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The Faraway Estate manor house stands in the foothills of Villiersdorp’s Stettynsberg on a working olive, fig and pomegranate farm. The self-catering country escape with its large gourmet kitchen will delight culinary enthusiasts looking for a breakaway among mountain scenery, writes Brian Berkman.

Bernard Rabé of Rabé Boerdery in the Fochville area in North West runs a grain-focused operation on dryland. He aims to achieve the highest possible yield by following variable fertiliser and seed application rates according to the yield potential analysis of the soil. He also maintains a high plant density.

Snail-breeding enterprise CSC Heliculture began as a small-scale operation, but now business is booming thanks to growth in the market. Co-owner Christiaan Jooste spoke to Pieter Dempsey about the company’s success.

Since its introduction to South Africa 114 years ago, the Braunvieh, with its good walking ability and non-selective grazing habits, has adapted well and can thrive under some of the harshest conditions in the country. Hans Bester and his three daughters run the Witbek Braunvieh stud on Sussiesdeel farm in Vrede, Free State, and spoke to Annelie Coleman about the advantages of this hardy breed.

Tuberculosis is an important zoonotic disease that spreads slowly in animal populations.

With solar energy becoming increasingly affordable and reliable, more and more farmers are using it to reduce their electricity costs and dependence on Eskom power. Claude Peters of RenEnergy spoke to Glenneis Kriel about this trend.

Major global food demand-and-supply trends, identified and monitored by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, were already visible before the onset of COVID-19. The pandemic, and governments’ reactions to it via lockdown restrictions, merely accelerated these trends, says Dr Koos Coetzee.

Livestock producers, particularly in arid climates, are struggling to remain profitable. Soil degradation and declining stocking rates have been identified as some of the main reasons for this decline. Colin Nott, a regenerative agricultural consultant from Namibia, spoke to Annelie Coleman.

Start small and grow with the results. This is the principle followed by young pig farmer Jason Buys of Ocean View Piggery in the Western Cape. Jeandré van der Walt visited him to learn more about his free-range pig operation and how he plans to grow his farming business.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution can aid crop insurance, although the technology still has a long way to go to reach its full potential, according to Schalk Schultz of Santam Agriculture. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel.

Chillies are a difficult crop to market; demand is limited and retailers’ requirements can be tough to meet. Mpumalanga farmer Chris Roux overcomes these challenges by planting a wide and colourful range of chillies and using biological farming techniques. Lindi Botha spoke to him about going the extra mile in production.

Like many industries, the horse industry is suffering due to COVID-19 regulations. If you own a farm, bringing in some game could offer you another income stream, says Dr Mac.