Lifestyle

When your vehicle gets stuck in a swamp at sunset in game-rich country full of nocturnal predators, you better pray your torch doesn't let you down. Abre' J Steyn discovers three amazing, and reliable, torches.

Dirk and Edith applied for a 10-unit development on a portion of their farm in the upper Van Reenen's Pass area of KZN.

The Vaal River used to be one of Abre' J Steyn's favourite fishing spots as a young boy. Back then it was a pristine river brimming with life. But like the Oliphants River, one of the most heavily polluted rivers on the continent, the Vaal is on a slippery downward slope, with mining as its biggest problem.

Jonno, My husband and I will be retiring from public service in five years, but we want to start building our dream home now.

Strawbale building has gathered much interest from Farmer's Weekly readers. Abre J Steyn answers a few more questions on the technology, and envisions a database through which readers can share their insights.

We had a surprise visit from a couple my wife and I befriended some 40 years ago. Trevor and Margaret found an old copy of Farmer's Weekly with my picture in it and ferreted me out.

I got a call from Dallas (not the city in the US) to have a look at his house in Durban that needs upgrading. The house is located in one of the original suburbs of Durban, where in the early days some 45 years ago, I was senior property salesperson for a well-know estate agency.

Many obsolete camera components are still very usable with some modification. And once the modification bug re-emerges, one bite is all it takes to get your creative juices flowing again, writes Abré J Steyn.

I got a call from a prospective farmer in the battlefields area of KZN, to come and see three derelict old farm houses on three adjacent farms in the area. Erich was to establish a new farming venture on one of these farms; and required a home for the manager to be.

I recently received a call from a regular Farmer's Weekly reader and acquaintance who likes the way I improvise on cutting building costs.

Hi Jonno, I've decided to demolish the small cottage close to my house and rebuild one further down the property with a maximum size of 80m².

If a piece of equipment is to work better, you have to modify it. But once you start modifying, it's difficult to stop, writes Abré J Steyn.

Dear Jonno, I am looking to put up a small house on my brother-in-law's farm outside Lusaka.

I had a call from Ben in the Dundee Area of the Natal Midlands. "We need to make space on our farm for the next generation" He said.

As poaching has threatened almost one rhino a day this year alone, South African farmers have resorted to desperate measures. With this in mind, Abré J Steyn decides to revisit the idea of horn farming.

Issue date: 24 September 2010

Strawbale houses aren't as flimsy as many think - some date back 600 years. Plus, they're cheap and easy to build, writes Abre J Steyn.

Hi Jonno, I have just secured a stand in one of the towns in Zimbabwe. The size of the stand is 140m2 (14m x 10m)....

It's easy to take hearing for granted as most of us know nothing about how the delicate ear interprets sound waves, writes Abré J Steyn.

Namibia is far more successful than South Africa when it comes to guest farm accommodation.