Farming Basics

If you know what to look for, you can treat sick chickens, prevent diseases from spreading in your flock and select healthy chickens when buying new ones.

Dehorned cattle are easier to work with, house and transport. The chance of bad bruising is lessened, as is the danger of injury to udders, flanks and eyes, as well as to labourers working with the animals.

Maintain a healthy kitchen garden by irrigating at the right time and giving plants the right amount of water, says Bill Kerr.

Preventing disease requires good management and a programme for vaccination, deworming and dipping, explains Peter Mashala.

Green peppers like plenty of sunlight and moist, warm soil. If using seed, plant under a shelter about eight weeks before you anticipate the last frost in your area, then transplant.

Sweet potatoes are easy to plant, need little looking after and deliver high yields. They are usually grown in sandy soil, which makes them easier to dig up. But they also do well in most soils, even heavy clay.

Breeding in a beef herd can take place all year, or in a short breeding season. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Use the best one for your needs.

When planting a crop on a continuous basis, the tendency is to plant the same quantity regularly. This seems logical, but it's not the best way to proceed, as yields can vary greatly from week to week.

Potatoes are nutritious vegetables and form the staple diet of millions of people.

Onions are one of the first crops of spring. They are very versatile and can be stored during winter. They are frost resistant and grow in most climates.

Proper management of goats is very important because they can cover a large area in a day searching for food. They are also intelligent and can get through fences and into other people's yards and vegetable gardens, creating problems between you and your neighbours.

Carrots grow well and develop long straight roots when planted in loose, deep, rock-free, sandy loam soil.