Mushroom cultivation paves the way to prosperity for farmers in Xuanhua District

In the early winter season, the north hill of Chenjiazhuang Village in Hezixi Township, Xuanhua District, is already covered with fallen leaves and withered grass, yet at the foot of the hill, inside the underground Sanye Mushroom Cultivation Base, more than 40 mushroom rooms are full of life: in the seemingly endless underground cellars, oyster mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, petite mushrooms, and even the "noble" lion's mane mushroom are all "blooming" on neatly arranged rows of mushroom sticks, while workers busily and methodically pick, sort, package, and load them onto trucks... Base manager Li Guanye said: "We have signed supply contracts with multiple places in Beijing and Shanxi. In peak season, monthly output exceeds 100 tons, with sales revenue of over 800,000 yuan."

Five years ago, Li Guanye contracted 40 abandoned underground cellars covering more than 1,000 mu on the north hill of Chenjiazhuang Village and began cultivating mushrooms. Why choose to grow mushrooms in underground cellars? Old Li explained at length: "This is our unique advantage. The idea of growing mushrooms in underground cellars comes from the principle of rural cellars in our northern countryside - warm in winter and cool in summer. Moreover, the underground cellars have high humidity, with temperatures maintained year-round between 5°C and 27°C. As the seasons change, the temperature range shifts, which is exactly suitable for different mushroom varieties - it is an excellent environment for growing mushrooms." Of course, Li Guanye's "mushroom business" also suffered failures in its early days. At first, mushrooms died in large numbers, which was a heavy blow to the confident Li Guanye! He suffered countless failures in a year, but he did not lose heart. He traveled elsewhere to learn, invited experts for guidance, improved the underground cellars, and upgraded cultivation equipment. He personally handled every step until the first batch of mushrooms successfully reached the market. Now, batch after batch of mushroom orders keep coming in, yet Li Guanye has not relaxed at all. Instead, he has become even more strict, exercising layer upon layer of quality control over every step from strain cultivation to product testing. Every day he inspects the hygiene of the underground cellars and the quality of the mushrooms produced, ensuring that no shoddy work flows into the market.

What gives Li Guanye the greatest sense of accomplishment is the successful cultivation of lion's mane mushroom. In the base's lion's mane cultivation workshop, each furry "monkey head" larger than a fist is fresh and delicate, making people reluctant to touch it. Li Guanye said with pride all over his face: "This is the latest premium lion's mane mushroom we have cultivated. Just Beijing alone cannot get enough supply." Old Li also specifically explained: "What makes it premium? First, it looks like a monkey's head, and the mushroom body is golden yellow or yellow with white. Second, a large size with complete, numerous, and slender hairs makes it top grade. Every lion's mane mushroom we cultivate is high quality, carrying 'aristocratic blood' from the moment it leaves the factory, so its value naturally rises considerably!" At present, Li Guanye's Sanye Mushroom Cultivation Base is the largest industrialized edible fungus cultivation and processing base in Xuanhua, with more than a hundred workshops for modern stick-making, drying, packaging, cold storage, experimentation, and mushroom production. Daily mushroom output is more than 4 tons, sold far away to Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and other places, with annual output value reaching more than 15 million yuan. Cultivation technology is becoming more mature day by day. From initial single-product experiments to diversified development today, combined with the concept of "cultivating premium products and selling in off-seasons," sales revenue keeps climbing.

While prospering, he does not forget his fellow villagers. The Sanye Mushroom Cultivation Base provides employment for 150 laborers. Li Guanye also took the lead in establishing an agricultural cooperative, using a "base + farmers" model to drive surrounding villagers to cultivate mushrooms together. At present, 500 households of villagers have reached agreements to join the cooperative. "Joining the cooperative has really brought me benefits. The base provides technology and has smooth sales channels. Brother Li has shown us the road to prosperity," said Zhao Xinqiang, a villager from Chenjiazhuang Village, happily. Li Guanye said: "The 40 underground cellars have already been fully utilized. Next, we will expand upward, build several above-ground experimental greenhouses, and once successful, roll them out comprehensively, expand the planting scale, and let the small mushrooms bloom into even more brilliant flowers of prosperity!"