JANUARY 2019
SA FA R M & Lifestyle New commercial farmer invests in asparagus
G R AT I S T Y D S K R I F
Indigenous livestock perfect for small-scale farmers Dis pars tyd in die Boland!
EDITORS NOTE
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Upcoming Events Royal Show Pietermaritzburg Fri, 24 May - Sun, 02 Jun 2019
Undercover Farming Expo 06 - 07 March 2019 CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa ASNAPP along with other business partners in the industry ABSA and Undercover Farming hosted the Undercover Farming Conference and Expo for vegetable and flower growers to network with companies and people in the industry.
House & Garden Show Durban Fri, 28 Jun - Sun, 07 Jul 2019
Nampo Harvest Day Tue, 14 - Fri, 17 May 2019 Nampo Park, Bothaville - Nampo Harvest Day is an annually organized trade fair held for supplementing the farmers in the region with a complete perspective into the latest farming products and equipment
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House & Garden Show display products like Gardener magazines, Plants and flowers, Demo kitchen sets, Kitchen components and interiors, Laminates, Home appliances and gas stoves, Bedroom cupboard display products in the Architecture & Designing, Hand, Machine & Garden Tools industries. This conference brings together Top industry professionals and stakeholders contribute for the event to flourish and the industry to grow and expand.
Royal Show will feature three National Championships, being those of Border Leicester, Hampshire Down, and Suffolk, the Royal Show car case competition, acknowledged to be the most prestigious event of its kind in the country, the Sheep & Wool expo, including sheep shearing and fashion shows featuring woolen garments, a full Feather & Fur program of The Bird, Poultry and Rabbit Sections.
Livestock Stellenbosch Thu, 10 - Sat, 12 Oct 2019 This Livestock event will display products like livestock, agriculture sector, dairy and meat products, milking equipment, health and nutrition of livestock etc.
CONTENTS
Contents WWW.SAFARMANDLIFESTYLE.CO.ZA
8 Sabrina Dean
6
Upcoming events
14 Indigenous livestock
New commercial farmer invests in asparagus
perfect for small-scale farmers
14 Mike Burgess
20
Parstyd in die Boland
22 Kom eet saam!
Indigenous livestock perfect for small-scale far
Boerekos
resepte
24 Ruth Schmidt
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Growing demand for avocado extract to improve sales in 2019
28 Speed up seed policies harmonization
34 R300 million wine cellar merger in Robertson
37 Wine terms every wine
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A Big Cats Experience at Vredenheim in the heart of Stellenbosch
lover should know
52 A more profitable way of running livestock
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Auctions / Veilings
71 Wat elke boer moet weet
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Dis pars tyd in die Boland!
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New commercial farmer invests in asparagus by Sabrina Dean Up-and-coming commercial farmer Daniel Maqala is diversifying further by investing in asparagus. Sabrina Dean visited him to find out more about his journey so far.
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t’s a bright, clear winter’s day at Daniel Maqala’s farm in Rosendal in the eastern Free State. When we arrive, his wife, Dineo, is sitting in the sun outside the shed, sifting through a hail-damaged sugar bean harvest. She’s looking for beans that will still make the grade for delivery on a contract Maqala has with the World Food Programme. This has not been an easy production season. However, through mentorship by various role players, a by-the-book approach and a willingness to put in the necessary hard work, this up-and-coming commercial grain farmer is still on track for a good yield. The son of a farmworker in Ficksburg, Maqala remembers how, after school, he would sneak off to the lands to ride on the tractor with his father.
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He left school at 15 years old to work on the farm after his father died, but soon left for Johannesburg, where he spent years as a truck driver for Bakers. “I can still smell the biscuits,” he recalls. His next foray into agriculture was when he bought an old Bedford truck to sell cabbages. He then ran his own general dealer business in QwaQwa in the eastern Free State for years before selling the shop to venture into the taxi business in the early 1990s. Around 2000, Maqala felt the need for a change and started his first livestock venture with 60 cattle run on land leased from the municipality. He also applied for land through government’s Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy and in 2005 was granted a 30-year tenure for the 326ha farm Die Hoop in the Rosendal area. He later approached the Land Bank for a loan, which he used in 2010 to buy his own land: the adjoining 197ha farm, Kosmos. In addition, he has leased more lands to bring the total area on which he runs his mixed cropping and livestock operation to about 700ha. Guiding hand Today, Maqala is a recognised new commercial farmer and can lay claim to having become a member of the Grain SA 500t Club. He’s also one of three finalists in the annual Grain SA New Era Commercial Farmer of the Year competition. He is doing things by the book, under the mentorship of Johan Kriel, the regional manager of Grain SA’s
farmer development programme. Other partners in his development include The Jobs Fund, the Grain Farmer Development Association, government, and VKB. Simply the fact that for the past three seasons Maqala has been granted a full production loan by VKB says a lot about his business acumen, notes Kriel. In January this year, he harvested 168t of wheat. He also planted 102ha to maize, 78ha to sunflower, 67ha to
recovery was far better than expected. Now he’s diversifying his cropping activities and hedging against risk by investing in the rejuvenation of an industry that was once very prominent in the eastern Free State, namely asparagus. He is collaborating with four other farmers who have planted some 75ha as part of an initiative driven by VKB. He’s hopeful it will generate good income, but says it’s about more than that.
soya beans and 69ha to dry beans (sugar beans) for the 2017/2018 summer cropping season. The crops were battered by hailstorms in February but Maqala had insurance, which paid out damages on 40% of his anticipated maize harvest, 50% of his sunflower crop, 70% of the soya crop and 90% of the sugar bean crop.
“I don’t want to be doing what everyone else is doing,” he explains.
Reviving an industry “I’ll be able to pay back all the debt on my production loan,” he says. The season improved from there, and crop
He personally established 30ha dryland asparagus in August last year: 15ha for himself and 15ha for another farmer. He will also be managing the crop during various production phases. According to Kriel, who used to manage an asparagus farm in the region in the 1990s, properly established asparagus lands can produce for about 12 years. He says the crop was farmed
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extensively in this region, and estimates that there were 1 500ha to 2 000ha under asparagus between the 1990s and mid-2000s. Numerous factors played a role in the decline in production, he experienced in the export market, currency challenges, labour legislation issues, and the closure of a canning factory in Ficksburg. An asparagus land is not much to look at, putting one in mind of a common roadside weed known as katbos or wild asparagus. Stems die down every year in winter, but masses of fleshy roots thrive beneath the soil. These increase in number and put out new shoots each spring. The immature shoots or ‘spears’ are then harvested ‘green’ or ‘white’, to be consumed fresh or for canning purposes. Asparagus must be quickly pre-cooled after harvest and immediately graded and prepared for delivery to fresh or processed markets. Kriel, who is now passing on his years of first-hand experience to Maqala, says asparagus production is labour-intensive and has huge seasonal job-creation potential. He recalls that when he was in the industry, they would house about 200 employees at the farm for the entire harvest period. He estimates about 16 000 seasonal jobs were provided when asparagus production was at its peak. Harvest time comprises 10 to 12 weeks of non-stop precision activity.
Timing and handling are critical as asparagus is considered highly perishable and needs to be managed carefully to prevent loss of tenderness, flavour or nutritional quality. Harvesting is carried out by hand and begins before sunrise each morning, as soon as the tip of the spear starts to emerge above the ridges. Maqala
Maqala is upbeat about getting the asparagus business off the ground with the help of his mentors. He believes the collective approach the farmers are taking will mean better use of expensive resources, such as equipment or a packhouse, as well as providing market access through the relationship with VKB. He is thankful to have formed good working relationships with many local farmers. He enjoys being a farmer, but admits it is not an easy occupation: “It can be tough – you have to be willing to work hard.” •
will probably be able to take off his first small harvest, spanning about six weeks, from mid-September. The future He has big plans for his farm. Walking around with his three-year-old son, named Maqala, in his arms, he speaks about the house he intends to build with sandstone he has had cut from a quarry on his farm. He has four older children who live in town. They are eager to get involved in agriculture, he says. “They help me when I am busy pulling up sugar beans – they like it a lot.”
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www.vredenheimbigcats.co.za
ADVETORIAL
A Big Cats Experience at Vredenheim in the heart of Stellenbosch Meet the sibling lions, the talkative duo of Bengal tigers and the feisty and fierce caracal called Ounooi, or enjoy a game drive in the winelands.
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ow’s probably the time to tell everyone you’ve got plans for the middle of the week. Because, apart from wine and wildlife, Vredenheim in Stellenbosch has a big cats park that features lions, tigers, a leopard and a quirky caracal. Here’s who you’re most likely to meet on this experience. There’s Ounooi – the caracal. There are also five lions – the most interesting of which has to be, Priester and his siblings. These lions have a melanin (skin pigment) shortage, making them much paler than normal. It’s a genetic condition, but they are not albino, just more sandy in colour. A leopard and two Bengal tigers further complement the selection of big cats in the park. The daily feedings at 11am and 3pm are an
absolute must-see. The park is open daily between from 9am to 5pm (last tour is at 4pm) and guided tours are available for bigger groups. The experience is totally safe for children of all ages, and, for added fun for the little ones, it’s very close to Vredenheim Animal Farm. This is also a wine farm, though, so there’s plenty of tastings, including gin, as well as the Vredenheim game drive experience, to make it fun for everyone. Bring a camera and prepare to be blown away by the beauty of both the surroundings and the cats that call the park home. But if you’re looking for a real winner, something both you and the kids can enjoy together, the game drive comes out tops. Here’s how it happens: you start out in the tasting room where you pick a bottle of Vredenheim Sauvignon blanc or grape juice before heading out to the waiting
open-sided game viewing trailer hooked to a tractor, and you’re off... Your driver takes you to the game farm featuring a selection of antelope, including springbok, eland and the rare golden wildebeest, where’ll you’ll stop and enjoy your cheese and wine (Vredenheim grape juice for the kids). The guide shares anecdotes about the animals, one such being about the sable antelope. Next, you head back in the direction of the wine estate, seeing zebra and a herd of fallow deer along the way as you embark on a tour of the Vredenheim vineyards (this is a wine farm, after all), all before disembarking at the big cats park just in time for the big cat feeding. Oh, yes, did we mention that the game drive includes the full big cat experience? •
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Indigenous livestock perfect for small-scale farmers
by Mike Burgess
According to Ross Rayner, the value of his indigenous livestock lies in their ability to produce efficiently and effectively under often unpredictable natural conditions with minimal input costs.
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Ross Rayner and his father, Roger, farm 40 Nguni cows and 35 Bosvelder-type ewes on 250ha in the Mankazana Valley near Adelaide in the Eastern Cape. Their operation is an example of what value indigenous livestock holds for small-scale farmers. According to Ross Rayner, the value of his indigenous livestock lies in their ability to produce efficiently and effectively under often unpredictable natural conditions with minimal input costs. What’s more, he stresses, indigenous breeds not only offer emerging farmers hardy livestock, but give them the ability to access potentially lucrative niche markets. “Indigenous livestock is the key to the successful entry of emerging farmers into the agriculture sector, while offering great potential for the cost-effective production of grass-fed beef and mutton,” he says. In 2007, Rayner started farming Nguni cattle and Indigenous Veld Goats (IVGs) on the family farm, Walkersvale, near Adelaide in the Eastern Cape. Although his IVGs, which were dominated by the Xhosa Lob Ear and Mbuzi ecotypes, were hardy and very fertile, keeping them on the right side of the boundary fence became a major management headache.
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Roger Rayner, Patas Adams (stockman) and Ross Rayner From left: Roger Rayner, Patas Adams (stockman) and Ross Rayner on Walkersvale near Adelaide in the Eastern Cape. About six years ago he therefore began investigating the possibility of introducing indigenous sheep, which he believed would not creep through fences as easily as the IVGs. By 2013, he had found out about indigenous livestock enthusiasts Scott and Christopher Atherstone near Tzaneen in Limpopo, who farmed both IVGs and Pedi sheep. Then in December 2013, Rayner and fellow Eastern Cape indigenous livestock farmer Lionel Whittal made their way up to Tzaneen.
“I thought I would like to learn more about these sheep,” says Rayner. “So we put some diesel in a bakkie and set out for Limpopo.” The Atherstone brothers escorted their Eastern Cape guests through the former communal homelands in Limpopo in search of indigenous sheep and goats before introducing them to a number of commercial farmers who specialised in indigenous small stock. To Rayner’s surprise, he found that a study group had been established in 2009 to promote the value of the Pedi and the Super Pedi, or Bosvelder. The aim of developing the currently unregistered Bosvelder has been an attempt to improve the carcass qualities of the Pedi, but retain its legendary adaptability, fertility and immunity to tick-borne diseases.
In the end, Rayner left Limpopo with five Pedi ewes and two rams to begin building his first indigenous flock of sheep in the Mankazana Valley. By 2014, he had introduced another 10 indigenous Nguni or Zulu-type ewes (sourced in KwaZuluNatal), three Meatmaster ewes and a ram (from the Karoo) to his flock. In the same year, he sold all his IVGs and committed himself to his indigenous sheep. Towards the Bosvelder Rayner is convinced a Bosvelder-type sheep is the best small-stock option for Walkersvale. “The Pedi is the secret. But I decided to breed a Bosvelder type with a slightly better carcass that’s still easy to manage on the veld,” he says.
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ADVETORIAL
The current Bosvelder flock sire, Eastwood, is the product of one of the in-lamb ewes Rayner originally purchased in Limpopo mated to a Meatmaster ram. Eastwood was born on Walkersvale. Currently, Eastwood is run throughout the year with the ewes, which achieve a lambing rate of between 110% and 120% on the veld. Most adult ewes produce two lambs a year, and although some maiden ewes lamb with ease at one year, Rayner prefers them to lamb at about 18 months.
Despite roaming on veld with heavy tick loads, the sheep (dipped on the rare occasion) have shown admirable immunity to tick-borne diseases such as heartwater. “Through the years I can count the cases I have had on one hand and they are normally young sheep,” says Rayner. “And most of those pulled through.” The only supplementation the sheep receive on the veld is a protein lick towards the end of winter when it becomes exceptionally dry. Ngunis
However, it is the longevity and mothering abilities of the ewes that are particularly impressive, he says. “Some sheep have lambs, but they have no teeth left in their heads. Lambs are always quickly on their feet, following their protective mothers in the veld.” The sheep are dosed for worms in spring and again in summer. Screw worm has been an occasional problem in the deep folds of the tails of mature Pedi wethers, and this is treated when necessary.
Rayner also started farming Nguni cattle on Walkersvale in 2007. Foundation animals were acquired from Stephen Cockcroft (Adelaide), the late Chris Bush of Molweni Private Game Reserve (Adelaide) and Jacques Steenkamp (Humansdorp). Genetics were also purchased at the annual Eastern Cape Nguni Club Sale in Queenstown. The Rayner Ngunis have proved to be excellent producers on the veld where heartwater, redwater and gallsickness are common. This was particularly evident in the recent drought years when their ability to browse proved critical. “When there was no grass left, they would climb the steepest parts of
the farm to reach the spekboom [Portulacaria afra],” Rayner says. “If the cattle hadn’t eaten bush [during the drought] they would have been gone.” What’s more, despite the threat of tick-borne diseases, the herd is dipped only when tick loads are visibly heavy. Incredibly, Rayner says, his cattle are not subjected to any inoculation or dosing regimes, although he has treated them when unique risks such as Rift Valley fever have surfaced. Cattle receive a phosphate lick in summer and a maintenance lick halfway through winter. A disadvantage of the purebred Nguni has been their smaller weaners, which are unpopular with feedlotters. Although Rayner knows that one solution would be to grow out Nguni oxen, lack of space on Walkersvale has made this impossible. He thus recently began a terminal crossbreeding programme with bulls sourced from the nearby Frontier Boran stud. The Nguni x Boran weaners have been very impressive, he says. “If you’re terminal-crossing, there’s no better dam line than a Nguni cow,” he says. “The conformation on the [Boran] weaners [which average about 210kg at eight months] is a lot better [than the Nguni].” Bulls are kept in the herd all year round, with most cows calving in October and November. Heifers are preferably mated at two years and some cows are still producing at 13 years old. In future, Nguni bulls will be used in the herd to produce Nguni replacement heifers for the crossbreeding programme. •
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Dis pars tyd in die Boland! by Tossie Beukes
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Gert Engelbrecht van VINPRO sê die oes verwagtinge lyk beter, maar hulle verwag egter nie ‘n totale herstel na 100% produksie nie, omdat daar te veel wingerde is wat langer gaan neem om te herstel na afloop van die droogte.
OLIFANTSRIVIERVALLEI: Die 2019 oes seisoen is op hande en ons het met die hulp van ‘n paar bekendes in die bedryf gaan kyk na die verwagtinge vir dié jaar. Gert Engelbrecht van VINPRO sê die oes verwagtinge lyk beter, maar hulle verwag egter nie ‘n totale herstel na 100% produksie nie, omdat daar te veel wingerde is wat langer gaan neem om te herstel na afloop van die droogte. ‘n Afwaartse tendens oor die middel tot langtermyn word steeds voorspel vir die streek, wanneer daar gekyk word na aanplanting/uitkapping aktiwiteite en die gemiddelde ouderdom van wingerde. Andries Blake van Klawer Wyne sê hulle het op 3 Januarie alreeds ‘n nuwe kultivar begin pars, maar het verlede week in alle erns begin. Volgens hom is hulle skatting maar dieselfde as verlede jaar, maar die rooi druiwe is ‘n groot bekommernis. Die ligpunt is dat hulle sauvignon blanc se kwaliteit baie goed is. Namaqua Wines se Len Knoetze vertel
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dat hulle op 16 Januarie by Spruitdrift begin druiwe inneem het. Hulle oes lyk beter en groter as laasjaar, maar hulle skat nog steeds 30% minder as normaal. Hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die oorloop effek van die droogte. Veral die rooi kultivars het min druiwe aan, met pinotage wat omtrent geen drag aan het nie. Aan die wit kant het die sauvignon blanc omtrent geen druiwe aan nie. Gideon Engelbrecht, wingerdboukundige by Lutzville Wingerde sê hulle het al op die 24 Januarie hul eerste druiwe in geneem. Die amptelike syfers soos deur die produsente geskat einde November 2018, dui ook op byna dieselfde produksie teenoor verlede jaar. Ook hier ervaar die kelder redelike
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ongelykheid in rypwording. Kultivars wat maar teleurstellend lyk in terme van produksie is pinotage, cabernet sauvignon en chardonnay. Sybrand Teubes sê hulle wingerde het goed herstel na die winterreën en wys goeie lowergroei en trosontwikkeling. Pinotage en chenin blanc behoort vroeg in die parskratte te val op pad na die kelder. Daar was baie uitknipwerk in die store van tafeldruif-uitvoerders. Van die Olifantsrivier Tafeldruif Produsentevereniging se kant af laat weet Nico Greeff dat die 2018/19 seisoen die eerste week in Desember afgeskop het. Sommer vroeg in die pluktyd het daar reën geval, met ‘n baie koue wind en veral die Prime Seedless en Starlight Seedless het erg gebars en kon nie
uitgevoer word. Met die ander kultivars het dit beter gegaan, maar daar was baie uitknipwerk in die stoor. As gevolg van baie warm weer in Oktober het die wingerde swak gespeen, party het te veel gespeen en trosse was te los. Die later kultivars lyk beter. Pryse is gemiddeld oorsee, maar beslis baie beter as verlede jaar. Die streek se hektare volg die afgelope paar jaar se krimpende tendens en krimp na raming met omtrent nog 300 hektaar tydens die 2018 seisoen. Omtrent 30% van die totale hektare is ouer as 20 jaar. Aanplantings van tafel- en droogdruiwe geniet steeds voorkeur bo wyndruiwe. Die krimping in hektare gebeur deur die bank by alle kultivars wit en rooi. •