Novice tunnel farmer wins with hydroponics
Byron Booysen started farming only five years ago and now produces tomatoes and other crops in an undercover system on 1,9ha just outside Kraaifontein near Cape Town. Jeandré van der...
SA hunting poised for growth
Arthur Rudman, veteran game rancher and member of the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa and Wildlife Ranching South Africa, speaks to Roelof Bezuidenhout about the future of the hunting...
Why a farmer has to be realistic
A farm can only produce according to its potential and what’s invested in it, says Roelof Bezuidenhout.
Watch out for wasps in the stable
These aggressive insects can cause painful stings in humans and horses. Dr Mac provides some useful tips on treating your horse if it gets stung.
Big food waste while people go hungry
South Africa’s food poverty line, also known as the extreme poverty line, which refers to the amount of money that an individual will need to afford the minimum required daily...
Free-range duck farming in KZN: Why less is more
Duck meat is a high-value niche product in South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal farmer Vanessa Collocott supplies this market with certified free-range ducks, and has combined shrewd business sense with compassion in...
Expert tips to get the most from irrigated wheat
Irrigated wheat is grown by many South African grain farmers in rotation with summer grains such as maize and soya bean. André du Toit, a senior wheat breeder with Pannar...
Intensive Boer goat farming: Good money, endless demand
Free State Boer goat farmer Mariaan Grobler says intensive production is a viable option as there are never enough goats available to meet demand. Sabrina Dean visited her on her...
Electric tractor powered by a cable
The GridCON research project and its electric cable powered tractor are part of John Deere’s continued efforts to electrify agricultural machinery, and offers new opportunities for farms to supply their...
Cash is a fact. Profit is an opinion!
The accounts of a business must reflect all transactions, whether physical or cash, that take place during the accounting period. If they don’t, beware, especially if someone assures you the...
Honeybush tea: Small industry, big potential
Although honeybush has long been used in parts of South Africa to brew a caffeine-free tea, it has remained a small-scale activity. However, the industry has potential to grow and...
Farming smarter can reduce methane emissions from livestock
The argument against beef production is gaining momentum, with the industry being accused, often inaccurately, of significantly increasing greenhouse gas emissions. However, climate-smart farming and improving productivity can reduce emissions.
WHAT TO READ NEXT
Grain hedging: lessons from the farmers who get it right
Since South African agriculture converted from control boards to the free market system in the 1990s, farmers have had to learn how to contend with extreme volatility on commodity markets....
