biometrics
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2019
- Messages
- 20,268
Where can I study this online?
What type of farming?Where can I study this online?
What do you want to do with it?
If I were to get a smallholding I want to know what to do with it. Would probably be crops like grapes, veggies, herbs etc. I need to learn stuff like soil composition, testing and feeding it. Which crops would suit the soil type. What to grow together or rotated. Dealing with pests. Etc etc. So nothing super advanced, but comprehensive enough to have confidence in what I'm doing.What type of farming?
Oh that's easy. Google or You Tube.If I were to get a smallholding I want to know what to do with it. Would probably be crops like grapes, veggies, herbs etc. I need to learn stuff like soil composition, testing and feeding it. Which crops would suit the soil type. What to grow together or rotated. Dealing with pests. Etc etc. So nothing super advanced, but comprehensive enough to have confidence in what I'm doing.
I can help you with that. Aside from the software development consulting work (my primary work); I've owned a working farm for over 15 years, with:If I were to get a smallholding I want to know what to do with it. Would probably be crops like grapes, veggies, herbs etc. I need to learn stuff like soil composition, testing and feeding it. Which crops would suit the soil type. What to grow together or rotated. Dealing with pests. Etc etc. So nothing super advanced, but comprehensive enough to have confidence in what I'm doing.
What to search for though? I'd like a structured course and Youtube is massive.Oh that's easy. Google or You Tube.
Correct. Also, I don't see myself coding for the next 20 years.Simply said we're for the most part self sufficient -- I assume that's somewhat similar to your interest in the small holding?
If your interest is primarily growing vegetables, herbs, etc. then I suggest you look into a growing tunnel, which maximises the time you can farm year round, protects against pests, makes it easy to spray poisons, fungicides, etc... then look into drip irrigation or hydroponics; both provides ways to increase your yields.Correct. Also, I don't see myself coding for the next 20 years.
Btw, do you have people working for you or do you do it yourself?If your interest is primarily growing vegetables, herbs, etc. then I suggest you look into a growing tunnel, which maximises the time you can farm year round, protects against pests, makes it easy to spray poisons, fungicides, etc... then look into drip irrigation or hydroponics; both provides ways to increase your yields.
An orchard is always nice to have; fast growers are peaches, plums, apricots which will typically bear fruit from year 2. Oranges, Apples, Pears take longer (> 5 years), Avocados trees take 10 years to bear this first fruit.
A chicken coop is handy, and you'll feed them from your all grain beer making. I maintain three areas for chickens, free range, in a egg laying coop and chick rearing coop (with heating lamps, etc.) The coops also serve as my composting areas; the chicken poop mixed in with the compost is a natural fertiliser for the growing tunnels. Compost is made up of kitchen scraps, beer grains and all the leaves (I have a lot of trees).
It's far too much work for just me; plus I'm quite busy during the day with consulting / development side; the lack of travel hasn't reduced the amount of work. I have 4 permanent guys and bring in temporary workers for any non standard workloads e.g. walling maintenance / repairs, etc.Btw, do you have people working for you or do you do it yourself?
For me a plus would be being active so would try do much of it myself.
Btw feel free to ask any question. I unfortunately learned many things the hard way; e.g. I lost far too many goats by only relying on the local vet.For me a plus would be being active so would try do much of it myself.
For sure. Will take a few years though, but firmly in my mind...Btw feel free to ask any question. I unfortunately learned many things the hard way; e.g. I lost far too many goats by only relying on the local vet.
Since the day I learned that farmers did much of this themselves I hardly ever use a vet. The farmer's store Obaro is a very useful place to discover; not only do they have all the stuff you'd ever need for most farming projects, they also keep stocks of all the veterinary medicines needed to treat your animals; antibiotics, thiamine injections, banding, etc.
Btw, this would be a nice address around here... but pricey.Btw feel free to ask any question. I unfortunately learned many things the hard way; e.g. I lost far too many goats by only relying on the local vet.
Since the day I learned that farmers did much of this themselves I hardly ever use a vet. The farmer's store Obaro is a very useful place to discover; not only do they have all the stuff you'd ever need for most farming projects, they also keep stocks of all the veterinary medicines needed to treat your animals; antibiotics, thiamine injections, banding, etc.
I have peafowls, but they're not that much different from ducks when it comes to what they eat. They have a big body so if you allow them access to your veggie gardens; you're going to lose a lot, because there is nothing they like more than new fresh sprouts. If I allowed my peafowl access to my gardens I'd never have any produce; hence the growing tunnels.For sure. Will take a few years though, but firmly in my mind...
Btw do you do things like having ducks to eat snails and stuff? How often do you end up having to use pesticides because more organic methods don't work or is too expensive?
Looks nice; large enough acreage for goats, sheep, cattle, etc. -- scenery is similar to my farm which is adjacent to the Magaliesberg.Btw, this would be a nice address around here... but pricey.
Nice address for the money (Hemel en Aarde Valley), cheaper down the road.Looks nice; large enough acreage for goats, sheep, cattle, etc. -- scenery is similar to my farm which is adjacent to the Magaliesberg.
Exactly; you need find the balance that'll work for you...Nice address for the money (Hemel en Aarde Valley), cheaper down the road.