Chapter 133 Silkworms
In early April, the rape flowers in the field have reached the end of their blooming period, changing from golden yellow flowers to green pods, inside which grow rape seeds. When the oil tea seeds are ripe, they can be harvested and exposed to the sun. After being collected, the seeds can be taken to an oil press to extract oil for consumption.
Rapeseed oil has a strong smell and is delicious when used to fry tofu.
However, Gao Mingcheng did not plant rapeseed this year, so he felt a little envious when he saw the rapeseed in other people's fields.
Looking at the mung beans, sesame seeds and peanuts planted in other people’s fields, I feel even more envious!
The envious Gao Mingcheng went back home to carry a hoe and reclaim the wasteland!
Next year he will plant all the things he likes to eat! To achieve self-sufficiency as soon as possible!
While Gao Mingcheng was working hard to open up the land, Xuanyuemei came back on a bicycle. She rode directly to Gao Mingcheng's side and rang the bell.
Gao Mingcheng looked in the direction of the sound and saw many beautiful and smiling women riding bicycles, with one foot on the ground to steady their bodies.
"Ming Cheng, let's go to the mountain and dig up some mulberry trees! And plant them there!" Xuanyuemei pointed to the eastern corner of her own courtyard wall. There happened to be an open space there with no big trees blocking the view from above and no piles of rocks below. It was a perfect place to plant trees.
Gao Mingcheng was stunned. Why did he suddenly think of digging up mulberry trees and planting them?
Manyu Mei took out a paper box like offering a treasure, opened it, and said to Gao Mingcheng, "Look, what is this?"
Gao Mingcheng walked over and saw a few mulberry leaves in the paper box. On the mulberry leaves, there were countless tiny silkworms. It looked like they had just hatched a few days ago.
No wonder many beauties suddenly wanted to dig up mulberry trees. It turned out that they had brought back silkworms.
Xuanyuemei said, "My third sister gave me the silkworms. She told me to raise them. After they are well raised, I can take the cocoons to her place and sell them. Someone will buy them. She said they will be used to make silk quilts!"
Manyi Mei said with infinite longing: "I have asked, silkworms are very easy to raise, as long as they are fed with mulberry leaves! Once they have cocoons, they can be sold for a lot of money! I think we have mulberry trees in the mountains, but in order to make it easier to raise silkworms in the future, I might as well go to the mountains and dig up a few mulberry trees. After all, mulberry leaves are also a kind of medicine, and they are useful things."
"Okay!" Gao Mingcheng did not pour cold water on Xuanyuemei. Let her raise the child if she wants. It is not a big deal anyway.
The wasteland was temporarily uncultivated, so he carried a hoe and went to the mountains to dig mulberry trees.
On a slope southeast of Niuweiling, there is a large area of mulberry trees, some large and some small, growing quite densely. Every May, you can pick some mulberries there to eat.
But not all mulberry trees can grow mulberries. Some trees grow tall but just don’t bear fruit. The old people in the village say that these are male trees and only female trees will bear fruit.
Xuanyue pushed the bicycle back home, put the paper box on the table, and then hurriedly caught up with Gao Mingcheng.
Soon, the two arrived at the area full of mulberry trees.
Since you are going to transplant it to your home, you naturally have to be selective. You have to choose one with a good-looking shape and lush leaves.
"Let's take this one!" Gao Mingcheng pointed to a mulberry tree. Manyu Mei naturally nodded without any objection. Then they saw Gao Mingcheng waving a hoe and starting to dig the soil.
When transplanting a tree, it is best to leave it with roots and soil so that it will be easier for it to survive.
Gao Mingcheng dug a big mound of earth at the roots of the mulberry tree, and cut off the rest of the roots with a hoe. After transplanting, new roots will naturally grow.
The mulberry tree has strong vitality. Even if only one large root is left, it can still grow new branches and leaves.
After Gao Mingcheng dug one tree, he went to dig the second one. Xuanyuemei saw this and immediately went to pick up the mulberry tree she had dug before. She planned to take it back home first.
However, she underestimated the weight of the mulberry tree. The tree was not particularly tall, only slightly taller than an adult, but with its roots and soil, it was quite heavy.
Gao Mingcheng saw Xuanmei stumble and almost fall, and immediately said, "Leave it alone, I'll do it."
Many beauties looked embarrassed.
She walked down the mountain, saying, "Then I'll go back and dig the pit first!"
She walked down the mountain, took a hoe from the utility room, and began to choose a place to dig a hole. She would be able to plant the tree after Gao Mingcheng brought it back.
Although digging a hole is also physical work, Xuanmei did a pretty good job. When Gao Mingcheng came back with two trees, she had already dug a big hole.
"Duomei, bring some fertilizer!" Gao Mingcheng took a look at the bottom of the pit. The soil here was loess and didn't look very fertile.
"Oh." Xuanmei responded and went to the composting area to get some fertilizer and sprinkled it on the bottom of the pit. This was decomposed and fermented fertilizer and would not burn the trees.
So many beauties held the tree trunks, and Gao Mingcheng was responsible for covering the soil. After finishing, he stepped on it a few times to make the soil more compact.
The second pit was dug by Gao Mingcheng himself. He waved his hoe and dug a pit of suitable size in no time. Then, with the concerted efforts of both of them, they successfully planted two trees.
The two mulberry trees are not far apart, only about two meters. After planting, they embellish the scenery outside the courtyard wall.
"Duomei, please break off some branches. Don't leave so many leaves on them. I'll go get some water." Gao Mingcheng said, and went to the yard to fetch water.
He didn't go to the reservoir to fetch water, but used well water directly for watering. The well in his family was really well dug. It was full of water every day, and the water quality was clear and sweet.
Sure enough, when people from several nearby villages wanted to dig a well, the first people they thought of were the people from Dalong Village!
This craftsmanship is amazing!
After watering the mulberry tree, the transplanting of the tree is done. All that’s left is to wait for the mulberry tree to grow roots and sprout new buds again.
Manyuemei walked into the house holding the branches she had just picked.
These mulberry leaves are just right for the silkworms to eat.
"Duomei, what are you going to use to raise the silkworms? This paper box is too small. It will not be enough in two days." Gao Mingcheng said.
Silkworms develop very quickly. They may look small now, but they will be big in a few days.
During the growth period, it changes every day and grows very fast.
Xuanyuemei thought about it, but couldn't find anything suitable to raise. She looked at Gao Mingcheng in dumbfoundedness, with a look on her face that said, "What should I do?"
What else can I do?
Of course, it is to build a new home for the silkworms!
"Duomei, you go cook, I'll go to the mountain to cut some bamboo." Gao Mingcheng took a machete and planned to go into the mountain again.
When he reached the gate of the yard, he remembered something and said, "I caught some bullfrogs and put them in the kitchen. If you don't know how to cook them, just leave them there until I come back and cook them."
Manyu Mei quickly said, "No need for you to do it, I can do it myself!"
Killing bullfrogs sounds complicated, but for Xiumei, who grew up in the village, it is not a difficult task. She has caught frogs to eat before.
Frogs, like bullfrogs, have tender meat and are very delicious!
(End of this chapter)
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