Beating the drought with conservation farming
A farmer can significantly reduce climate-associated risk with conservation farming practices. Western Cape farmer, Michael Dippenaar, shares his journey with Glenneis Kriel.
Rootstocks for the future
While Kakamas seedlings and Marianne are old favourites amongst stone fruit producers, new higher-producing rootstocks are becoming available. Dr Piet Stassen shared his findings with growers at an information day...
Adding canola pays off for Overberg wine farmer
Raka Wines started diversifying its farming business three years ago by introducing winter grains and canola. This was so successful that the enterprise’s canola crop achieved the highest yield in...
Natural crop resilience to pests, diseases and environmental challenges
The use of chemicals to control pests and diseases in crops is bad news for the environment and the farmer’s bottomline. During a visit early this year to South Africa,...
Cotton success for North West farmer
Last year, Gert Cilliers from Stella in North West decided to plant cotton for the first time since 1993. Gerhard Uys spoke to him about his decision.
A planter designed for stony soil
The nature of the soil in the southern parts of the Western Cape has up to now limited the full implementation of no-till. However, Human Landboudienste recently tested a disk...
A robust trellis reduces labour, improves quality
Major apple producers across the world are switching to high-density planting to reduce labour costs, improve fruit quality and increase production. Willie Kotze, research and development manager at Dutoit Group,...
Farmer pioneers sustainable rooibos production trials
Nieuwoudtville farmer Pierre Rossouw is conducting trials and implementing conservation farming practices to improve the soil health of his rooibos tea lands and counteract soil erosion due to wind action.
The importance of sulphur in profitable crop production
In recent decades, crop scientists have increasingly come to recognise the importance of sulphur as a nutrient in crop production. Dr Elke Bloem, scientific director at the Institute for Crop...
Managing soil mineral ratios
It is essential that farmers understand the importance of mineral balance in their soils, says Graeme Sait, CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions in Australia. He visited South Africa this year to...
Productivity vs labour costs – a delicate balance
Although farm labour is still relatively cheap in South Africa compared with some other countries, worker output is much lower. As a result, many farmers struggle to absorb the impact...
How helping soil life can boost farm profits
The self-regulating ecological balance in nature’s soils is what keeps them so sustainably productive. Graeme Sait, CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions in Australia, says that farmers need to learn more from...
Selecting a suitable soil biofumigant
The phasing out of methyl bromide and pressure on various synthetic nematicides and other compounds have sparked global interest in the use of certain brassica species to suppress soil-borne pathogens...
Growing apples in the Malutis
Maluti Fruit’s high-risk but focused decisions are paying off for producers, placing the eastern Free State firmly on the apple map.
Better soil with summer cover crops
Swellendam farmer Hoppies Uys has started a new farming trend in the Southern Cape by planting a summer cover crop directly after harvesting a silage crop in August. He talked...
Combating herbicide resistance
To combat herbicide resistance, farmers worldwide are having to become inventive in their herbicide application. Villa Crop’s Pieter le Roux offers practical solutions to the problem and looks at some...
Fruit trends: expect the unexpected
Consumer tastes in fruit are becoming increasingly sophisticated and varied across the world, and a future trend will be growing demand for new eating experiences and exotic flavours. Riaan van...
How humus can save the world
Humus is arguably one of the most important contributors to sustainable life on our planet, yet it remains largely unappreciated. Graeme Sait, CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions in Australia, explains why...
Sharon fruit in SA – growing local and export sales
Exotic Sharon fruit was introduced to South Africa in the late 1990s, but it took years to establish in which regions the trees would produce optimally. Over the past five...
A planter for the next level of conservation farming
Southern Cape conservation farmers are continually looking for new ways to improve their operations. The latest technological advance in planters, the Tobin Bullet disc planter, now allows them to move...
