We at the Gauteng Smallholder have for years being despairing over the fact that so little of what we use in our daily lives is […]
Author: Staff Reporter
Wanna farm? Just start!
A few weeks ago I received a call from a lady reader who said, “I have a passion for farming. I have a patch of […]
Santa’s Takealot Christmas
Ugly old bat, thought Santa Claus as he saw the warty face of Mrs Claus break into another disapproving scowl. “Wear your mask, you silly […]
Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed members of the inaugural Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission (P4C).The Commission is tasked with advising on South Africa’s climate change […]
Books about the Night Skies
The recent “conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn has raised awareness of the night skies above us. Many smallholders are able to see the stars relatively […]
Freezing Vegetables
The large heirloom tomatoes that we grow freeze well. However, experience has taught us that they are high in fluid, so we slice them into […]
Summer Solstice for Smallholders
Today is the Summer Solstice in South Africa. The image above, from EarthView, shows Africa today. (Note how much broader the band of daylight is […]
Indigenous Veld Goats of South Africa
Anyone who follows the Indigenous Veld Goats South Africa group on Facebook will know that these are the most beautiful and charming goats. (The photo […]
The Problem with Pesticides
We welcome summer in our vegetable gardens. However, hordes of pests do as well. There are insects, fungi, bacteria and viruses all celebrating the feast […]
R1-billion for subsistence farmers
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has allocated R1-billion to support 75 000 small-scale farmers around the country whose production was affected […]