The Highlands Farmhouse

The Highlands Farmhouse T. H. F is the answer to all your farm production problems. Get in touch with us today.

We offer consultation, management and diagnostic analysis to help you the farmer scale up your production and to enhance your revenues.

Agriculture is the root that nourishes every sector of human life.
17/12/2025

Agriculture is the root that nourishes every sector of human life.

21/07/2025

If You Want to Get Rich from Farming, STOP Reading Farming Books. Read Business Books Instead.

Let me save you time and money. If your goal is to get wealthy through agriculture, here’s a secret: Don’t focus on becoming a better farmer. Focus on becoming a better entrepreneur.

Too many people are obsessed with the technical side of farming: soil pH, feed ratios, crop spacing while completely ignoring the money side. That’s why most small-scale farmers remain broke or barely break even.

Be an agripreneur, not a farmer.
That means your job isn’t to know everything about the farm, it’s to build a business that uses farming to generate income, create jobs, and scale.

Yes, you can and should hire people who read farming books. Hire the ones who obsess over fertilizers, animal feed, and livestock cycles. That’s their job. Your job is to run the business, make strategic decisions, and sign the cheques.

Let’s be real:

Universities and agricultural colleges are releasing thousands of graduates every year. Do you honestly think all of them will start their own farms or businesses?

No. They’re looking for jobs. That’s your opportunity. Don’t compete with them employ them.

I don’t need to know the biological processes happening inside a pig to run a profitable piggery. I need to know how to calculate margins, manage staff, expand operations, and find buyers at scale. That’s the game.

Stop doing "projects" like it’s a school assignment. Run a farming business. Projects don’t scale. Businesses do.

Someone once told me, “I’m planning to go to agricultural college so I can run a profitable farm one day.” I laughed not because she can’t succeed, but because she’s walking into the wrong door.

To disrupt an industry, you don’t need to be an insider. You need to think differently. I don’t follow the rules. I follow the money. I do what works.

You don’t need more agricultural knowledge. You need business knowledge.

Read books on sales, operations, marketing, cashflow, and leadership.

Learn how to negotiate, systemize, and scale.

Understand branding and customer psychology.

Master logistics and supplier networks.

Use tech to automate, track, and grow your enterprise.

That’s how you turn chickens into cash flow.
That’s how you turn cabbages into capital.
That’s how you stop working for the land and make the land work for you.

You will thank me later.

19/09/2023

Do not buy land when starting out your farming journey.

And others "Do not’s".

1. Do not buy, lease land.

Land is costly.

You are inexperienced.

There are many things you do not know as a new farmer. It is better you know them first before making a huge investment in the form of buying land.

2. Do not quit your job.

As a matter of fact, if you don't have a job and want to start farming, find a job first.

Farming is financially-intensive. You invest a lot of resources before you can get anything back.

Take pressure off your farm by having another source of income.

3. Do not specialise.

Specialisation needs mastery, which you do not have at the beginning of your farming journey.

You can have a main crop based on market research, personal interest, climate among others.

However, dedicate a part of your farm to experimenting with other 1 or 2 crops.

4. Do not hire a full-time agronomist.

Again, at the beginning, keep costs as low as possible.

A full time agronomist is a huge expense.

The better option is to have a "roaming" agronomist who comes to your farm once a week.

N.B.
▪️Having an experienced agronomist can shorten the time to your first profit.
▪️Ensure your part-time agronomist is reliable and available when needed.

5. Do not buy expensive tools.

While starting, buy the least cheapest necessary tools.

Upgrade tools when you know exactly what you need.

Do you agree with the 5 points above? Share with other aspiring farmers.

Happy Farming!

Start the week with some insight into poultry farming.Happy farming!
27/06/2022

Start the week with some insight into poultry farming.

Happy farming!

Quick and easy rich Lemon muffins.
13/06/2022

Quick and easy rich Lemon muffins.

KaleHighly nutritious vegetable, whether eaten cooked or raw. It is packed with minerals, antioxidants, and rich in vita...
12/02/2022

Kale

Highly nutritious vegetable, whether eaten cooked or raw. It is packed with minerals, antioxidants, and rich in vitamins A, C and K. Full of fiber and energy

You are what you eat, have some Kale today!

🥬

18/10/2021

SUMMER TIPS FOR YOU POULTY FARMERS

Whether you have broilers, layers or both, high temperatures tend to stress birds and it is proven that stressed birds are not productive. Here are a few tips to ensure your birds are stress free and being as productive as possible.

1. Ensure that the room they are in is very well ventilated. Ventilation will allow for air to freely enter the room and help cool the birds especially on hot and sunny days.

2. Make sure that the litter (wood shavings) are dry and not smelly. Wet and smelly litter gives rise to respiratory and bacterial infections so you are better off taking a preventative approach rather than curative. PS: A well ventilated room will always have dry and odorless litter.

3. Provide your birds with water always. You can't afford to let your drinkers run dry during hot days so make sure the drinkers always have water in them. I've come across farmers who put containers of water in their freezers and give them cool water during relatively hotter days.

Happy Farming!

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25/09/2021

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MAIZE (PEST CONTROL - STORAGE).Nationally on average, statistics show that Zambians lose around 30% of their maize post-...
09/08/2021

MAIZE (PEST CONTROL - STORAGE).

Nationally on average, statistics show that Zambians lose around 30% of their maize post-harvest each year due to poor storage techniques. better post-harvest storage techniques have to be implemented if these losses are to be reduced or outright eliminated. The common practice is to store dried kernels or shelled maize after harvest and place them on the ground in rooms, granaries, traditional outdoor storage bins (silos) or placed in jute bags, usually 50kg or 100kg in size.

These common practices by most farmers is to keep insects and rodents out of stored bags, farmers commonly use pesticides like Aluminum Phosphide and Zinc Phosphate, on their post-harvest maize. To prevent theft, farmers tend to keep these bags inside their home, where unfortunately their families are exposed to the toxic pesticides. Better practices during storage are very essential.

COMMON MAIZE STORAGE PESTS

Larger Grain Borer

Lesser Grain Borer

Grain Weevils

Flour Beetles

Khapra Beetle

Grain Moths

Fungi (Aspergillus and Penicilium)

PEST CONTROL METHODS

It is important that the storehouse or rooms in which the maize is to be stored is as unfavorable for the pests to thrive. So for this purpose effective use of insecticides and periodic fumigations are called for.

Preventative means

1. Grain moisture content is a very critical aspect of storage for most crops. For maize in particular, whenever the moisture content is over 15%, pests find such conditions habitable and thrive. Therefore it is highly recommended to store your grain when the moisture content is at or below 12% to prevent losses due to pest build up.

2. Warehouse conditions should be kept cool and dry as much as possible. Ensure that it is kept clean as well to lessen the chances of insect habitation.

3. Packing materials (bags or silos) should be relatively strong and impervious to keep most pests outside and ensure that the stored grain is safe within.

Combative means

Since stored grains are for either human or livestock consumption, care MUST be used to avoid the possibility of poisoning in the case where chemicals are used for exterminative purposes. The application rates vary and should be followed precisely to avoid poisoning.

1. Wood ash either alone or mixed with powdered chilli pepper is an efficient method of pest control. However, ashes may have an effect on the taste of the treated product. The success of this method depends on the amount of ashes being added. Ashes at 2 to 4 % by weight of grain is said to give 4 to 6 months protection if the moisture content of the grain is below 11%.

2. Fumigation. This is when an insecticide in gaseous form penetrates the stored grain and kills whatever insect are present, when they inhale the poisonous gas. Examples of chemicals used here are Aluminium or Magnesium phosphide tablets. These are readily available in most Agro stores and chemists. This offers protection for up to 9 months, but may vary based on the manufacturer.

3. Mixing the grain with dusts to protect the grain. Pests are killed when they get in contact with the insecticide protected produce. Recommended dusts include Actellic Dust, while Carbaryl can be used as a wettable powder.

Let's all store our maize grain properly and not only have more money in our pockets, but have more food and escape poverty.

Stay tuned for more farming tips on The Highlands Farmhouse.

Aphids are small sucking insect pests that appear red, black, green or white. These pests suck the leaves of most common...
06/08/2021

Aphids are small sucking insect pests that appear red, black, green or white. These pests suck the leaves of most common crops (cabbage, r**e, tomato, eggplants and even papayas) and cause many viral diseases and cause significant damage to plants if left unchecked.

Infestation levels vary from mild to extreme. Typical systems of aphid infestation are the curling of leaves by sucking the plant sap that then turn yellow, and cause distorted growth. Even with consistent watering and manure/fertilizer application this symptom is very evident. There is also an appearance of a honeydew substance on the leaves of the affected crop (this is released by the aphids) that eventually turns sooty black.

To control aphids you can use a strong stream of water, insecticidal soaps (neem oil) or pesticides containing active ingredients such as Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid, Malathion, Chlorpyrifos and Abamectin. Be sure to mix the right doses if you opt to use chemical control and alternate between different chemicals to prevent the aphids building resistance to one particular chemical (as is usually the case with most farmers).

You can as well place a layer of aluminium foil under the plants to reflect light to the underside of leaves causing them to become an undesirable habitat for the aphids to thrive.

If you see lady bug beetles around your infected field this is a good sign as they eat aphids thus acting as a biological control

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Address

Chipoma Street, Highlands
Livingstone

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Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00
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