Vegetable Brother Leads Villagers to Common Prosperity

He developed greenhouse vegetable production, became rich, became a "star" of prosperity, appeared on television, and even gave a report on his achievements to cadres and residents of the whole county. Cong Jun, a farmer from Qianfeng Village, Yixin Township, Dorbod, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, felt joy rise in his heart as he spoke of the benefits and honors that greenhouse vegetable production had brought him.

In 2003, Cong Jun, who was determined to grow off-season vegetables, built his first greenhouse under others' guidance. At first he planted only scallions and chives, and these vegetables sold out quickly once they reached the market, bringing in money. With the previous year's harvest and experience, Cong Jun made even bigger plans. Resolutely, he tore down the old greenhouse, used steel beams as the frame, and covered it with thick plastic, thus building a new greenhouse. The temperature inside rose, and the vegetables reached the market earlier. In 2009, having accumulated some experience and capital, he invested 350,000 yuan and built two high-standard solar greenhouses, which yielded returns that very year.

In developing greenhouse vegetable planting, Cong Jun supported high-yield and high-efficiency greenhouse vegetable development by learning and applying science and technology. Through trial and error, he mastered many cultivation techniques. In 2008, he began trying grafted cucumber cultivation in the greenhouse. To master the key technical points, he tended the vegetables in the greenhouse by day and sat on the kang at night reading about greenhouse vegetable production technology. After long-term study and exploration, the cucumber grafting technique succeeded, and the yield doubled compared with before.

To broaden his path to prosperity and find new ways to get rich, under the guidance of technicians from the township agricultural station, Cong Jun began exploring effective ways to develop pollution-free vegetables. To master scientific greenhouse biogas digester application technology, he visited Dalian, Hebei and other places to study. He raised 7,000 yuan himself and built a 20-cubic-meter biogas digester inside the original greenhouse, and installed two gas stoves. Using the ecological prevention and control technology of biogas residue and biogas slurry that he had explored over many years, he saved both labor and money, and all the vegetables he produced were pollution-free. In shape, color and taste, they were far better than vegetables from elsewhere, and they could fetch a higher price. Every year, the cucumbers reach the market early in late March, generating an income of 120,000 yuan.

Cong Jun did not forget his fellow villagers after becoming rich. With the help of relevant county and township departments, in June 2015 he registered and established the Cong Jun Vegetable Planting Professional Cooperative. The cooperative focuses on overwintering greenhouse vegetables and provides members with production guidance throughout the entire process before, during and after production. After nearly a year of development, the cooperative has begun to take shape, and its influence and driving force have continued to grow. Farmers who transfer their land can voluntarily work at the cooperative for a monthly wage of 800 yuan, which not only helps returning migrant workers get through difficult times, but also provides a model for surrounding counties and townships to develop pollution-free food production with local characteristics.