WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN? Never borrow money for unproductive assets. Instead of borrowing to…

The value of learning about farming from a young age is inestimable, but unfortunately the policies of the past separated many potential farmers from the generational knowledge that should have been their birthright. Seitshiro Marumoloe was raised by his grandparents, who were small-scale farmers, and exposed to agriculture from his early childhood. He talks to Peter Mashala about his journey back to farming.

Keith and Jacqui Middleton have faced some tough challenges in 15 years of farming, but this has not weakened their determination to take their business to the top of the emerging commercial farming sector in the next ten years. The Middletons’ farm, African Joy, is part of the Orange-Riet irrigation scheme near Jacobsdal in the Free State. In the late autumn sun on the stoep of their farmhouse, they shared the story of their farming success with Charné Kemp.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN? Focus and work with what I have to achieve what I want. Our…

From when she was in high school, Keneilwe Raphesu started shadowing her father, Dr Mamabolo Raphesu, on his farm. Two years ago, she came out from his shadow to swop life in academia for life on a farm. Peter Mashala caught up with this ambitious father-and-daughter team.

Autumn is the time for sheep and goat farmers to work at keeping the body condition scores of their ewes up so that when lambing starts in about a month, the lambs and kids will get the best possible start. During autumn grass starts losing quality and cattlemen change to a higher-protein winter lick to stimulate the intake of low quality grass. This increases the intakes of low-quality grass. Tomato tunnel farmers are harvesting the last of their crops before winter’s frosts arrive.

Autumn is the time for sheep and goat farmers to work at keeping the body condition scores of their ewes up so that when lambing starts in about a month, the lambs and kids will get the best possible start. During autumn grass starts losing quality and cattlemen change to a higher-protein winter lick to stimulate the intake of low quality grass. This increases the intakes of low-quality grass. Tomato tunnel farmers are harvesting the last of their crops before winter’s frosts arrive.

Forestry is often overlooked as a form of agriculture but is in essence tree farming at its best. To succeed, one needs patience and a very good sense of long-term planning. It’s a sector in which Mlungisi Bushula has found his feet since 2013. Engela Duvenage writes about the 32-year old’s business plans, which now also include the wildlife sector and crop production in the Eastern Cape.