Conservation agriculture

A picture is worth a thousand words. This week I have three pictures that are worth much, much more than that – and tell a sorry tale!

Is this a reminder that the time to plant Sericea lespedeza is at hand? Well, yes and no...

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.

The most popular planted grass pasture on the Highveld has to be Eragrostis curvula.

It makes no economic sense to produce poor quality hay.

Even at the best of times, hay is a very expensive commodity and has a huge impact on the profitability of livestock enterprises.

The plant/soil ecosystem is crucial to agriculture. Failure to recognise this fact and build upon it has brought about the demise of many farms.

Biological farming is getting better by the day, thanks to intelligent and observant farmers.

How to progress in your farming operation and increase your wealth, especially when it comes to biological farming.

Improve productivity all round, especially in mixed farming regions, by looking after your veld.

Ignore basic grass management principles and you’ll destroy the grazing potential of your veld for seasons to come.

We all experience defining moments from time to time that change the way we think. I recently had such a moment. It radically changed my perception of the value of veld.