NEWS
Gauteng ’ s wettest year in decades ?
With at least six weeks of rainy season still to go , Eastern Gauteng has enjoyed the wettest summer in at least two decades , because 2017 ' s rainfall from the start of the rainy season in September until mid-March has exceeded 1 050mm in Bredell , considerably more than the next highest rainfall figure of 978mm achieved in 2000 , and way more than the average over the past 20-odd years of 774mm . Indeed , during each of the four months from November 2016 to February , we recorded more than 200mm , and historically we still receive meaningful rainfall in March and April , so , overall we can expect the year ' s total to surpass 1 100mm at least . These figures do no more , of course , than flesh out in numbers the reality Gautengers have come to see around them , with all of the area ' s water supply dams now full after a worrying period of drought through the past dry
season . What does this do , in effect , for Gauteng ' s smallholders ? Firstly , consistently good rains will mean an increase in moisture levels in the soil , in turn in time feeding ground water supplies , which should mean that water tables will rise somewhat , making weak boreholes more efficient . Good rains have also meant good crops , particularly of dryland plantings , and fodder , and these extend way beyond Gauteng to most of the summer rainfall region of the highveld . As a result , we can expect maize prices to drop , as a result of better harvests , although it must be added that the current crop could have been much bigger had many farmers not refrained from over-committing themselves to planting while the memories of the last two dry seasons remained with them . Many others were simply unable to maximise their plantings because of the financial constraints brought about by the past drought . Lower maize prices should
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MAILBAG
From page 7
We base the farming on maize with a “ nutritional garden ” of vegetables for each household . This has worked well for me and is very viable for all landowners , even in the urban areas . A nutritional garden for a family of four needs 6m X 6m land only . I invite your readers to join us freely at our next training session in Nooitgedacht to change South Africa from poverty to wealth . Jonathan Bremner Farming God ' s Way Cell 083 488-0730 www . farming-gods-way . org
8 www . sasmallholder . co . za