Field Crops

Globally, the fate of bees, as well as their important role in pollination and food production, have been in the spotlight. Wilma den Hartigh spoke to industry experts about the decline in bee numbers, the causes thereof and what can be done to safeguard global populations.

When Stefan and Anné Pretorius established Katlego Sitrus more than a decade ago, they decided to re-evaluate everything they knew about farming. This involved introducing new technology to improve production processes.

For small-scale mushroom farmers in South Africa, production can be a challenge. But Wilmaré Lotz of Boland Mushrooms succeeded in doubling production in her first year as manager. Specialising in button mushrooms, the business employs 36 members of the local community and produces approximately 6,5t of mushrooms a week.

Many small-grain farmers in the Southern Cape have added brassicas in the form of canola to their crop rotation programmes. Jose de Kock talked to Glenneis Kriel about how he is taking this a step further by including vegetable brassicas, such as broccoli and cauliflower, in the rotation cycle.

Some 16 years ago, Johannes Joubert introduced canola to his crop rotation system on the family farm Kweekkraal. This not only contributed to the health of his soil, but led to his winning the Protein Research Foundation’s Southern Cape canola yield competition with a yield of 2,41t/ha.

Peter Da Rocha farms cauliflower, broccoli and lettuce near Delmas in Mpumalanga. The operation's focus on cultivar selection for better production efficiency has had a significant impact on the business’s profitability.

Peter Nicholson of Roselands farm near Richmond in KwaZulu-Natal believes organic farming can be used to sustainably feed the world. He shares his vision with Lloyd Phillips.

With citrus orchards that extend for more than 60km along the Eastern Cape’s Sundays River Valley, Sitrusrand is one of the largest producers in the area, and exports to many countries around the world.

Jacques Beukes is a table grape farmer in the Western Cape, and is always searching for new ways in which to expand and improve his business. Since joining the family farm in 2006, the operation has shifted from seeded to seedless grapes, and turnover has increased by 900%.

Erika Oberholzer produces microgreens and elfin vegetables for local and export markets, as well as herbs and medicinal plants for the essential oils industry, on 7ha in Midrand.

Lephalale vegetable producer, Pieter Pieterse, spoke to Gerhard Uys about the challenges of sustainably farming numerous crops in tunnels, on open land and under netting.

Andrew Jonker runs a wheat and livestock operation near Riversdale in the Western Cape. He explained to Glenneis Kriel how he combined conservation farming principles with the latest precision farming technology to ensure a sustainable business.

The Ernst family of Allesbeste Boerdery is renowned for its pioneering work in the avocado industry. Through innovative methods, improved genetics and research, the aim is to increase the fruit’s yield per hectare in line with that of other fruit sectors. Alita van der Walt reports.

There has long been a misconception that good quality wine can only be produced from vineyards with low yields. Glenneis Kriel speaks to three farmers from Robertson who have been able to almost double production volumes without this having a negative impact on wine quality.

DJ van der Linde, the 2016 Free State Young Farmer of the Year, maintains that an optimistic attitude can make the difference between success and failure in farming. The young grain producer from Vierfontein spoke to Annelie Coleman.

Undercover farming techniques have recently expanded to include so-called vertical farming, which requires an even smaller footprint and uses water and fertiliser even more efficiently.

The Gerber family’s Forest Ferns business in Tsitsikamma started with just one product, says Johan Gerber. Today it harvests 35 products on 150 000ha located between Port Elizabeth and George, much of it for export.

Langkloof Roses is home to thousands of rose bushes, and its gorgeous cut flowers are well-known at retail outlets in the Western Cape. Jacoba Samuels, who has had nearly two decades of experience on the farm, manages the entire production process. She spoke to Jay Ferreira.

Agricultural economist and part-time farmer, Dr Philip Theunissen, provides a detailed efficiency and cost comparison between conventional tillage and no-till maize crops.

No-till may be a sustainable and cost-effective crop production system, but it comes with challenges of its own. Guy Thibaud, veteran soil scientist with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, explains how to deal with these.