Crops

The EuroTier 2012 Dairy, Pork and Poultry Technologies Exhibition in November in Hanover, Germany, was an opportunity for companies to showcase their best products to the world’s farmers. Lloyd Phillips was there to learn more about the systems and instruments that carried off the gold medals.

Despite the enormous challenges they face, most farmers remain passionate about what they do.

“Cosatu’s announcement that the farm worker strike in the Western Cape had been called off is welcomed”, said Johannes Möller, President of Agri SA.

A scone is one of the best things that can happen to flour, eggs and butter. This coffee-time staple is filled with mystery, especially in the hands of home bakers reluctant to share their secrets. So here’s a classic recipe, made by millions of successful home bakers whose number you are about to join.

Build your own affordable, sustainable straw bale home with these handy tips.

The civil rights organisation AfriForum this morning lay criminal complaints against Nosey Pieterse from the trade union Bawusa at the Lyttelton Police Station in Centurion.

Don’t let everything go to rock and ruin until your farmyard looks like an informal settlement. Regular care and attention will save you a fortune in the long run, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.

Bankers and people involved in finance use many fancy words, and knowing what they mean is necessary if you want to make money, writes Susan Pletts.

The stirfry is one of the quickest routes from raw to cooked. Ideally, you need a wok and a blast of cooking gas. And if a good wok is hard to find, the hardy skottelbraai is a perfect substitute. Most of the effort this delicious meal requires lies in its preparation, but this is no big deal and well within the reach of the beginner cook.

The Polydress O2 Barrier 2-in-1 uniquely combines polyethylene silage film and polyamide underlay film to create an oxygen barrier that has been improved, it is claimed, by a factor of between 6 and 10.

The Polydress O2 Barrier 2-in-1 uniquely combines polyethylene silage film and polyamide underlay film to create an oxygen barrier that has been improved, it is claimed, by a factor of between 6 and 10.

2012 has brought many challenges to the farming community and many of the problems will continue into 2013. Some agricultural union presidents share their messages of hope for farmers.

The futuristic new Cobra Interceptor sprayer was launched at the recent EIMA Show in Bologna, Italy. Joe Spencer reports.

We can’t escape maths, so learn to love it, because it’s something you can’t do without when it comes to running your business successfully, writes Susan Pletts.

For some diners the electric tingle of chilli is as essential as salt and pepper. And for this cook, one of the best ways to get your daily chilli fix and have a damn good meal at the same time is to get stuck into a lamb and potato curry. If lamb is in short supply, goat makes a substantial substitute with a texture and flavour that some prefer to mutton.

Each and every farmer needs to take a lead in fixing the current ‘labour situation’ – because we can’t count on government.

Mutton bunny There are lots of stories about how bunny chows got their name. All that matters to you and me is that the meal has nothing to do with rabbits. More to the point, it is a simple KZN classic that deserves its place as an easy-to-make lunchtime replacement for sandwiches, burgers or even a pie and slap tjips.

Instead of focusing on the country’s social and economic needs, government has turned inward.

The National Development Plan (Vision 2030) presents a way forward for agriculture, recognising the importance of commercial and smallholder farming and advocating a pragmatic, engaged approach, explains John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz.

Roasting, writes Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, requires a set of principles rather than a collection of recipes. Roasting principles that ring bells for this meal are two: sizzling and resting, of which, more later.