Field Crops

Johan Jacobs plants lucerne to ensure mega yields from other crops in his niche farming business, as well as a good cash flow for at least nine months of the year. Sabrina Dean visited him on his farm on the banks of the Orange River in the Northern Cape.

Shadrack Mbele has been getting good returns from sugar bean since first planting it in 2014. Sabrina Dean visited him in the eastern Free State to find out more about his production techniques, and how he brought this season’s crop back from the brink of disaster.

Despite being a vitally important element for optimal crop production, calcium is often largely undervalued by farmers and agronomists. Plant health expert Heather Raymond explains why this outlook needs to be changed, and gives tips on how to enhance calcium in soils and plants.

Sabrina Dean visited maize farmer AC van Wyk on his farm in the Free State, to gain some insight into how an award-winning farmer tackles a difficult planting season.

Christo Smit, a former researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, is working on developing a sustainable biofuel industry from the diesel tree.

Andri Visser, a doctoral student at the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West University, explores how assumptions about the behaviour of the African stem borer affect the resistance management strategy and sustainability of Bt-maize.

Chris and Dewald Bothma of North West have converted from conventional maize production to a combination of precision and conservation agriculture methods. But the change did not come easily, and many lessons had to be learnt along the way.

Lucerne is one of the most important hay crops in South Africa, but differences in quality can have a marked effect on livestock performance and profitability, especially in the dairy industry.

Although Wayne Mansfield made useful connections in the fruit industry as a hawker, he knew little about farming.

With competition fierce in South Africa’s vegetable production arena, finding clients and then adapting to their requirements are essential for success. Award-winning vegetable farmer Zama Buthelezi tells Lloyd Phillips how she does it.

Syngenta Potato Farmer of the Year 2017, Nico Wagner of Wilnick Boerdery, employs various efficiency measures to ensure profitability, and the quality of his produce ensures a stable demand from market agents and consumers.

South Africa’s irrigated sugar cane farming region was hard hit by the recent drought. This prompted Dr Abraham Singels, principal agronomist at the SA Sugarcane Research Institute, and his colleagues to begin researching options aimed at maximising water-use efficiencies in sugar cane irrigation.

Sunflower’s consistent yield and drought-tolerance make it an attractive crop for SA’s dryland regions. It also has a relatively long planting window. Nonetheless, care should be taken to plant at the optimal time, cautions Dr Safiah Ma’Ali, senior researcher at ARC-Grain Crops Institute.

Many SA farmers are unaware of the profitability and other benefits of pulses such as cowpea, groundnut and soya bean. As a result, these plants are neglected as crop alternatives, says Phonnie du Toit, chief research technician at the Agricultural Research Council in Potchefstroom.

Wimpie Smit, co-owner of AMW Boerdery in the Western Cape, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about beating the odds in a tough market and managing a fickle crop.

New vineyards can make or break a producer. Warren Bam, the Western Cape Agricultural Writers’ 2017 New Entrant to Commercial Farming of the Year nominee, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he establishes new vineyards without risking his cash.

Christmas is associated with a host of traditions, and nowhere more so than in the UK. Here, it’s not really Christmas unless you have a real fir tree at home. Sabrina Dean visited a Christmas tree farmer in Berkshire, UK, and spoke to forestry manager, Paul Mather, about the operation.

The Greenleaf Olive Company near Cape Agulhas in the Overberg planted its first trees in 2006. Just 10 years later, the olive oil produced here is one of South Africa’s premium local brands.

Grain producer, Danie Slabbert, wants to manage soil sustainably so that it remains productive for future generations. Annelie Coleman visited him on his farm in the Free State to learn more.

Sabrina Dean spoke to Deon Marais, combine harvester operator, and Richard Godfrey-Thom, a cotton farmer in the Vaalharts region of the Northern Cape, about the innovative cotton picker revolutionising and reviving South Africa’s cotton industry.