Farming Basics

Master farming basics with practical tips on crop growth, livestock care, irrigation, soil management, and effective farm operations.

Understanding citrus – 2

In South Africa, citrus is divided into four groups for marketing and production purposes: oranges, grapefruit, lemons and soft citrus (mandarins).

Check the condition of your herd

Over-fat cows can have problems with conception and at calving.

Building maintenance and repair

Locally sourced material can give buildings an attractive, natural, cost-effective finish. Roelof Bezuidenhout offers some examples.

Diesel rebates: keeping the right records

Keep detailed records to claim diesel rebates according to the taxman’s requirements.

The difference between vaccination and treatment

Vaccines and treatment drugs can both be injected, but the two are not the same.

Estimating cattle age

You can make a good guess at the age of cattle by looking at their teeth.

Finding out about diesel rebates

SARS recently clamped down on diesel rebates, and many farmers have been hit with hefty fines. Don’t become one of them. Susan Pletts goes through the claims process.

Why organic is better and cheaper

Don’t be fooled by lab tests, healthy soil in an organic system is more fertile than conventionally fertilised soil.

An amazing system

Healthy soil provides plants with exactly what they need.

Farmers, get to know your neighbour

City dwellers may get by without taking much interest in what goes on in their street or block of flats, but farmers simply can’t afford to ignore their neighbours, says Roelof Bezuidenhout.

When the bite is worse than the bark

The symptoms, prevention and treatment of the killer disease rabies.

Identifying the predator

Accurate identification of the damage-causing animal (DCA) preying on your livestock is critical to a predator management strategy.

Working capital

Make sure you can pay your bills while you wait for your farming operation to earn an income, cautions Susan Pletts.

Keep your broilers cool

Follow these tips provided by the Livestock Research and Innovation Institute of the Limpopo Department of Agriculture to reduce the effect of summer’s high temperatures on broiler houses.

Working together

Plant root systems and the soil surrounding them have a symbiotic relationship vital to plant production.

Step 3 – How to protect the land

Monitor overhead cables and other potentially dangerous structures.

Buying a farm – 3

Implement a record keeping system as soon as you move on to your new farm says Susan Pletts.

Check those fences

Goats are natural roamers – they don’t like being fenced in.

Plant production

Photosynthesis enables plants to feed themselves – as well as the soil.

Buying a farm – part 2

Buyers often forget that they must pay the ‘tax’ portion of the purchase price of the farm, cautions Susan Pletts.
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