Top tips for farmers

December 2024

COMPILED BY LOUISE KUNZ, ASSISTANT EDITOR: PULA

While most people look forward to a long break over the festive season, farming operations never stop. Planning for the festive season is very important, as everybody wants to spend time with family, but completing the daily tasks on the farm are as important as spending time with your loved ones.

Some of the team members of the Farmer Development Programme share advice on how to make the best of the festive season on the farm.

Get the seed in the ground

If you haven’t been able to plant yet and are waiting for the rain to fall, here are some guidelines. ‘Don’t rush your planting. Concentrate on the accuracy of seed placement for a good yield,’ says Graeme Engelbrecht, regional development manager in KwaZulu-Natal.

Du Toit van der Westhuizen, regional development manager in North West, emphasises the importance of sticking to the planting window – if it’s too late, don’t plant. ‘Make sure you don’t rush and neglect any part of the production process.’ He also reminds farmers that the most important thing a farmer can do for a healthy harvest is weed control.

It is always better if you can do as much as you can by yourself, but if you have to make use of a contractor, be there to ensure the job gets done properly. ‘Remember the contractor is there to get the job done, so he can be paid and move on to the next opportunity,’ says Graeme. 

Plan ahead

‘Try by all means to get the main work on the farm done before the start of the festive season,’ suggests Eric Wiggill, regional development manager in the Eastern Cape.

He also shares the following good advice:

• Work has to continue – planting, spraying, milking, caring for the animals – so staff must be aware of what is expected of them.
• Never start a new project during these times. Nobody is going to give you 100% work, and you will be paying much more for 50% work done on a public holiday.
• Keep a good skeleton staff (good all-rounders) for emergencies.

Make it a merry Christmas

The festive season is around the corner. Make sure that all staff are aware of their off days and workdays ahead of the festive season to avoid disappointment. Eric advises that the staff should be split into a Christmas and New Year’s team if possible.

‘Make sure the attendance register is up to date. Pay wages and bonuses (if applicable) on time and give staff time to do their Christmas shopping,’ says Eric. ‘When paying staff, avoid cash payments and rather use bank accounts. Remember to make staff sign for their salaries.

Publication: December 2024

Section: Pula/Imvula