Indice dei contenuti per 18 March 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

TOURISM CAN BECOME ONE OF THE MOST PROFITABLE VENTURES ON ANY FARM Agritourism is by no means a new concept, but it is perhaps a business opportunity that too few South African farmers have seriously considered. One does not need to own an historic Cape wine farm or a ‘Big Five’ game farm to present an attractive breakaway option for visitors. Location does matter, and being situated within about 200km of an urban area will count in your favour. However, keep in mind that when weary city folk want to spend some time away from the busy metropolis, it might just be that an isolated location is what they’re looking for. In this week’s issue of Farmer’s Weekly, we offer a special focus on agritourism (see pg 40 to pg…

The news article “Marula factory to uplift northern Zululand residents” (FW, 4 March) refers. In these days of doom and drought, I found Lloyd Phillips’s short article on the proposed marula factory rather cheering. There has always been much to commend African tree crops and their derivatives over ‘field-grown produce’ since the former, if properly established and managed, are much less vulnerable to El Niño and other climatic nastiness. So, good luck to this particular venture, in the hope that it will indeed produce commercial quantities of jam, beer, destoned fruit – and brandy! In addition, it may well be that the expressible kernel oil could prove of great use and value. There are two small points worth raising, though: • Of all fruit trees, marula seems to exhibit a…

In general, farmers probably know or care as little about consumer needs as consumers care about farming problems. It stands to reason that the disconnect between the two becomes worse the closer consumers live to urban areas and the further they are away from farming districts. This gap in knowledge and understanding is easily exploited by all kinds of pressure groups. Everybody seems to be breathing down farmers’ necks – from animal welfare and anti-GM activists, to bodies that monitor agriculture’s carbon and water footprints, and labour practices. Farmers feel as if they are booed by the home crowd whatever they do. For example, demands that they should go back to nature or produce organically are often (but not always) not even based on science, while unintended consequences, such as…

The first consignments of chicken imported from the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) arrived in South Africa in January.US role players who lobbied tirelessly for the SA market to be opened for US chicken imports said they were pleased with the flow of imports thus far. This was according to a statement released by US senators Johnny Isakson from Georgia and Chris Coons from Delaware, who took part in the negotiations to export chicken to SA under Agoa. Responding to questions from Farmer’s Weekly, Isakson said the recent shipment to SA had comprised five containers of chicken products. “All products passed food safety inspections and are being distributed in the retail sector,” he said. The senators also expressed their satisfaction with the market opening up after…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has found that mycotoxins cause not only acute poisoning and cancer, but may result in high levels of stunting in children. According to the IARC, mycotoxins are toxins produced by fungi that commonly grow on dietary staples, such as maize and peanuts. Since poor agricultural practices are mostly to blame for human exposure to mycotoxins, affected areas are more likely to be limited to developing countries, where the poor are exposed to mycotoxins by eating staples, such as maize, on a daily basis. Biocontrol measures and a diverse diet could reduce the prevalence of mycotoxins.…

The Swartberg region, near Prince Albert in the Karoo, recently suffered a devastating fire that destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of veld and caused damage to farm infrastructure. “It was the worst fire in 12 years in the Swartberg region,” Hein Rust, head of disaster management at the Central Karoo district municipality, said. The blaze is believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike. Most of the damage to veld was in CapeNature’s Swartberg Nature Reserve, according to Rust, with olive groves and irrigation infrastructure on some farms also affected. Some residents in the area said that the implications of the fire were far worse than what was being disclosed. Lienkie Schoeman of Aviator Estate said that although their vineyards did not suffer direct damage due to the…

Commodities investors are currently experiencing much uncertainty, with world markets challenging the traditional concepts of investment. Investors needed to be prudent about how they would mitigate risk to protect their wealth. This was the key message at a PSG business breakfast held recently in Paarl. “The main concern for investment professionals is that interest rates are approaching the zero band and that some regions, such as Scandinavia and Switzerland, are now even setting negative interest rates,” Francois Gouws, CEO of PSG, said. “What this means is that people must pay to keep their money in the bank and the whole concept of getting money early, gaining interest on it and benefiting from that rate of return goes out the window in these markets.” Adding to the uncertainty was the poor…

The time was long overdue for an “Agridesa” of key stakeholders in the local agricultural industry, said Hamish McBain, retired executive director of Tiger Brands Ltd. Speaking at the 2016 Grain SA congress in Bothaville, he said the “Agridesa” should follow a similar format to Codesa (the convention for a democratic South Africa) that preceded the 1994 elections. “The door to the government is slightly ajar at the moment. Make use of it to regain trust from both sides. But do it in a nice way, not in a way that causes embarrassment for government,” McBain advised. He said the increased global food demand, as well as the risks facing local households and national food security, were amongst the reasons why an Agridesa was essential at this time. The socio-economic…

A recently announced mandatory 15% cut in water supplies across municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal was not sufficient to prepare the province for the coming dry winter months, according to the KZN Agricultural Union (Kwanalu). Amongst interventions required, KZN’s municipalities needed to urgently attend to repairs and maintenance of water-supply infrastructure, and implement better management of this infrastructure, said the union. According to Kwanalu’s CEO, Sandy la Marque, in contrast to many of KZN’s municipalities, the province’s agricultural sector had generally been “far more diligent” in implementing measures to attempt to mitigate the drought’s worsening effects. “In some of the irrigation regions [of KZN] farmers implemented their own water restrictions as early as April/May 2015,” she said. Kwanalu was responding to news that the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs…

Rising production costs make it tempting for producers to buy sub-standard cartons. Packaging is generally seen as an area where savings can be made, according to Dawid Groenewald, a researcher from Citrus Research International’s Post Harvest Technical Forum. “It’s relatively easy to calculate how much money you’ve spent on packaging. For example, if you pay R10/carton, and export a million cartons, your annual packaging cost will be R10 million. This makes packaging a far more attractive cost saving option than fuel, transport, handling or pre-cooling,” Groenewald said. He warned that cutting corners with packaging could cost more in the long term than buying a good quality carton. Inferior packaging could have a negative impact on fruit quality and result in costly repackaging or even product rejection. LEANER AND LIGHTER The…

A series of alarming publications concerning the safety of tilapia consumption has recently surfaced on the Internet. Some of these supposedly ‘healthy nutrition’ sites are spreading unfounded rumours based on half-truths and disinformation. Tilapia are claimed to be “more dangerous for your health than some of the more notorious meats such as pork and beef”. These accusations are directed at the entire industry and do not distinguish between different production systems or locations. ALL FARMED FISH ARE NOT EQUAL In China, tilapia is produced on an industrial scale. Large quantities are exported, mainly to the US but also to Africa. Fish farmed in polluted districts close to industry in China (or anywhere else) are likely to be polluted themselves, and may indeed contain traces of pesticides, dioxins, carcinogens and other…

Oudebrug farm in Wellington in the Western Cape is a small, mixed-farming operation run by Carlo and Lucar Marra. The Italian-South African father-and-son team are passionate about authentic Italian foods, and have built a small but thriving enterprise on this. In particular, they have focused on coffee and olive oil: they run a small, climate-controlled coffee roastery and produce olive oil from their own orchard. IN THE BEGINNING Lucar Marra is the face and driving force behind the Villamar Coffee Roastery. About four years ago, the family started distributing roasted coffee beans under their brand name, Villamar. This is a combination of the Italian word villa (country house or farm), and ‘mar’, a contraction of the family name. In February last year, Lucar and Carlo began roasting their own coffee…

The number of plants per hole will depend on the type of papaya, whether dioecious (separate male and female trees), hermaphroditic (self-pollinating) or tissue-cultured plants. • Dioecious plants As only the female trees bear fruit, keep the ratio of male trees to females in a planting at about one to every 25 females. Three to five plants are usually grown in a single bag and treated as a single plant when planting out. If there is only one seedling per bag, plant three separate plants in each hole as close together as possible. • Hermaphroditic plants With cultivars such as Sunrise Solo and Tainung, each plant has the potential to bear fruit. Therefore plant only one plant per hole. • Tissue-culture plants These plants are clones of a selected plant and are usually…

AT THE END, WHAT REALLY COUNTS IS THE INTEGRITY OF THE MARKET AGENT In his Managing for Profit column of 5 February, Peter Hughes tells how leadership expert Fred Kiel found that businesses managed by people of character made returns up to five times higher than businesses whose leaders indulge in questionable behaviour. In The Speed of Trust, Stephan Covey follows a similar theme, pointing out that when trust is high, costs come down and returns go up. In the market agent business, integrity and trust are vital. As I’ve pointed out before, a market agent represents the producer in a financial capacity, and this places an enormous responsibility on the agent to perform with the utmost integrity. Entrusted with produce worth many thousands of rands, the agent is under…

Monsanto has also acquired an Almaco eight-row precision planter for its maize trial plots. The first of its kind in South Africa, it is claimed to have the most accurate seed meter on the market. It can be programmed for planting density, fertiliser application rate, plot length and row width. “Plant density can be programmed while planting, from 20 000 plants/ha to 130 000 plants/ha,” says Mauritz Lombaard, testing operations manager of the maize breeding team at Monsanto. “Fertiliser bins are operated electronically to ensure that each plant gets precisely the same application. Up to four different fertiliser applications can be accommodated in one land if required.” Trials are planted in Gauteng, the Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and the Northern Cape on land leased from commercial farmers. Every plot…

‘THIS YEAR HAD ITS CHALLENGES – WORLDWIDE AVIAN FLU OUTBREAKS, DELAYED SHIPMENTS AND RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES The 20th annual South African Million Dollar Pigeon Race (SAMDPR) presented by Air Sport International was held on 6 February. The first pigeon home was the aptly named Laura is a Big Winner Today!, entered by Mike and Deb Ganus from Ganus Family Loft in the US. It beat off 2 161 of the finest birds from 36 countries to record a time of eight hours, 42 minutes and 36 seconds. The win earned the Ganuses US$150 000 (about R2 million). The pigeons were liberated near Douglas in the Northern Cape at 6.15am to travel the 530km back to the SAMDPR loft complex at Linbro Park, north-east of Johannesburg. True to the weather forecast,…

IF YOU DON’T CARE FOR CHILLI-TYPE HEAT, LEAVE OUT THE CAYENNE PEPPER To make ‘fire in the pork belly’ for six, you will need: • 1,5kg pork belly• 1,5l chicken stock• 60ml canola, sunflower or, best of all, peanut oil• 130ml dark, heavy soy sauce• 4 cloves garlic For the spicy rub: • 1 teaspoon each of: fennel seeds, dhania (coriander) seeds, and black peppercorns• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper• 1 whole star anise• 50g brown sugar• 30g coarse salt We begin with the rub. The big deal here, as with home-made masala, is to toast the whole spices, fennel, dhania and black pepper. Do this over moderate heat in a dry, clean frying pan for two minutes, shaking the pan from time to time. Let the spices cool, then reduce them to powder in a dedicated spice grinder, or with…

A recent study has found that older women with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids (from fish oil) are likely to maintain better brain function as they age. Indeed, omega-3 fatty acids could play an important role in delaying cognitive aging and dementia, says the study’s lead author, biostatistician Dr Jay Pottala of the University of South Dakota in the US. Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, sardines and snoek. Pottala and his colleagues looked at the omega-3 levels in the red blood cells of 1 111 women. The women had MRI scans eight years after the study began to measure their brain volume. The average age at the time was 78. The findings were published in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.…

The sound of squealing pigs came from neighbour Jan’s piggery. Something seemed seriously wrong, so I rushed across to his yard – to find that the piglets had escaped from their sty and were running amok. Jan and his workers were trying to herd them back in, but without success. Quick-thinking Jan found the solution – a bale of lucerne placed in the sty. The greedy little pigs couldn’t resist it and had soon calmed down enough for Jan to recover, between expletives! It was then that I saw the stranger’s bakkie and its nonplussed owner. He was a small-scale farmer who had come to buy the piglets to start his own enterprise. The problem lay with his transport: he had no suitable trailer and his vehicle was a single…

“The first national analysis of the potential climate change impact on South Africa’s diverse flora and fauna was carried out in the late 1990s. In it, it was projected that the western half of the country would become much hotter and drier, and the succulent Karoo biome, and the northern half of the fynbos biome, would all but disappear. These predictions were so catastrophic that the potential climate change impact on biodiversity began to be explored worldwide. ACTUAL CHANGES Two decades later, South African scientists have produced a report summarising actual changes in these biomes. Using photographic evidence as well as repeated surveys, researchers have documented major changes in the country’s ecosystems. But the changes are not what were expected. The succulent Karoo has remained remarkably stable and fynbos shows…

South Africa’s stone fruit industry has experienced an exceptional season this year, despite challenging climatic conditions. “Although exports were down in some areas, the fruit quality and sugar levels throughout the 2015/2016 season were outstanding,” said Jacques du Preez, general manager of trade and markets at Hortgro. Peach exports were up 6% year-on-year to 2,1 million 2,5kg-cartons, while nectarine exports rose 2% to 3,8 million 2,5kg-cartons. This was mainly due to new plantings coming into production. Rain in the Little Karoo during harvest caused apricot exports to drop 14%, to 700 000 4,75kg-cartons. The quality of the apricots, however, was very good, said Du Preez. Plum exports, which account for the largest export volume of stone fruit, were estimated to be down 6% year-on-year, with a total of 10,8 million…

Devastating countrywide drought conditions and an oversupply of chicken led to decreased profits for food production and processing company RCL Foods (RCL) during the six-month period ended 31 December 2015. However, RCL’s recent integration of its four businesses into one company helped it to still grow headline earnings by 25% during the period, from R601,6 million for the six months ended 31 December 2014 to R751,8 million for the latest reporting period. RCL’s sugar and chicken businesses were hardest hit by the drought. The group reported that the drought-related sharp increase in prices of soft commodities used in poultry feed had contributed to profitability pressures on its chicken business. While RCL’s irrigated sugar cane supplies were initially better able to withstand the effects of the drought than the dryland sugar…

Canada’s state department for Agriculture and Agri-food (AAFC) has announced that the Canadian government is investing one million Canadian dollars (CAD), about R11,5 million, to increase the adoption of genomic technologies in the country’s cattle sector. The AAFC claimed that the investment would allow the Canadian Beef Breeds Council (CBBC) to demonstrate the value of improving beef herds through genotyping, and would make genomic testing for various breeds more accessible at a reduced cost. The investment is being made through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), a five-year CAD50,3 million programme that ends in 2019. CBBC president David Bolduc said the investment would allow Canada to maintain its position as one of the world’s leading producers of cattle genetics. Canada’s cattle and beef sector contributes more than CAD33 billion (R379…

THE RED-BILLED QUELEA CAN WIPE OUT A YOUNG WHEAT LAND IN MINUTES The red-billed quelea, the world’s most abundant bird species, might become more prevalent due to the drought and could cause severe losses to small grain farmers’ crops, particularly those in the summer rainfall areas. “Farmers should be on high alert for these birds,” said Dr Gerhard Verdoorn, director of the Griffon Poison Information Centre. “Although they prefer the seeds of wild grasses to those of cultivated crops, they are more likely to become a problem during a drought, since the food availability in their natural habitat is declining.” Farmers who produced sorghum, wheat, barley and millet were most vulnerable, especially when their crops were still in their early developmental phase, according to Verdoorn. The birds had been declared…

Few commercial farmers had sufficient capital to enter into joint ventures with farm workers or other black farmers to help further transformation in the local agriculture sector. To help bridge the capital gap, state guarantees on commercial loans offered one option that would allow for improved access to credit and risk sharing, Annelize Crosby, legal adviser at Agri SA, said. “Agri SA has compiled a number of enabling mechanisms to support transformation. In the majority of cases, access to credit and joint agricultural ventures go hand in hand,” she told attendees at a recent Agri Vryburg farmers’ day. Government could address the challenge of insufficient credit facilities, for joint ventures for example, by providing loan guarantees to support sustainable, private sector-led land redistribution, according to her. This would entail government…

Zambia’s first-ever full-scale and annual agricultural exhibition, Agritech Expo, is going from strength to strength. From its inauguration in April 2014 when it hosted 69 exhibitors and attracted just over 8 000 visitors over two days, this year’s three-day expo is expected to draw more than 15 000 visitors to view the offerings of 130 exhibitors. Owned by the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU), this year’s Agritech Expo will be held from 14 to 16 April at the Gart Research Centre in Chisamba. Anticipated visitors include subsistence, smallholder and commercial farmers, as well as other representatives of Zambia’s agricultural value chain. The Agritech Expo had been embraced by both Zambia’s farming community and its government, according to event director, Liam Beckett. “[This year] we will have 130 exhibitors, including some…

Globally, Mediterranean fruit flies cause major economic losses in fruit production. This year, Western Australia is to test a new genetic approach by breeding sterile male flies. The Mediterranean fruit fly – Ceratitis capitata – attacks 250 types of fruits and fruiting vegetables. Female flies penetrate the skin of the fruit to lay their eggs and the larvae feed on rotting fruit tissue. The standard control for this pest was spraying pesticides, but the banning of organophosphates, and consumer opposition to pesticide sprays on fresh fruit, encouraged the development of alternative controls, namely, the sterilisation of males by sub-lethal irradiation that damages the genetic system without killing the flies. These males can mate with females, but the offspring, having inherited damaged genes, do not survive. Millions of sterile males have…

Agritourism can be defined as a niche tourism sector that appeals to visitors looking for a genuine farm experience. The scope of activities is wide, ranging from farm accommodation to harvest festivals and on-farm sales, such as a ‘pick-your-own’ farm experience. Usually agritourism provides an additional source of income for farms while allowing the enterprise to continue operating at the same time. Agritourism provides a direct marketing and communication approach that can be highly effective in building brands and introducing new products to a market. The growth of South Africa’s wine routes and world-class wine tourist destinations illustrates just how successful agritourism can be. According to Margi Biggs, managing director at Cape Town-based Specialised Tours & Events, an agritourism venture should: • be authentic; • be innovative; • focus on…

AVOCADOS (South African Avocado Growers’ Association – SAAGA) The quantity of avocados sold by retailers is increasing, with local early season fruit starting to reach the shops. Prices remain high at this stage, however. As supplies increase further, prices should decrease fairly rapidly, according to Clive Garrett, marketing manager for ZZ2. DROUGHT, HEAT AND EARLY RIPENING South Africa has experienced record high temperatures this past year, as well as severe drought. This has resulted in avocados maturing sooner than usual. Consumers in turn are wary about ripening when purchasing early season fruit. John Laurie, a salesperson for Fine Bros in Cape Town, confirms that early season avocados are selling more slowly than usual. However, he believes that once consumers discover the fruit is ripe and edible, many will return to…

The Dexter is a dual-purpose breed and is used worldwide for home produce by smallholders and run as a ranch animal on extensive commercial farms. There are a few breeders in South Africa with herds of 50 cows and more, while the small breeders typcially have six cows or fewer. A few Dexter breeders run commercial dairies and some obtain good results with Dexter crosses. Dexters do extremely well in a pasture/grass dairying system with limited supplementation. Karoo-type steers are marketed off the veld at about 18 months, while the longer-legged types go to the feedlot at nine months. The outstanding efficiency of Dexter cows in cross-breeding programmes (more than 30% better than the best beef cows) has seen the breed growing in popularity with commercial cattlemen and some stud…

Botulism is caused by Clostridium botulinum. The bacteria live in the upper layers of the soil. From here they spread to dead animals, standing pools of water containing rotting plants or animals, and mouldy hay or silage, where they produce a powerful toxin. In winter, animals do not always get enough green forage. If they lack phosphorus, they chew anything from wire to stones, but especially bones. If they eat bones (or carcasses) containing the toxin, they may become infected with botulism. • Very severe botulism Relatively rare, this occurs when large quantities of the poison are ingested. Signs appear within 24 hours. The animal’s muscles become weak, and it lies down, unable to move, its tongue protruding. • Severe (acute) The signs are the same as when the disease is very…

John Deere (JD) has acquired Monosem to extend its offering of precision planting equipment. “Monosem is admired for its innovation and success in precision planter technology, which help farmers increase production. Acquiring this market leader positions John Deere to serve more customers worldwide,” said JD spokesperson John May. JD does not plan to change the independent nature of Monosem, which is known for its innovation, and the business will retain its own brand and trademark.…

The herringbone tail bandage is often used by professional riders. It has several applications. It can be used to prevent a horse from rubbing its tail hairs off on the crossbar in a float. It will keep the horse’s tail clean in muddy conditions. It will help to keep a plaited tail tidy at a show. And it is often used when mating mares, especially during live covering. Although effective, the bandage has to be applied correctly. The herringbone pattern prevents excess pressure on the blood vessels in the dock of the tail, but, if attached too tightly, it can lead to damage or even loss of the tail. To put a tail bandage on properly, follow these steps: • Before you begin Obtain a 4m-long, 50mm-wide crepe bandage. Dampen the…

I received a call from Andrew, an acquaintance from some 15 years ago, to upgrade existing accommodation and catering facilities at a private game park in northern KwaZulu-Natal. What was previously a four-star lodge has become downgraded after a change of ownership five years ago. Management has now been tasked with returning the lodge, situated on 12 000ha, to four-star status. I have been asked to upgrade some of the present lodge premises and design four additional self-catering, two-bedroom units, which would increase the number of beds to 25 or more. Each of these new units will have a sleeper deck in the roof area over the bathroom/ kitchenette. This deck is a ‘bonus area’, as it requires only a wooden floor, a window or two, and a toilet and…

Yr.no is a Norwegian weather forecast website/app with an array of meteorological information. It was launched in 2007 as a joint venture between the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the country’s meteorological institute and its international partners, which include the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites. The latter is responsible for the launch and operation of satellites that monitor the weather and climate change. Yr.no offers forecasts, supported by graphs, symbols and maps, for more than nine million places in the world. A useful feature of the phone app is that, when you log in your location, you’ll be given the forecast for your specific farm. You can also type in a farm’s name. If the name is not listed, you’ll…

‘SAVORY HUBS PRACTISE HOLISTIC MANAGMENT BASED ON SOLID SCIENCE ’ Fifty years of developing a solution Allan Savory, via Farmer’s Weekly website I read the article and Dr John Carter’s paper in the hope that some new information may emerge, but there was nothing new. The author states, “holistic management is founded on the principle of moving large herds of animals in tight groups across a grassland”. No, holistic management is founded on the principle of holism first expounded by General Jan Smuts in Holism and Evolution in 1926. As Einstein stated, two concepts would play a great role in the future of humanity – his own relativity concept and the holism of Smuts. Dr Carter is correct about the abundant evidence documenting the damage to plants and land under…

Low prices and the impact of the drought in both dryland and irrigation areas have seen cotton production in South Africa decline by more than 40%. The second production forecast for the 2015/2016 production year by Cotton SA indicated a 44% decline in local production from the previous season. The 44% drop was equal to roughly 40 000 bales, or 8 000t, of fibre that would not be sent to market, Koot Louw of Cotton SA told Farmer’s Weekly. The decline in production would result in cotton production generating about R200 million less for farmers and millers than in the previous season, according to him. Areas under irrigation were experiencing heavy water restrictions and many farmers in these areas had opted not to plant cotton this year, he said. Dryland…

Omri van Zyl, Agri SA’s CEO, believes that the SA agricultural industry needs to strengthen its relationships with both government and the private sector, particularly in light of the drought. Speaking at the 2016 Grain SA congress in Bothaville, Van Zyl said that the drought was not an agricultural problem only, but a SA problem. Claiming that Agri SA would strive to lobby as widely as possible, Van Zyl added, “[this] is why the entire agricultural value chain will have to come together. Food shortages affect every SA citizen.” The drought in neighbouring countries was also a concern for SA, according to Van Zyl. About 60% of the food consumed in Southern Africa was supplied by South Africa. Malawi and Zimbabwe were suffering from severe food insecurity, while Botswana and…

‘DON’T PLAN YOUR FUTURE – PLAN YOUR PEOPLE INSTEAD’ Do you have a business plan? Do you update it annually? How far ahead does it run? One year, five years, 10 years? If it’s only one year, then it’s not a business plan, it’s a budget. If you’re reading this, you are probably doing at least some planning – perhaps a daily meeting, or a weekly or monthly get-together to decide who needs to do what by when. These are essential activities, but it’s fairly easy to see what will happen in the day, week or month ahead. When you try to look further ahead, things get murkier. Yet it’s the decisions you take for the longer term that can make or break your business. In Selling the Invisible, Harry…

ON AVERAGE, POTATO FARMERS PAY UP TO A TOTAL OF R120 000 PER MONTH FOR ELECTRICITY Potato farmers countrywide struggled with low margins due to a record high harvest last year. With prices as low as R28/10kg pocket, many producers were making a loss of R2/pocket. How did the oversupply affect Sandveld producers? It had an even greater impact on us. Our soils are poor and sandy, so more fertiliser and water are required to produce the same volume of potatoes as elsewhere. Producers in this region who misjudged the market last year lost more than R6/pocket. Some farmers also suffered severe loss due to frost damage in June. What caused the oversupply? The country as a whole produced a record harvest due to favourable weather. Production in the interior…

Maurice and Celestè Leonard’s farm, Rietfontein Boerdery, is a mixed farming operation – cattle, game and maize – near Heidelberg in Gauteng. In 1990, Maurice and Celestè decided to turn an old building on the farm into a holiday cottage for their own use. But they soon realised that it was next to impossible to have a break on their own farm – they were simply drawn back into work all the time. “We told friends that we had a house they could use for getaway weekends,” says Maurice. A short while later, they met someone who organised farm weekends. After visiting Rietfontein, she suggested that the Leonards establish a hiking trail as the farm was only a short distance from Johannesburg and Pretoria, and close to OR Tambo International…

According to Chris, craft brewers generally do not view each other as competitors and there is a highly cooperative spirit among them, illustrated by their willingness to share knowledge with fellow brewers. For example, Chris recently changed the type of hops he uses in the brewing of his very popular pale ale after attending a fellow craft brewer’s beer-tasting event. “There are a lot of different beer events where individual brewers pass on their experience,” he says. While the high costs of transporting beer to markets further afield undoubtedly contributes to this collaborative ethos, Chris says he believes it is rather the result of a shared passion for brewing and a genuine interest in improving the quality of all craft beers. “Other brewers are very receptive and we often talk…

The SA Dexter herd has grown over the past 10 years, and now stands at 2 317 registered animals. A reliable test for the chondrodysplasia (bulldog calf) gene is expected to lead to a surge in the breed’s popularity. Performance testing of all registered animals is performed by SA Stud Book, as well as the ARC. A good relationship exists between commercial Dexter cattlemen and stud breeders. SA Dexter and clubs provide inspection and breeding services to commercial and registered Dexter herds. All owners and breeders receive breed promotion and follow-up support. The number of commercial Dexter cattle and owners in South Africa is unknown at this stage.…

WHEN PLANTING A PAPAYA TREE, DO NOT LOOSEN THE ROOTS, AS THIS WILL CAUSE THE PLANT TO LODGE The papaya trees in an orchard must be spaced so that they do not interfere with each other’s growth or block light needed for photosynthesis. In the rectangular planting system, adjacent trees on the row should not touch one another, even when fully grown. This layout should also allow enough space between rows for orchard implements. The table lists the density of trees based on various combinations of inter-tree and inter-row spacing in a rectangular planting system. To use sunlight optimally, orchard rows should orientate north/south. Where this orientation is not possible, allow a wider spacing to improve light penetration and air movement. THE RIGHT WAY TO PLANT PAPAYAS Young papaya plants…

LARVAE CONTINUE TO FEED WITHIN THE DEVELOPING HEAD – CAUSING GREAT DESTRUCTION TO THE PLANT One pest has caused severe damage on almost every lettuce farm at some time or other: the African bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera). The bollworm has a life cycle of four to five weeks. To eliminate the threat, it is crucial to act when the worm is most vulnerable. The moths have delta-shaped wings and are mostly reddish- or orange-brown. Like most moths they are nocturnal. They mate and then lay up to 1 600 eggs each, covering fairly large distances in the process. CATERPILLARS: THE INSIDE STORY The larva (caterpillar) emerges from the egg, reaching 30mm in length and presenting with a lateral stripe. Overall colour ranges from brown to green. The larva is darker when…

Monsanto South Africa has purchased two 17-row Monosem precision vacuum planters, two three-row planters and two Case IH Magnum 290 tractors fitted with dual tyres front and rear. The 17-row unit, currently unique in South Africa, plants male and female seeds simultaneously. Previously, two separate planters were required to plant male and female rows, with the female seed being planted first. “We can now interplant the male between the female seed rows, giving a female area of 100%. With the traditional system, we achieved only 83%,” says Lukie van der Merwe, manager: field cultivation equipment for Monsanto. This is considerably more cost-effective, enabling larger areas to be planted in less time, while the higher yield helps Monsanto meet the growing demand for its maize seed locally and abroad. The planters…

THE DEVICE INSTANTLY MEASURES THE PH OF A WATERY SOLUTION, WITHOUT THE USE OF PAPER TEST STRIPS OR OTHER TOOLS The great South African animal scientist, Professor Jan Bonsma, often urged cattle farmers to keep accurate records, saying, “To measure is to know.” This simple principle applies universally, but is especially important to farmers. In many on-farm operations, ranging from ensiling to hydroponics and diluting agrochemicals such as herbicides before use, measuring pH is crucial to success. That being said, even the ordinary swimming pool owner has a need to ascertain pH levels regularly. When measuring the pH of water or an aqueous solution, paper test strips are not reliable or accurate enough. They are affected by factors such as storage environment and are subject to an expiry date. Interpreting…

‘JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH Maybe you’re reading this column today after having been dealt an injustice. Perhaps by a family member, or by a competitor or client, or because of some legal issue. “It’s just not fair”, you keep telling yourself. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Why are they doing this to me?” You need to know that there is only one person who truly understands how you feel at the moment, and His name is Jesus Christ. DESERTED You see, He started with 120 disciples. When the going got tough, most of them deserted Him, leaving Him with only 12. Then, when things really started to hot up, one of the 12 betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver.…

LEARNING FROM ROBBEN ISLAND by Govan Mbeki (Kwela, R160) Mbeki was imprisoned for 24 years on Robben Island, where he remained a key figure in the ANC and SACP. This collection of his essays for fellow prisoners, written as part of the political education programme organised by the imprisoned ANC cadres, illuminates the intellectual life that prisoners tried to preserve on Robben Island, discussing capitalism, party organisation, the business cycle (including unemployment and recession), and the nature of apartheid itself. Historian Colin Bundy adds a useful contextual introduction as well as a final overview. 300 EASY-TO-SEE BIRDS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA by Chevonne Reynolds & Nicholas Tye (Struik Nature, R170) Our region is rich in birds, hosting nearly 1 000 different species, about 10% of the world’s total. With this abundance,…