Crops

Recently named the Agricultural Writer of SA’s Farmer of the Year for 2015, Piet Karsten has built a farming empire on the Orange River, where some of SA’s top export...

The ‘Codes of Best Practice (CoBP) for National Fresh Produce Markets’ prepared by the Project Rebirth Steering Committee (chaired by the department of agriculture) will bring our fresh produce markets...

No-till is highly practical for small-scale vegetable farmers and organic farmers, while conventional commercial vegetable growers will find some aspects of the practice useful.

I suppose that being in the fresh produce business makes it inevitable that I classify markets according to their size – not unlike potatoes or certain fruit.

Soil quality determines the quality of produce, the volume of water needed to produce it and ultimately the production cost. Restoring degraded soil takes time, but thereafter production costs plummet....

No-till farmers have always known that leaving a layer of crop residue on the soil surface increases the humus content.

To achieve a HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) accreditation is costly.

Viewing the current drought in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal within its historical context allows us to understand it better – and forecast more accurately what is to come. This...

When making permanent beds, a farmer should take into account tractor traffic.

I heard a new proposal recently from a distinguished ‘market man’ whose opinion I rate highly.

CEO of Agrivan Farming in North West, Werner du Plessis, spoke to Gerhard Uys about farming seed potatoes and how his business has remained at the top of its game...

No-till vegetable production is not practical for everyone and is more suited to the small-scale organic farmer.

Last week, I wrote about the 70th birthday celebrations of the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa (Imasa) and predicted that it would be ‘an affair to remember’.

Many types of organisms affect the quality and health of our soil.

I recently was in Bloemfontein with the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa (Imasa) to celebrate its 70th birthday.

Of all soil organisms, earthworms can be by far the largest component by weight. Their benefits are generally insufficiently appreciated by farmers.

A farmer can significantly reduce climate-associated risk with conservation farming practices. Western Cape farmer, Michael Dippenaar, shares his journey with Glenneis Kriel.

Last week, I wrote about the impressive new markets being established in Namibia.

It may surprise many farmers that not all nematodes (eelworms) are harmful to crops.

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...