novelaction Chapter 123 Bai Jin's Busyness
Chapter 123 Bai Jin's Busyness
Shen Li was very busy at home in Qingshan Village, and Bai Jin was also very busy at the Qingshan Town County Government Office.
County Magistrate Bai Jin stood in the courtyard of the county government office, gazing out at the fields in the distance, his heart filled with concern for farming. In recent days, he had been busy improving the livelihoods of the people in the county.
Corn, sweet potatoes and potatoes are drought-resistant and high-yielding. Promoting their cultivation locally first will surely fill the granaries of the local people.
So he went to the fields every day to sow this new hope.
That morning, just as the sky was turning pale, Bai Jin had already put on his official uniform and was walking towards the village outside the city with a few yamen runners.
They walked along the winding path. The morning dew in the fields wet their clothes, but it did not slow down their pace at all.
Soon, they arrived at a village.
A group of villagers had already gathered under the old tree at the entrance of the village. They heard that the county magistrate was coming to teach new planting methods, so they all waited here early.
Seeing this, Bai Jin hurriedly quickened his pace, bowed to the villagers with a warm smile on his face.
"Fellow villagers, I'm here today to help you plant these new crops. Corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes are all rare and valuable, drought-resistant and high-yielding. If you plant them properly, you won't have to worry about food storage in the future."
Bai Jin's voice was loud and clear, echoing in the morning air.
After saying that, he led the villagers to the fields.
Bai Jin first came to a piece of land where corn was to be planted. He squatted down, picked up a hoe, and started to till the land himself.
As he turned the soil, he explained: "When planting corn, the soil must be turned loose, and the row spacing and plant spacing must be properly controlled, about three feet apart. This is the only way to allow the corn seedlings to thrive and have good ventilation and lighting." The villagers gathered around, watching intently, afraid of missing a single detail.
An old man couldn't help but ask, "Sir, we plant this land every year, but why is the harvest never good?" Bai Jin stopped what he was doing and patiently explained, "Old man, the previous planting methods may have lacked some precision. For example, the depth of tillage, the timing and amount of fertilizer application all affect the harvest.
This corn requires a lot of fertilizer. Applying sufficient base fertilizer before planting and timely topdressing during the growth period can significantly increase the yield. ” The old man nodded thoughtfully.
Next, they came to the sweet potato field. Bai Jin picked up a section of sweet potato vine and carefully showed the villagers how to cut the appropriate vine section for cuttings:
"For this sweet potato vine, select a thick part with buds and insert it diagonally into the soil, about three or four inches deep. Remember to water it regularly to keep the soil moist." A young man scratched his head and said, "Sir, we are short of water here, so watering will be difficult."
Bai Jin smiled slightly and said, "Sweet potatoes are relatively drought-resistant, but lack of water will also affect the yield.
We can dig some water storage pits beside the fields to collect rainwater. If necessary, we can also draw water from nearby water sources for irrigation. Just be careful to control the amount of water so as not to cause waterlogging. "The young man suddenly realized and thanked me repeatedly.
Afterwards, everyone moved to the potato planting area.
Bai Jin picked up a potato seed and patiently said, "When cutting the potato into pieces, leave one or two buds on each piece. Then bury it in a dug hole about half a foot deep. After planting the potato, cover it with a thin layer of soil. After it sprouts, add some soil."
At this time, a peasant woman timidly asked, "Sir, will these potatoes be eaten by insects if we plant them?"
Bai Jin comforted her, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. Before planting, you can roll the potatoes in wood ash to prevent insects.
And if you find insect pests during the growing period, you can sprinkle some lime powder around them to repel them. "The peasant woman smiled with relief after hearing this.
Under Bai Jin's guidance, the villagers were busy working.
The children looked around curiously at the edge of the field, while the adults carefully planted the crops according to the instructions of the county magistrate.
Bai Jin shuttled through the fields, stopping from time to time to correct the villagers' movements and answer their questions.
Before I knew it, the sun was setting.
Bai Jin smiled with satisfaction as he watched the villagers become increasingly skilled in planting crops. He couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion as he gazed at this promising field.
I have read a lot about agriculture and farming in books in the past, but when I really put it into practice, I found that what I learned from books is always shallow.
Only by experiencing and practicing the land in the fields, the labor of the people, and the growth habits of crops personally can one truly understand the mysteries.
The knowledge in this book can certainly provide some theoretical basis, but if it is not combined with practice, it will ultimately be just castles in the air.
In the future, we must go to the fields more often, work and explore with the people, so that we can seek more welfare for the people here.