Crops

'You can't feed all those people with platinum, gold or computer chips.'

I am sure that anyone who grows onions has experienced bolting at some time or another if you haven't you're probably losing some of the crop's potential.

Farming has its fair share of risk, but Groblersdal farmer George Barnard has found ways around this to maximise profit. Contract farming, new technology and careful irrigation have put this farmer a step above the rest.

'Every farmer wants higher prices, but higher compared to which benchmark?' asks Mike Cordes.

'With sets you'll get a perfect stand regardless of the weather and be able to harvest earlier.'

Many vegetable crops fail due to a lack of nitrogen. Side dressing is a safe way of ensuring that plants get enough of this element, says Bill Kerr.

The Nohari family of the Tongaat area in KwaZulu-Natal has been farming succesfully for five generations. They share some of the highs and lows of fresh produce farming with Lloyd Phillips.

'The Chinese eat an average 440kg of vegetables per capita a year against a world average of 200kg.'

'Sunlight is the ultimate limiting factor. Water and nutrients will only optimise the limits set by day length.'

A ley pasture gives tired soil a chance to recuperate. It also offers economic benefits, explains rangeland scientist and land reclamation specialist, Dr Wayne Truter.

'Transplant shock will make the plants bulb at a small size, or go into hibernation.'

'Anybody can deliver to a market at any time - be it one unit or thousands.'