Year competition, a category of the Agricultural Research Council’s National Beef Performers Awards. Mike Burgess visited him recently on his farm in the Eastern Cape to better understand his journey to commercial beef production with Bonsmaras.
Nguni x Brahman: an exceptional, feedlot-friendly cross
Theo Maqashalala runs approximately 100 commercial Nguni breeding female animals near the town of Seymour in the Eastern Cape. He spoke to Mike Burgess about his appreciation for the Nguni breed, and why he opted for a terminal crossbreeding programme that uses Brahman bulls.
South Devon cows and heifers: the central pillar of stud efficiency
The Roets family of the Eastern Cape’s Barkly East district has been associated with South Devon cattle for approximately 90 years. Yet it was only in 2017 that PD Roets registered a stud. Mike Burgess visited him to find out more about his commitment to the selective breeding of South Devons in this cold, mountainous area.
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