Smart business decisions can have tax advantages for successful farming ventures
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-02-20 In Blog See these five tips to maximise your tax returns in 2017: 1) Set your goal to be most profitable, not just to pay the least amount of tax. Frequently, businesses can focus so much on minimizing tax obligations that they often lose sight of the business’ real focus – maximizing […]
Wool (sheep)
Introduction The different grades of wool mean it has many uses, from the very soft fibres that can be worn against the skin, to the coarse fibres with uses like insulation and stuffing. Around 80% of wool is used to make garment products (sweaters, clothes, coats, hats), blankets and carpets. Wool is also highly flame […]
Meat goats
Introduction The unimpressive goat is, in reality, one of nature’s most useful animals. It can be used for meat, fibre, milk, skins and manure. Goat milk is highly prized for its quality of being less prone to cause allergies in humans than cow’s milk. Mohair is one of the rare noble fibres of the world. […]
Dairy (goats and sheep)
Introduction Goat and sheep milk are a healthy dairy alternative, even if your physical condition is not compromised. They are rich in fats and minerals, and the (very favourable) facts regarding the nutrition value of this milk can be found on websites mentioned on this page. The milk can be processed to make cheese, butter, […]
Mohair (goats)
Introduction Mohair is one of the rare noble fibres of the world. It is especially suitable for apparel, knitwear, curtaining, upholstery material, socks, shawls and accessories. The hot, dry summers, cold winters and semi-desert vegetation of the Karoo suits Angora goats. Angora goats are shorn at least twice a year, and the year is divided […]
The future of land reform in South Africa – the next 15 years
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-02-02 In Blog Land Reform Futures Scenarios bring a fresh perspective and new hope on discussions on land reform – a press release As pressure mounts for the acceleration of the land reform programme, stakeholders in land reform held a roundtable session this week to discuss possible scenarios. The roundtable was hosted by […]
Davos and a reference point for 2017
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-01-25 In Blog With inequality lurching wider every day, the middle class thinning out, one percent of humanity as wealthy as all the rest put together etc, one cannot but give a slight frown when viewing a gathering such as the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) one held at a ski resort in […]
A Conversation with a Viking
An account of a day out in 2017 …
Abe Lincoln and Trump: love and agriculture
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2016-12-21 In Blog In the aftermath of the elections in the US we found ourselves wondering, not for the first time, whether Abe Lincoln made a mistake in going to war to keep the United States of America together. For those who do not know, nearly as many American soldiers died […]
Indigenous and locally developed breeds
Introduction South Africa has a variety of genetically diverse breeds of livestock that have played a major role in the social, cultural and economic history of the country. These include breeds of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and equines that have adapted over centuries to a range of natural and socio cultural environments. Goats and […]