Lucerne: A massive export market for ‘green gold’
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...
Growing a variety of soil microbes
Most farmers are aware that a healthy population of soil organisms is a good thing. What many don’t understand is that the number of soil organisms is directly related to...
Sugar beans: A good harvest against the odds
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...
Making the most of calcium as a soil and plant nutrient
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...
Hi-tech onion business delivering 200t a day!
Willem, Jaco and Kolver Mulke produce onions on a large scale near Douglas on the border between the Free State and the Northern Cape. Sabrina Dean visited their high-tech operation...
Pecan nut farming: high cost, big returns
The boom in nut prices in recent years is expected to continue as consumers opt for healthier foods. This has increasingly led to farmers replacing their crops with nut trees....
A guide to growing baby carrots
There’s always a market for baby vegetables, and carrots are no exception. In the past, top-shaped baby carrots were the most popular in the frozen range.
How Free State maize farmer survived the drought
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.
How pioneers make mango production work
Bernie van den Heever and Danie Smit are proving that mango production can become a thriving enterprise in the Western Cape.
Conservation agriculture pays off in drought
Long-term conservation trials conducted on rotated grain crops in the Swartland and Southern Cape during the drought have produced promising results. Dr Johann Strauss, agronomist at the Western Cape Department...
Diesel tree: fuel for the alternative energy sector
Christo Smit, a former researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, is working on developing a sustainable biofuel industry from the diesel tree.
Carrots: get your numbers right!
Hot weather is unfavourable for carrot germination. Depending on the soil’s condition and structure, it also promotes the growth of soil fungus diseases, especially when heavy rain falls, as is...
