Putting worms to good use
Moving from pigs to earthworms is not a typical business move – but that’s what Umhlali farmer Barry Milstead did. It’s part of his efforts to farm his subtropical orchards...
Co-operation works!
I was paging through the archives of the Institute of Market Agents of SA (IMASA) the other day when I came across the minutes of a joint meeting of the...
Potato tuber moth and other spud pests
Many pests target potatoes but most of these occur very occasionally and are likely to do minimal damage.
Tomatoes year-round – new cultivars
Producing tomatoes in tunnels is highly scientific, expertise-intensive and efficient in terms of area, water, nutrient and resource use. Keri Harvey visited Amanda Viljoen to find out how she does...
About bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is a “system of administration distinguished by its clear hierarchy of authority; rigid division of labour; written and inflexible rules and regulations; and impersonal relationships.
The risks of nematodes in potatoes
Nematodes are often referred to as ‘eel-’ or ‘roundworms’ because they resemble the common earthworm, but these parasites belong to a different grouping or phylum.
It’s Conference season again
On 22 and 23 August, the Produce Marketing Association of Southern Africa (PMA) will host its annual international conference, ‘Fresh Connections’, at the University of Pretoria.
Likely potato insect pests
One pest will invariably occur if provision isn’t made to deal with it. This is cutworm.
Supervision is all
In the 22 June issue of Farmer’s Weekly, Paul Lynch, chairperson of the SA Wool & Mohair Buyers Association, bemoans the lowering of wool classing standards, saying: “Farmers are not...
Controlling nitrogen application is important
Your basic fertilisation of the potato crop should have been done according to a soil analysis, leaving the main variable, nitrogen, to be managed as circumstances require.
Protecting the soil
Hopefield entrepreneur, Francois Turner, hasn’t ploughed his potato lands since 2007. He explained to Keri Harvey how the no-till method of farming potatoes works and why he believes it’s the...
Small-scale farming booms in Kenya
Seed research, a special training model and financial support are helping to transform small-scale farming in Kenya, improving both yields and returns. Bob Koigi reports.
