Returning home to start a business and build a high-standard ecological estate, ready to make bold moves
Feng Lei: Going back to his hometown to create an "ecological estate" that meets scenic area standards
Feng Lei is working in the orchard. What he holds in his hands is not just a rotary tiller, but also his dream and dedication to agricultural entrepreneurship.
"I have a dream: to turn my hometown into a huge ecological estate, with green mountains and clear waters, fragrant melons and fruits, beautiful and prosperous, just like a paradise on earth..." said Feng Lei, a young man born in the 1980s from Lulong County, Hebei.
Feng Lei is 29 this year. He is from Zhaojuntun Village, Lulong Town. He is tall and sturdy, with dark skin, and always speaks with an honest smile. Making his hometown a paradise on earth is his dream, and his hardworking hands and tenacious perseverance are the "golden keys" that open the door to his dream.
Feng Lei grew up at the foot of Fujun Mountain and has special feelings for this landscape. After growing up, he traveled north and south with his father doing business, which broadened his knowledge and horizons, and made him feel more and more that his hometown could also be built into something better. "I have seen many places outside doing rural ecological tourism projects, attracting many tourists. My hometown has mountains and water and convenient transportation. If it were built into an ecological estate, it could both improve the environment and increase income. Wouldn't that be great?" Feng Lei explained his original intention.
Feng Lei's idea was recognized and supported by his parents, who also gave him money to make bold moves. In 2011, through land transfer, Feng Lei contracted the Fujun Mountain hillside, nearby mountainous land and Fengjiagou Reservoir, totaling more than 230 mu, preparing to build the Fujun Mountain Ecological Agriculture Sightseeing Park. As an experiment, that year he planted more than 50 mu of spur-type Fuji apple trees and released more than 20,000 fish fry, gradually exploring experience in planting and breeding. Through diligent study and repeated experiments, Feng Lei mastered the techniques of fruit tree planting and management and aquaculture, becoming an expert. In the following years, Feng Lei gradually expanded the forest and fruit area, and also planted apples, peaches, walnuts, large cherries, etc., bringing the forest and fruit area to 160 mu. At the same time, he built a farm restaurant and also built a breeding farm, raising cattle, horses, sheep, chickens and geese. An ecological estate integrating sightseeing and picking, leisure fishing, dining and entertainment, and farming experience began to take shape.
Feng Lei is serious about building an ecological estate. He follows the trend and builds the estate with a model of organic agriculture and circular economy. "Our crops basically are not sprayed with pesticides, and if spraying is necessary, we use low-toxicity ones. Weeding is all done by hand or by letting the geese eat the weeds; fertilization also uses organic fertilizer, and harvesting is done according to the seasons. We absolutely do not harvest early just to bring products to market sooner, ensuring that agricultural products are healthy, safe and full of their original flavor." Feng Lei explained that their circular economy has also become a reality: planting alfalfa to feed livestock - livestock manure is collected and fermented into organic fertilizer - organic fertilizer is applied to fruit trees and crops - fallen fruit tree leaves and crop straw become livestock feed again. In the entire production process there is not a bit of waste, reducing pollution and lowering costs, and the most important thing is ensuring that agricultural products are green and natural.
Over the past 5 years, Feng Lei has spent almost every day in the fields and by the ponds, with fruit trees, cattle, sheep and fish as his companions, growing together with them. Effort always brings rewards, and Feng Lei is about to welcome the harvest season. In today's estate, Fujun Mountain stands tall and lush, with orchards forming forests at its foot, and peach blossoms, apricot blossoms and apple blossoms vying in beauty; the east and west sides of Fengjiagou Reservoir are connected to the Qingyin Irrigation Canal, with blue waves rippling and fat fish in beautiful waters; the farm restaurant has gotten off to a smooth start, and through word of mouth, more than 500 visits have already been made here to taste the specialties and enjoy the food, with the farthest visitors coming from Beijing and Tianjin; since the beginning of spring, visitors have come in an endless stream to enjoy the spring outing, admire the flowers and go leisure fishing, and the Fujun Mountain Ecological Agriculture Sightseeing Park has already become somewhat famous in the surrounding area.
"Now the business has just started, and there are still many imperfect areas. In the future, I must continue to do a good job in infrastructure construction, continue to expand the orchard area and expand the scale of breeding, and build a true ecological estate that meets scenic area standards." Feng Lei stated his plans for the future. Of course, the ultimate goal is still to lead the fellow villagers, with everyone working together to develop organic agriculture and build an ecological estate, making the hometown richer and more beautiful! (Text/Photo by Zhao Xingjia)