Lifestyle

Jonno assists Tessa and Peter with roofing ideas.

What has happened to the police force that is supposed to prevent and combat crime and protect the community, asks Abré J Steyn.

Most cooks desperately keen for novel experiences take a shot at making jam. This they do once and never again, their kitchens awash with fruit pulp, the hobs sticky with boiled-over proto-jam, their carefully sterilised jars filled with runny slop that never sets and grows mildew you could harvest with a panga. Alternatively, you can do the previously unimaginable and make the stuff in the microwave. It’s beyond belief, I grant you, but it works!

Jonno helps a reader to design a house in Mauritius.

A classic - with a delicious mushroomy twist.

Hunting with a handgun isn't for everyone, but the satisfaction is so much greater, says Abré J Steyn.

Out of all the extraordinary and enticing Indian-accented foods available, breyani is one of the all-time greats. Breyani, no matter how you spell it, is not a single dish but an entire menu all on its own. For beginner cooks struggling to break away from braais, this recipe is the way to go.

While there is only one human activity more social than eating together, solo meals are part and parcel of the veld experience. Whether camping, hunting or fishing a person needs the pleasure of a good meal, easy to cook and a joy to eat.

An avid Farmer's Weekly reader has the opportunity to build a straw bale, self-sufficient, off-the-grid home in the Magaliesburg area. Jonno helps her out.

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.