#BlackMonday for the Karoo
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-04-07 In Blog There is quite a hullabaloo in the country following a sizable cull of government ministers and deputy ministers. Today is #BlackMonday, and demonstrations are planned for Friday and beyond. Even Angus Buchan, a farmer-evangelist known and respected in agricultural circles, is uncharacteristically responding to the socio-political toxicity of […]
Fodder crops
Introduction “Fodder” refers to food given to animals rather than that which they forage for themselves. This includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted feeds, oils and mixed rations, grains and legumes. “Forage” traditionally meant plant material eaten by grazing livestock – pasture, crop residue, immature cereal crops – but is used more loosely these […]
Dry beans
Introduction Dry beans are a pulse crop. Pulse crops are legumes that grow for one year and are harvested for the dry grain or seed inside the pod. Other major pulse crops include millet, dry peas, lentils, Chickpeas, Pigeon peas, and Bambara groundnut. Pulses are popular crops in the developing world. Dry beans are available […]
Canola (rapeseed)
Introduction Canola, Brassica Napus, (also known as rapeseed) is an oilseed crop. It is an excellent rotation crop, and should be used to increase profits of crops such as maize and wheat. Advantages include the lowering of root knot nematodes and Phytophtera. The growing of canola needs good management. Special care should be taken with harvesting of […]
Barley
Introduction Malting barley is a particular type of barley used in making beer, flavourings, and extracts. Only a portion of the malting barley planted each year has the specific qualities needed to be selected for malt. To produce malt, barley kernels are soaked, germinated, and dried. Although the kernels look the same on the outside, this […]
Mutton and lamb (sheep)
Introduction The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) is produced for its wool, meat and milk. Other sheep byproducts are: Clothes, footwear, rugs, and other products are made from sheepskin. Sheep tallow can be used in candle and soap making Sheep bone and cartilage has been used to furnish carved items such as dice and buttons as well as […]
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. Owing to its great adaptability it can survive almost anywhere in South Africa. Goat milk is highly prized for its quality of being less prone to cause allergies in humans than […]
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, […]