XRM MIXED Farming CO

22/07/2025

We doing it

08/09/2024

04/09/2024

In South Africa, 30 million eggs are consumed every day, and black farmers produce less than 2 million of these eggs.

26/08/2024

The Importance of Plant Spacing

An adequate space between your plants will reduce competition for light, will conserve water, and will provide more soil nutrition to each plant.
There is a limit to the amount of nutrients in your soil. By leaving plenty of room between plants, they can have a wide area from which to draw their sustenance. Keeping the area weed-free will also allow more nutrients to be available for the plants you want to grow.
As plants grow, light will be reduced through the developing leaf canopy. This shade will slow plants down if plants are too crowded. Leaving more space between plants allows more sun and brighter light to hit expanding plants, and this will result in faster, more robust growth.
Unseen competition for root room can also slow plants down. Plants thrive when roots can freely spread in loose healthy soil. Roots will also draw more moisture if they have plenty of room.

General space recommendations for some crops

Beets – 1 foot
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale – 4 feet
Carrots – 1 foot
Corn – 3 feet
Cucumbers – 5-6 feet
Lettuce – 2 feet
Peas – can be planted thickly
Peppers – 3 feet
Potatoes – 18 inches
Spinach – 1 foot
Squash – 8-10 feet

Tomatoes – give the roots the same amount of width as the leaves take above ground. Determinate varieties will need less room than indeterminates

21/08/2024

How to grow cabbage

Growing cabbage can be a rewarding endeavor, and it typically involves the following steps:

Growing Season
Cabbage is a cool-season crop, which means it thrives in cooler temperatures. The best times to plant cabbage are:

•Spring Planting: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost date. Transplant seedlings outdoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost.
- Fall Planting: Start seeds indoors in mid to late summer and transplant them outdoors 6-8 weeks before the first expected frost.

Time to Harvest
The time from planting to harvest varies depending on the variety of cabbage, but it generally takes about 70 to 100 days from transplanting to harvest. Here’s a rough breakdown:

- Early Varieties: 70-80 days
- Mid-Season Varieties: 80-90 days
- Late Varieties: 90-100 days

Growing Steps
1. Soil Preparation: Cabbage prefers well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Amend the soil with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.

2. Planting:
Seeds: Sow seeds about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Thin seedlings to about 12-24 inches apart, depending on the variety.
Transplants: If using transplants, plant them at the same depth they were growing in their pots.

3. Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Cabbage needs about 1-1.5 inches of water per week.

4. Fertilizing: Use a balanced fertilizer or one high in nitrogen to promote leafy growth. Fertilize again about halfway through the growing season.

5. Pest and Disease Management: Watch for pests like aphids, cabbage worms, and slugs. Use row covers or organic pesticides as needed. Crop rotation can help prevent diseases.

6. Harvesting: Cabbage is ready to harvest when the heads are firm and have reached the desired size. Cut the head off at the base with a sharp knife

19/08/2024

🌳🙏.

18/08/2024

Poultry terminology:

1. Broiler: Young chicken grown for meat production.

2. Layer: Female chicken grown for egg production.

3. Breeder: Adult chicken used for breeding purposes.

4. Chick: Young chicken, usually under 4 weeks old.

5. Pullet: Young female chicken, usually under 4 months old.

6. Cockerel: Young male chicken, usually under 1 year old.

7. Hen: Adult female chicken.

8. Rooster: Adult male chicken.

9. Flock: Group of chickens.

10. Hatchery: Facility where eggs are hatched.

11. Incubator: Machine used to hatch eggs.

12. Brooding: Rearing young chickens.

13. Grow-out: Rearing chickens from brooding to market age.

14. Laying cycle: Period of egg production by a hen.

15. Molting: Shedding of feathers, usually accompanied by a pause in egg production.

16. Pecking order: Social hierarchy among chickens.

17. Scrambled eggs: Fertilized eggs that have been mixed up during incubation.

18. Straight-run: Chicks that have not been sexed.

19. Sexing: Determining the gender of chicks.

20. Vaccination: Administering vaccines to protect against diseases.

21. Beak trimming: Trimming the beak to prevent pecking damage.

22. Debeaking: Removing the beak to prevent pecking damage.

23. Culling: Removing weak or unhealthy birds from the flock.

24. Grading: Sorting eggs or chickens by size or quality.

25. Gut health: The balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system.