From America to Hertzogville: How JW is farming smarter

In this episode, we head to the Free State to meet Johannes Willem (JW) Dercksen, who has been farming alongside his father in Hertzogville for the past four years. After gaining international experience working in the United States, JW returned home with a clear vision: to achieve maximum yields on minimum hectares while staying true to his philosophy of “back to basics.”JW shares insights into their current farming system, producing maize, soybeans, and sunflowers, and explains why building and repairing their own implements on-farm saves both time and money. He talks candidly about the mistakes that shaped his journey, the lessons learned, and why he believes keeping up with modern practices is just as important as sticking to what works.