Village welcomes new-generation farmer

Zhang Shun, who was once an executive in the environmental protection field in Hangzhou, has always dreamed of creating an ecological farm. In 2023, he learned that there was a 30-mu (2 hectares) plot of land in Changpo village, Wudang district, available for lease, with plans to build an ecological farm.

Thus, in mid-October 2023, Zhang signed a 10-year lease contract with Changpo village. By November of the same year, he had already begun plowing the land and started building the Zhiye Farm. The initial framework is expected to be completed by July 2024, with the entire project finished by 2026.

When discussing his plans for the farm, he said that the future family farm would not serve a single function but rather be a multifunctional park combining leisure, entertainment, and agricultural education.

The Zhiye Farm will consist of three zones – a dining area, a breeding area, and a planting area, and five gardens – a flower garden, a rice-fish garden, a vine garden, a vegetable garden, and a dryland farming garden. The next steps include creating various facilities, such as an agricultural science education base, a sightseeing and leisure education area, and a children's agricultural research base.

Zhang plans to grow grains and vegetables in the gardens throughout the four seasons, as many of today's children cannot even distinguish between different grains. Establishing a children's agricultural research base can help them understand the growth patterns of crops and appreciate the wonders of nature.

The Zhiye Farm will also offer farm-style specialty dishes, allowing nearby visitors to pick fresh vegetables themselves and prepare their own meals. For example, children can grind soybeans using a stone mill and follow steps to make tofu, experiencing the diversity of food through hands-on labor.

Zhang Shun tends his farm. [Photo/WeChat account of Wudang district, by Liu Lin]