On the Lantern Festival,
"The wild boar is about to give birth!" Wang Chenggang, the village chief's son, ran breathlessly from one end of the village to the other to report the good news.
Everyone stopped eating, put down their chopsticks and ran out.
This wild boar is finally about to give birth!
We have been in the village for half a month. We have been living frugally and have used the little grain stored in the production team to feed the pigs. We have been waiting to distribute the pigs today!
Chen Zhifang and Wang Youtian had just returned from the commune. There were many new policies this year, and as village cadres, it was very necessary for them to learn them.
Wang Youtian rode his bicycle with Chen Zhifang and entered the village exhausted. Seeing the villagers gathered around the commune's pigpen, he thought something had happened.
When we got there, we found out that it was a wild boar giving birth.
It just so happens that it aligns with the new policy.
"Everyone, listen to me!" Chen Zhifang stood in the middle of the crowd. "I just came back from the commune to share some new policies. From now on, the state will allow us members to operate a small amount of private plots and small-scale family sideline businesses. This family sideline business means that as long as it doesn't affect annual production, we can cultivate our own land and raise pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese. We can also plant a small number of fruit trees..."
In the early 1960s, the national economy was obviously in great difficulty. The above move was also to restore rural markets in a planned way and revitalize the rural economy. It was a self-rescue of the people across the country.
"Secretary, please don't lie to us. We used to have our own plots of land and could raise chickens and ducks, but later on they were all taken away, leaving every household with only one chicken."
It was normal for some people to be dissatisfied and complain. At that time, policies changed almost every year.
Chen Zhifang reassured everyone: "Don't worry, no matter how the policies change, they are all for the good of us ordinary people and for the good of the entire country. Remember, follow the leadership and follow the policies, and you will be right!"
To dispel everyone's psychological barriers, Wang Youtian stepped forward and said, "Besides that, the document also states that the adjustment to private plots will remain unchanged for at least twenty years. Even with pig farming, while both public and private ownership will continue, the leaders have stated that private ownership will be the primary focus. Our farmers' economy is also an important part of our socialist economic system. Everyone should actively participate so that our country can continue to develop better."
"When spring comes, we can reclaim the wasteland together and give everyone private plots. The market will gradually reopen soon. You can take your free baskets, clothes, and embroidered quilts and pillowcases to the market or the supply and marketing cooperative to exchange them. This is all encouragement from above! Everyone should support us!"
When everyone heard this, they became excited. No matter how long the policy could last, the real thing was to make money in the early stage. If they had their own private plots, at least they would not lack vegetables. If they raised more chickens and ducks, they would not lack eggs. They could also find time to do some manual work and exchange them for daily necessities. Wouldn't their lives be getting better and better?
"We all obey the government! We do whatever we are told to do!"
With someone taking the lead, naturally everyone will follow suit. Chen Zhifang and Wang Youtian felt relieved. It was difficult for the common people to work, and it was difficult for them too.
Wang Youtian also explained in detail the principles for allocating private plots. For example, each household is divided into land areas according to the number of people, so households with more people can get more.
The same applies to chickens, ducks and geese. If there is only one person in the family, they can raise a maximum of two hens. If there are more people, they can raise more, but the maximum number per household shall not exceed eight.
Pigs are managed even more strictly. Although pig farming is encouraged now, the country is also afraid of wasting food, so each household cannot raise more than five pigs. At the end of the year, they must hand over a pig weighing 150 kilograms to the commune food station, and they can keep the rest for themselves.
Manure from raising pigs can also be used to exchange for work points.
Qingshan Village did not meet the target for task pigs last year, so they were unable to get any pork at the end of the year. Fortunately, they still had the wild boar brought by Fu Baoer, and they must distribute the task pigs this year.
Now that the policy has been relaxed, Chen Zhifang and Wang Youtian hope that everyone can actively participate in the pig farming policy. Their production team cannot afford to embarrass themselves in front of the commune again this year.
But the people of Qingshan Village didn't see it that way. While raising pigs might seem like a good idea, the people themselves weren't getting enough to eat, so where would there be any extra food for the pigs? What if they couldn't meet their deadlines by the end of the year? With pigs lying around and no way to buy or sell them privately, they were losing out this year.
While Chen Zhifang was patiently persuading them, the wild boar successfully gave birth to piglets. Wang Chenggang excitedly counted them, and wow, there were twelve!
It would be good if this wild boar could give birth to four or five piglets in one litter, but this wild boar actually gave birth to twelve healthy piglets!
But Chen Zhifang was very happy. When he went to the commune today, he happened to report this matter. When they heard it, they told them to comply with the new policy and distribute the pigs to the members, so they no longer had to send them to the commune.
There were twelve piglets, two of which were kept by the production team, and the rest were shared among the members. At least several families could raise pigs. If they did not get a share, they could go to the commune and get ordinary piglets to raise.
This year, Qingshan Village is destined to complete the commune’s targets!
But the common people watched the fun, but when it came time to register, they all backed out.
"Secretary, Village Chief, can't our commune raise all these pigs?"
Chen Zhifang's eyebrows shot up, furious. "Last year, it was because none of you raised any pigs. The commune raised three, but none met the standard. We didn't complete our mission, and we didn't get any pigs distributed at the end of the year. Have you all forgotten?"
The person asking the question shrank his neck and dared not speak.
"This year we have a hard target, and you have to take these pigs back to me!" Chen Zhifang said seriously.
The two elders of the Fu family, who had been hiding in the back, looked at each other and thought it was feasible.
"Let's raise three!" Fu Manshan originally wanted to say five, but he felt that it seemed too eye-catching, so he retracted two fingers of his outstretched hand.
Chen Zhifang's face lit up immediately. "Okay, okay, look at how aware Brother Manshan is! He's worthy of being the man who fought against the Japanese!"
Fu Manshan's old face flushed with shame. He had only provided cover for the soldiers once.
Fu Baoer bit his finger and tilted his head in confusion. "Has Grandpa ever beaten ghosts? Can Grandpa also capture ghosts?"
However, with Fumanshan taking the lead, several families in the village with better conditions gradually stepped forward and adopted one or two cows.
Chen Zhifang knew that he couldn't push them too hard, after all, everyone was having a really hard time.
"After we've divided up the pigs, tomorrow we'll go reclaim the wasteland and divide it into private plots based on the number of people in each household. You can also go back and think about which plot to keep for your family. It's best if it's not too far from your home."
Everyone was quite concerned about this and hurried home to discuss it.
Fu Manshan looked at the three piglets he had chosen. They were quite energetic, lying in the sow's arms and drinking milk. The pigpen was also cleaned very cleanly and warmly by Wang Chenggang. After a few days, he would put them in the domestic pigs to adapt to the environment and then take them home.
Before that, he had to clean up the pigpen at home.
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