Diversification is the new buzzword in agriculture and the only way to improve profitability on one’s farm. Farming can’t continue along the same path as Rainer and Michael’s father and Grandfather did. For this reason, Michael and Rainer have diversified into a local beef herd known as Grass Velders, planted maize and soya, these areas once reaped are replanted to a cover crop of forage peas that the cattle can feed on as well as being beneficial for the soil. The Brothers have also planted kiwifruit under netting; these are Global Gap certified to take advantage of the export market. Shows Grass Velders herd, forage peas growing in reaped maize land and the Kiwis under netting Harvesting operation Mechanised Extraction Forestry remains rooted in the farming enterprise with focus being on expanding the area under Acacia mearnsii and the production of Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus grandis clones for mining timber supply to Paulpietersburg Timbers where RMJ Farming (Pty) Ltd are shareholders in the business. Pulp generated from the mining timber operation is supplied to NCT as well as Mondi. The motor-manual harvesting system utilised by RMJ Farming (Pty) Ltd has been the go-to system for many years in forestry encouraging employment in rural areas such as Paulpietersburg. The services of a contractor are used for all the harvesting as well as some of the silvicultural operations on the farms. By doing this the contractor can offer employment to 30 permanent staff members from the community throughout the year. Michael and Rainer know that they control their own destiny hence the extraction operation is all done by own ops to ensure timber is moved timeously to the markets. For this to happen the correct extraction system needs to be utilised, and the brothers have chosen another trusted name in forestry purchasing Bell tractor trailer units and three-wheeled Bell loggers to do the extraction. The farming operation has its own timber truck for delivery of the mining timber and pulp giving RMJ Farming control of the supply chain. Rail is still utilised to NCT at Richard’s Bay with wagons being available on the Paulpietersburg line. Harvesting residue is not wasted as RMJ Farming (Pty) Ltd have their own charcoal kilns utilising all the larger diameter harvesting residue for this purpose. 9 8
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