Wise words from Deon van Zyl
I was delighted to read Wilma den Hartigh’s interview with Deon van Zyl on tactics to achieve successful sales on markets.
Striving for a happy medium
There is no single ‘ideal’ method for growing seedlings successfully and economically – conditions vary too much – but there are guidelines that can help a newcomer get it right...
The delicate art of large-scale rose farming
Langkloof Roses is home to thousands of rose bushes, and its gorgeous cut flowers are well-known at retail outlets in the Western Cape. Jacoba Samuels, who has had nearly two...
Fresh produce markets: how far we have come
I wrote my first column for Farmer’s Weekly 15 years ago and today I’m about to embark on #750.
Seedlings and seedling trays
Some farmers think that seedlings should not be kept too long because they will not be as productive. They are partly right, but age matters less than physiological development.
Tillage vs no-till: a farmer’s cost comparison
Agricultural economist and part-time farmer, Dr Philip Theunissen, provides a detailed efficiency and cost comparison between conventional tillage and no-till maize crops.
Superspud!
At a recent Potatoes South Africa (PSA) information day, I learnt a number of facts about our favourite vegetable (and the biggest-selling crop on our fresh produce markets).
Hardening vegetable seedlings
A Highveld farmer I knew once desperately needed seedlings and turned to a supplier in another region. I still recall his shock when the consignment arrived: the seedlings were far...
Cutting water and energy use in orchards
Robertson farmer, Louis Loubser, has developed a system that allows micro-sprinkler users to significantly cut water and energy use in orchards. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his invention, the...
Ensuring realistic prices
The debate over food prices continues to hold centre stage. This is understandable, given that poor families in South Africa spend roughly a third of their household incomes on food,...
Get to know your seedling grower
To produce optimal results, seedlings must be in good condition when planted, and thereafter cared for properly until they are established.
Managing no-till soil acidity and fertiliser requirements
No-till may be a sustainable and cost-effective crop production system, but it comes with challenges of its own. Guy Thibaud, veteran soil scientist with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and...
