Field Crops

Diversifying from sugar cane into macadamias and tunnel tomatoes demanded careful monitoring of data and water quality by Stuart Borchers in order to generate a valuable weekly income. Robyn Joubert spoke to him.

Werner Brand is growing vegetables successfully, using organic methods, on the arid, windy West Coast – an almost unheard-of achievement. Keri Harvey visited him to find out how he does it.

How we can use grasses as an intercrop to improve water-use efficiency and yield stability in semi-arid conditions. Rohan Orford reports.

In the deeply rural area of OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, a fruit tree project is changing lives. Jaco Visser visited a farmer who is benefiting.

South African kiwi fruit growers can lift yields by following best management practices, as well as by exploring new high-yielding gold varieties. Robyn Joubert reports.

How does maize seed breeding in South Africa work? Annelie Coleman visited Pannar’s research facility in Klerksdorp and spoke to seed breeders Dr Willie Venter and Chris van Zyl to find out more.

Hendri Jansen van Rensburg is the latest farmer to join the ranks of the Free State Young Farmers of the Year. At 35 he just made the cut-off age for the competition, but his unassuming nature by no means detracts from his farming skills. Determined and brimming with positivity, Hendri fully deserves the title. Lindi van Rooyen reports.

Kwasizabantu Mission is venturing into exotic fruit production, with a focus on the bright pink dragon fruit, to sustain its missionary work. .

Umkomaas Valley farmer Johnny Sfaelos forged a farming career for himself 52 years ago – and the cost-effective ways of his generation have helped him cap his costs. Robyn Joubert visited him at Valley View.

Successful farming comes not only from hard work and attention to detail, but also through taking good advice, says DAFF’s female entrepreneur of the year Pam Fyfie. Lloyd Phillips spoke to her.

Trials conducted by the Agricultural Research Council at its Zeekoegat experimental farm in Roodeplaat have compared conventional farming practices with conservation agriculture, and have identified many benefits to CA. Peter Hittersay reports.

Investing R1,5 million in a technologically advanced greenhouse has increased tomato yields and profit at Valley Fresh, a social profit enterprise supporting abandoned and orphaned children.

Ben Visser is one of the first and most succesfull olive producers in the Northern Cape. His steadfast insistence on value adding at farm level has resulted in an award-winning business. Annelie Coleman spoke to him.

Peter Mashala highlights new vegetable cultivars now available.

Diversification and crop rotation keep Petrus van der Walt busy 12 months of the year. But the bottom line has been worth the effort for this 2011 Limpopo Farmer of the Year. He tells Lindi van Rooyen about sustainable farming and handing over the business to his children.

SA’s honeybush industry holds great potential. Thanks to careful selection, Van Zyl and Mona Joubert of Bredasdorp have good plant material, putting them ahead of the game.

Edward Taylor, winner of this year’s Hex Valley Table Grape Association’s Block Competition, produced Red Flame seedless grapes with good colour and berry size by employing strict bunch management practices and using new spray application technology. Edward, a member of the ASV Boerdery group, tells Denene Erasmus how he did it.

Henk Conradie adopted no-till practices four years ago on the nine farms he manages in Mpumalanga. He tells Peter Hittersay how he converted to this system and why it has benefited the operation.

A wise farmer adapts his production methods to his farm’s environment. Gerhard Keeve, an award-winning soya bean producer, shares his approach to obtaining the maximum yield under rainfed conditions with Lloyd Phillips.

By early 2012, the maize price had nearly doubled year-on-year, with serious implications for livestock farmers who buy in large quantities of maize for feed. Western Cape dairy farmers, already struggling due to the low milk price, are now opting to plant maize to produce their own silage, despite water and weather constraints.