Supreme yield in soya
American farmer Kip Cullers holds the world record for soya bean yield. On a recent lecture tour of South Africa’s grain farming areas, he spoke about maximising yield.
Consistency of supply
I rate consistency as one of the ‘Big Five’ in fresh produce marketing, along with supply, demand, quality and communication.
Keep nutrition up and eelworms down
Swiss chard is easy to grow and exceptionally productive, but it does take a lot of nutrients out of the ground.
So, what’s a fair price?
Getting paid a fair price for a product is surely uppermost in all farmers’ minds. Having said that, what is a fair price?
Planting swiss chard
With Swiss chard, the cork-like ‘capsule’ that you plant is actually the fruit, which contains up to four seeds.
A partnership built on pineapples & a promise
Hluhluwe’s first black, queen pineapple grower has enormous support from his mentor and staff – but a lack of financial continuity from government could upend their best efforts.
Packaging: get it right!
Finding ways to minimise the high cost of packaging is an ongoing challenge.
Hands-on apple success in the Greyton district
Greyton is not known as an apple-growing area. Yet here, the farm Ouplaas boasts profitable apple orchards, thanks to organic compost and hands-on management. Nonetheless, heavy summer rains required smart...
Cultivating pseudo-grains in South Africa
The NuGrainSA Consortium introduced pseudo-grains to South Africa in 2013. Plant breeder at ARC-Roodeplaat, Willem Jansen van Rensburg, says that quinoa and grain amaranth are the most promising for local...
What is spinach?
The term ‘spinach’ refers to different species in different countries. In South Africa, there are two common species that we call ‘spinach’ – Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) and baby spinach...
A culture of care
This is not the first time in this column that I’ve addressed the crucial need for care.
Regulating nitrogen in vegetable crops
Farmers have long been advised to use standard fertiliser mixtures for crops as a matter of course.
Making organic fruit farming work
Organic farming is risky and difficult, but Jannie Nieuwoudt of Jamaka Organic Farm in the Cederberg believes the risk is justified by the rewards.
Wish list for election time
Dreams of money flowing in from government to rejuvenate our markets have partly been realised over the past year.
Wonder products
In Weimar Germany back in the 1920s, Dr Max Gerson developed what he claimed was a cure for cancer based on the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Selecting the right nitrogen fertiliser
When it comes to vegetables, choosing the right nitrogen fertiliser is extremely important. For many US agronomists, ammonium sulphate is the fertiliser of choice.
With mushroom & moringa on the side
After the success of the Winterveld Citrus Project, Winterveld United Farmers’ Association’s first project, its members decided to diversify and supplement their income. Philip Kgosana explains to Peter Mashala why...
Indigenous ‘Kanna’ keeps you calm & focused
Inspired by indigenous knowledge, a South African company has developed a natural, highly effective, mood-lifting and anxiety-reducing plant extract from the succulent plant, Sceletium tortuosum. Denene Erasmus spoke to Dr...
The relationship between nitrogen & organic matter
Vegetable growers frequently ignore the relationship between nitrogen and organic matter when deciding on the amount of nitrogen to apply to a crop, yet it is extremely important.
How to handle fresh produce
Instilling the importance of careful handling of fruit and vegetables is not as simple as it might seem.
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