Not long after the spring plowing, the work in the fields gradually increased. Every day, the villagers had to go to the fields to weed in the hope of harvesting more grain.
Ye Shuning understands very well the importance the villagers place on crops, as it is related to their food security.
Ye Shuning had asked some people about the current yield in the fields, and it was simply incomparable to the future per-acre yield. Ye Shuning knew that in addition to the problem of seeds, there was also the problem of fertilizer.
How can crops produce more food without sufficient fertility? However, domestic fertilizer production is currently very low, and large quantities of fertilizer are imported each year. Even so, this is a drop in the bucket, as fertilizers are not widely available.
Many places use farmyard manure, but the fertility of farmyard manure cannot meet the needs of crops, so the yield will naturally not increase.
Domestic fertilizer plants currently have very low output, outdated equipment, and outdated technology. Replacing equipment requires importing, but foreign exchange is extremely scarce. With so much to import, there simply isn't enough foreign exchange.
Many companies that want to improve their technology and import equipment have to wait for approval from higher authorities.
The situation in the country is difficult now.
Ye Shuning cannot change the overall environment, but perhaps she can change the lives of the people around her.
People now hope to have a good harvest to fill their stomachs. Since grain production cannot be increased immediately, perhaps she can help the village generate income and provide them with other food.
Ye Shuning's first thought was to grow mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms. While some people still grow these, they're rare. Most people eat them by picking them from the mountains. Many country folk, reluctant to eat the mountain produce, sell them to purchasing stations for cash.
In this way, people in the city can have mountain products to eat, but they are rare.
If you can grow mushrooms and fungus, you will definitely have no problem finding a market. Moreover, mushrooms and fungus can be dried and preserved, so they won't spoil easily.
Another good way to generate income in rural areas is through animal husbandry, raising chickens, ducks, pigs, and fish. Chickens and ducks also produce eggs. These are all great ways to improve farmers' lives, but only if they are done in the name of the collective.
Uncle Pan was the team leader, and she thought she could slowly infiltrate him with farming and planting. She believed he would figure it out over time.
She had just arrived in Fengyang Village, so it was more important for her to do a good job as a primary school teacher.
Ye Shuning feels that her life has become more enjoyable since she became an elementary school teacher. She doesn't have to think about work or stay up late every night, so she can go to bed early and sleep until she wakes up naturally every morning.
After making herself a delicious breakfast in the morning, she would tidy up the vegetable garden and then go to school to teach the children. She couldn't make do with lunch. After she had almost eaten all the leafy vegetables in the institute's cafeteria, she started to add vegetables she grew herself.
Ye Shuning first harvested a batch of Chinese cabbage and lettuce, and then more, including Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, winter melons, etc., which enriched her recipes a lot.
She takes a nap after lunch and continues to teach the children in the afternoon. After school, she has her own time. She goes home to take care of the vegetable garden and cook. She feels that she is living the pastoral life she has always longed for.
She knew that she might only have these few years to live a leisurely life. After she took the college entrance examination, she probably wouldn't have such a leisurely and peaceful life anymore, so she had to cherish it.
Ye Shuning felt that it was a pity that many of the vacant lands in the institute were left empty without being used to grow anything. In order to make it more convenient to eat eggs and chicken in the future, she decided to find a suitable place in the institute to raise some chickens.
After lunch, Ye Shuning came to the Pan family and said, "Aunt, I want to raise two chickens so that it will be convenient to eat eggs in the future."
When Yang Xiuying heard that Ye Shuning wanted to raise chickens, she agreed and said, "I'll ask you later if anyone has hatched chicks."
Ye Shuning said, "Aunt, I've never raised chickens before. I'm afraid they'll die, so I want to raise a few more at the beginning."
Yang Xiuying asked, "How many do you want?"
Ye Shuning thought for a moment and said, "Let's get ten first. We can exchange them for food or buy them with money."
Yang Xiuying said, "No need for that. Just weave a few baskets and use them to exchange when the time comes."
Ye Shuning was so happy when she heard that she didn't need food or money. "That's no problem. I'll weave a few more baskets later."
Ye Shuning planned to wait until the ten chicks were exchanged back, and then she would bring them to the research institute to raise them one by one. Then she would use the excuse that all the chicks had died and buy a second batch.
After deciding to raise chickens, Ye Shuning looked for a suitable place in the institute. There was a shed for storing electric vehicles and bicycles behind the institute's office building, and she thought she could make use of it.
She chose to build a circle of branches against the wall. The temperature in the lab was moderate and it wouldn't rain, so she didn't need to build a chicken coop. Once the chicks were old enough to lay eggs, she could just make a few nests.
Soon, Yang Xiuying found ten chicks for Ye Shuning. "Xiaoning, be careful with these chicks. Even though it's impossible for all of them to survive, at least a few should be left. They said they'll give you two baskets and three straw hats in exchange for ten chicks."
Ye Shuning said, "No problem. I have already compiled one. Please bring it to them."
Ye Shuning got ten chicks and brought them all to the research institute that night.
The chick was in good spirits and showed no signs of discomfort when it arrived at the research institute. She found some millet and fed it to the chick.
The chicks are still small, so they have to be kept in the house first even if they are outside.
At first, she took a few chicks out of the space, but later she simply left them all in the research institute space. Then she went to see Aunt Pan again, saying that she had killed all the chicks and wanted to buy a few more.
Yang Xiuying was heartbroken when she heard this. "It's my fault too. You've never raised chickens before, so you're not sure. Don't raise chickens by yourself. Auntie will raise a few more chickens and give you two when they grow up."
Now Ye Shuning no longer had an excuse to raise chickens, but if all the ten chickens in the research institute were raised and laid eggs, it would be enough for her to eat.
Ye Shuning said with a smile: "Thank you, auntie."
The Pan family's children all came back, and Ye Shuning took out a handful of fruit candies from her pocket and gave them to the children.
Yang Xiuying looked at her happy grandchildren and scolded Ye Shuning, "You only know how to spoil them."
Ye Shuning waved her hand and said, "It's just a few candies. Brother Li sent them, and I don't like them."
Yang Xiuying knew that everyone liked to eat candy, and Ye Shuning just wanted to give back to their family.
For example, although her youngest son and eldest grandson often went to help her, she often invited the two children to eat at home. Every time the two children came back, they said that Ye Shuning had made delicious food for them.
Yang Xiuying had long seen that Ye Shuning was a grateful child, so the more she looked at her, the more she liked her.
She saw that Li Shaozhong often visited Ye Shuning and helped her many times. She thought that it was not only because Ye Shuning saved Li Shaoyang, but also because Ye Shuning was a likable girl.
She had also heard her husband talk about the past between Ye Shuning and Yan Jingwen. As someone who had been through it, she was certain that Yan Jingwen would regret it in the future.
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