Castor oil, bees, water and cows: Find all the answers

I want to start keeping bees

Hi, I love Seeds of Gold. Is bee keeping a worthy investment? Where can I get information on the same and training? Where can I source bee hives? Which environment best suits beekeeping?

Polycarp Makiti, Kibwezi

Thank you Polycarp for your interest in beekeeping. It is a worthwhile venture especially with the right equipment, harvesting techniques, processing, packaging and marketing.

The nearest station for you to get more information and quality training is the National Beekeeping Station at Ngong, Nairobi. The same station has a sales department where they sell quality bee hives of various types.

Fortunately, bees thrive in a wide variety of agro-ecological zones. What is important is that the bees should access forage (flowers) and water, not more than two kilometres away. If you need further training, please contact Baraka Agricultural College in Molo or Egerton University, Department of Animal Sciences.

Ronald Kimitei, Research

Assistant Egerton University Department of Animal Sciences. Email: [email protected]

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Pig farming

Hello, I got passion to rear pigs through Seeds of Gold magazine. I would like to get more information about pig keeping. The inputs and outputs, care, types of feeds and the type of pig to rear.

Thanks in advance, looking forward for your reply.

Pig rearing is an area with a huge potential for commercialisation and income generation. Major inputs include land, capital for purchasing stock, structures development, feed sourcing, water and labour. However, this depends mainly on your capital/resource base. Outputs include stock for sale (bacon and pork).

Pig keeping is also influenced greatly by market and in most cases farmers get into contract farming with pork and bacon processing firms such as Farmers Choice. Contact the pig firms for more information in care, feeding and general management. You can also visit this website for in depth advice; www.farmerspride.kbo.co.ke/pigs+farming

Anthony Mugatha, Research Assistant Egerton University, Department of Animal Sciences. [email protected]

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Castor oil seeds

I am a small-scale farmer in Ng’arua, Nyahururu. I recently did an acre of castor oil seeds on a trial basis and managed to harvest a few sacks. Unfortunately, the company which had promised to buy closed down and I am now stuck with my produce. Kindly advise me where I can get market.

Thank you, Richard Kuria

Thank you Richard. Please kindly contact Charles Otieno, an agronomist at Egerton University Email; [email protected] . This researcher is working on castor oil bio fuel. He will give a way out for the marketing of your produce.

Peter Caleb, Horticultural Scientist, Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

[email protected]

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My cabbage farm is infested with slugs

My name is Mahugu. I am a small-scale farmer in Nyandarua. I am having problems with slugs and grub worms. They have destroyed my over two-acre cabbage farm. The slugs eat the leaves while the worms eat the roots. What can I use to eliminate them? All the agricultural pesticides I know are banned. Please help.

Thank you Mahugu. This is as a result of pest developing resistance to any control means you have so far used. Kindly get advice from any agro-chemical shop and if you fail, we will advise you further with the help from Pest Control Product Board.
Seeds of Gold Team,

Egerton University

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Hi, I am so impressed with Seeds of Gold, keep it up. I am really passionate with farming. Kindly where can I get a person to construct a professional chicken cage for me.

Thanks Zippy

Zippy, chicken rearing is a diverse venture and type of housing depends on the production system you want to adopt (intensive, extensive or semi-intensive) and the poultry type as broilers, layers or dual purpose/indigenous.

The main housing types are deep litter, half litter/half slats, battery cage and semi-fold. Please contact nearest Kari station or local livestock extension office.

Francis Kigen, Research Assistant Egerton University Njoro, Department of Animal Sciences. Email: [email protected]

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My desire is to switch from quails

I really want to extend my gratitude to you for the good job you are doing to enlighten the youth and all your readers through your magazine.

In February this year, I ventured into quail farming. I started with Sh150,000. I lost a few of them, now they have already started laying, but we all know that the market is flooded. Somebody wanted me to sell to him at Sh35 each yet I bought Sh400 each.

I know there are some tourist hotels where I can still sell them at a better price. Please advise me so that I can acquire some-capital and venture into Kienjeji chickens.

Machira Jobharrison , Thika

Thank you Machira for recognising Seeds of Gold. Unfortunately, the quail market in Kenya is currently experiencing a glut and the best way to venture into tourist market is to rebrand your products to suit this market. In the meantime, you can employ the necessary cost-cutting practices to reduce the impact of losses.

Seeds of Gold Team,

Egerton University

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PIg urine manure

Congratulations for your excellent magazine. I liked the article on making compost manure. Currently, I know a farmer who dumps pig urine near the compound of a neighbour and lets it run into the shamba. It causes discomfort to the neighbour.

I think if he carries it down the shamba and have a pit dug, he can add green foliage from the shamba and make compost manure. I welcome suggestions so that I inform the farmer.

Peter Mungai, Kabete

Thank you Mungai. It is true pig urine poses a pollution problem but it may be difficult to compost directly since it is a mixture of water and urine. Composing can be better done by filtering and channelling excess liquid into a drainage pit and the remaining can be turned into compost. Advise the farmer to dig channels for proper disposal towards the farm. He may also use it to make biogas.

Anthony Mugatha, Research Assistant Egerton University.

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Keeping pigs

I am Kamiri Thilange. I want to invest in pig keeping. Please advise me on how to construct a pig house and where I can get more information within Meru.

Thank you Kamiri for your interest in the area. Pig rearing has a huge potential for commercialisation and income-generation.

For you to get relevant information on pig housing, please present your status (land size, capital base and number of pigs you want to keep) to your local livestock extension office. You may contact firms such as Farmers Choice (pig unit) for more information in housing, feeding and general management. You can also visit this website for in depth advice; www.farmerspride.kbo.co.ke/pigs+farming.

Seeds of Gold Team,
Egerton University

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Borehole water

Hallo, my name is James Oloo from Nairobi. Thank you for Seeds of Gold for expert information on modern farming methods.

My questions are, is borehole water good for irrigation or fish farming? Can farmers in dry areas use alternative energy such as solar or wind to pump water for irrigation? How affordable can this be?

It is good to first get your water tested for salinity levels to determine if it’s fit for irrigation or fish farming. Some water drilling companies can do this or contact your local water ministry office.

Ronald Kimitei, Research Assistant Egerton University

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Growing grapes

Hi? I am a small-scale farmer from Trans Nzoia County, Kitale. I am interested in growing grapes.

How they grown and what are the market options?

Rose Wanjiku

Thank you Rose. Grapes are vine fruit crops and you need to establish trellis in your farm with the help of agriculture extension officers around your region. Timber poles and wire will be required after preparation of the farm. Please contact Egerton University for further assistance if you may need.

Peter Caleb, Horticultural Scientist, Egerton University

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Flower sexes of pawpaw plants

Dear Seeds of Gold,

Thanks for the informative farming magazine. Thanks too Prof Mulwa on paw paws flowering. Can the agronomic practices, soils/nutrients determine/affect the flower sexes?

Keep up the good work.

Peter Mbogo

Embu

No, only temperature as explained to you earlier. Agronomic practices, soils/nutrients cannot determine or affect the flower sexes?
Seeds of Gold Team,

Egerton University

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Source for cows

Hi, hope this email gets you well.My name is Amos, I am planning to start a dairy farm of at least four dairy cows in my one acre of land in Meru. What really should I put in place before starting this plan, having in mind this is a starting point of it? Again about cows, how should I source good cows that can give me good profit?Lastly and not least; what zero grazing is good for four?

Thank you Amos for seeking our advice. To start with, you need to establish some pasture for your animals such as napier, Rhodes grass and lucerne.

Rhodes grass and lucerne seeds can be obtained at Kenya Seed outlets. You also need to put in place the right structures (milking parlour, feeding troughs, feed store, hay barn and calf pens) and have reliable water supply before stocking. You may stock feeds sourced out of farm as required. Visit registered reputable breeding farms (You can be better advised about this by your local livestock extension office).

Zero grazing is okay for four animals but this depends on the size of your land.

Ronald Kimitei, Research Assistant Egerton University

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Growing grass

Dear Sir,

I wish to express my interest in growing grass for my cattle in Western Kenya. How can I be assisted to get this grass to plant on my firm? I work in Mombasa. Please direct me to the nearest area where I can get it.

Martin Ramoya

Thank you Martin. It depends on the type of grass you want to plant. One can get Rhodes grass, Star grass, Sudan grass and Kikuyu grass seed can be obtained at Kenya Seed outlets. You may also visit Kari stations for other grass varieties such as Napier.

Seeds of Gold Team,
Egerton University