Heavy rains continue in the Eastern Free State.
We have now had 524mm of rain since 1st December 2010. Rain clouds are everywhere and as one can see from the rainfall analysis below not many dry days.
Modern Farming
New Generator supplied to Sandstone
A new 300 kVA generating plant has been installed and successfully commissioned at Sandstone Estates. This means that we are now entirely independent of outside power sources in the event of any short-term or major power failures. This 300 kVA plant can run our entire grain silo installation, bean processing plant, and all domestic and security lighting requirements.
We have had a back-up generator at Sandstone Estates for many years but it did not have the capacity to run everything at once. This has now been resolved.
Harvest time only a few weeks away
With harvest time only 6-weeks away the wheat has benefitted hugely from recent rains. One should remember that this wheat went without a drop of rain for 3-months and in some cases the germination was compromised. However, we are pleased with the way in which the crop is developing.
Soya Bean planting now completed
Our Soya Bean planting at Sandstone Estates is now completed. We had a number of setbacks relating mostly to packing due to our policy of leaving a maximum amount of mulch on the ground. Unfortunately with a lot of modern planters they aren't always able to cope and this requires continuous adjustments to the machinery, or in some cases reducing the amount of biological material on the ground.
We have learnt that even during one planting season ground conditions can vary from land to land and the planters can do a brilliant job on one land and struggle in the next. Anyway, the crop is planted, the rains are falling regularly, and the prospects are looking good.
As always it is market prices prevailing after market that will establish the profitability.
Security breakthrough at Sandstone Estates
The South African Police Services have now established a Police Station on the farm. This is a portable Police station manufactured from a container.
Our pictures show the unit being offloaded etc.
RSG 4x4 Club annual visit
On Saturday, 7th August 2010, the RSG 4x4 Club pitched up at Sandstone Estates for their annual visit.
Hester Dietrichsen has prepared a report on their visit.
Click here to view the report - 3MB PDF (opens in a new window)
Problems continue from Lesotho
Lesotho citizens have been crossing the border and setting alight to our farmland. While it is bad enough suffering loss of grazing through the destruction of open veld these problems have taken a new turn with us now experiencing the burning of the actual crop lands themselves. Sandstone Estates operates a Biological Farming model which involves Minimum Tillage, i.e. we leave the crop residues on the surface and plant through them. Unfortunately they have now starting setting alight the crop residue while the new crop is in the process of growing through it, which of course destroys the crop that has been planted.
The implications of this in terms of financial losses is huge.
With Changing climatic conditions and Sandstone's adherence to a Biological model we face new and different challenges every year.
One of the problems with leaving crop residues undisturbed is that it can obstruct the planting process. This Australian designed stubble cruncher deals with sunflower residue very effectively and clears the way for Soya Bean planting in October.
Ironically the most Modern Farming methods, i.e. the most cost-effective and the most nature friendly are by definition relatively tidy as these pictures show.
Wheat planted in early July has germinated and is holding its own against dry conditions.
The farm is much warmer than it should be for July and feels like it is Spring. For the last two weeks there has been very little cold weather. It is not unusual to experience temperatures of -8 or -9 degrees centigrade at this time of the year so it would appear that Global Warming continues to be an issue.
