China News Network Lu Liang, June 6 Topic: Shanxi Returning Hometown Niu Qian "Qi" Fuji: Affection for Sangzi and Rich Neighbors

Written by Liu Xiaohong

In the evening, the truck full of ox grass arrived in Shixi Township, Liulin, Shanxi, and Ma Tengfei, the "cow herd", led the workers to move the cow grass into the warehouse in an orderly manner. Here is the "Liulin County Tengfei Breeding Professional Cooperative" founded by Ma Tengfei back to his hometown.

Three years ago, Ma Tengfei, who had been wandering abroad for several years, returned to his hometown of Shixi Township and invested more than 10 million yuan to establish a cooperative based on local policies such as "revitalizing the countryside" and "high-quality development of beef cattle".

Ma Tengfei introduced that this kind of beef cattle has a large physique, fast growth, more muscle, less fat, and good beef taste, which is quite popular in the market. Photo by Liu Xiaohong

Talking about the original intention of returning to his hometown to start a business, Ma Tengfei, 48 years old this year, told reporters that he has been running away for many years, he prefers the rural pastoral life, and after establishing a cooperative, he can also help his neighbors achieve employment at their doorstep.

In 2021, after the establishment of the cooperative, the choice of beef cattle breeding base made Ma Tengfei difficult. Due to the restrictions imposed by the national natural resources department on the conditions of land occupied by aquaculture, the cooperative can only choose barren slopes and ditches that are unexploited.

Ma Tengfei expects that the number of beef cattle owned by the cooperative will reach more than 2025,1000 by <>. Photo by Ma Tengfei

Therefore, Ma Tengfei overcame all difficulties and began to dig mountains and fill in ditches, which invisibly increased investment in breeding. Finally, it took several months and millions of yuan to dig and level two mountains as breeding bases, covering an area of more than 200 acres, and the cattle farm was established.

It is understood that the beef cattle breed introduced by the Ascendas Breeding Professional Cooperative is "Simmental cattle". Ma Tengfei introduced that this kind of beef cattle has a large physique, fast growth, more muscle, less fat, and good beef taste, which is quite popular in the market.

In the early days of the cooperative, only 50 cattle were introduced due to space restrictions, and after nearly a year of breeding, more than 30 calves have been produced. With the further expansion of the site and the continued introduction this year, Ma Tengfei expects that the number of beef cattle owned by the cooperative will reach more than 2025,1000 by <>.

Shixi is known as the "hometown of watermelons", where the soil is fertile and the temperature difference between day and night is large, and the watermelon is crisp, juicy and super sweet. Photo by Liu Xiaohong

Ma Tengfei, who likes the idyllic life, in addition to raising cattle, also planted 100 acres of watermelons, dozens of acres of fruit trees, and planted beans, tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, etc. in the small yard where he lived. "When you farm in the village, raise cattle, and empty yourself in your leisure time, you will be very calm." Ma Tengfei said.

Shixi is known as the "hometown of watermelons", where the soil is fertile, the temperature difference between day and night is large, and the watermelon is crisp, juicy and super sweet, and the local villagers use organic fertilizer and wide film covering technology to ensure higher quality and more abundant yield of watermelon.

At present, watermelons are in the period of rapid growth. Photo by Liu Xiaohong

At present, watermelons are in the period of rapid growth. On the 14th, the reporter was in the cooperative's <>-acre watermelon field, looking at watermelons the size of eggs, "enjoying" the sun's roasting. In more than <> days, the watermelons in the field will be ripe and ready for sale.

The watermelons in Shixi Township are very popular with consumers, and customers from surrounding counties and cities and even Shaanxi come to buy them, so every ripe season, the watermelons here sell very well. According to reports, the price of watermelon this year is 1.5 yuan per catty, and Ma Tengfei estimates that his 20-mu watermelon can earn nearly <>,<> yuan.

Today, the scale of Tengfei Aquaculture Professional Cooperative is expanding step by step, and the demand for workers is gradually increasing. The reporter learned that since the establishment of the cooperative, dozens of employees have been recruited, such as bricklayers, forklift drivers, small workers, etc., and currently have 15 permanent employees, all of whom are local or villagers in neighboring villages.

"Since the establishment of the cooperative, the salary has reached nearly 200 million yuan." Ma Tengfei told reporters that most of the villagers recruited are poor local households, or inconvenient to go out to work, and they can take care of their families in addition to working to earn money.

Ma Haiqing, a 58-year-old villager, is an employee of the Tengfei Aquaculture Professional Cooperative. Ma Haiqing, who had a severe hunchback due to his lesions, although he still had the ability to work, no one dared to use it, so he could only farm at home and rely on a meager income to support his family.

On the 14th, the reporter was in the cooperative's <>-acre watermelon field, looking at watermelons the size of eggs, "enjoying" the sun's roasting. Photo by Liu Xiaohong

After Ma Tengfei learned of the situation, he hired him as an employee of the cooperative and paid him an annual salary of 4,<> yuan.

Pointing to the fruit trees planted on the mountains in the distance, Ma Tengfei felt a little regretful, because of a cold snap this year, the flowers of the fruit trees were frostbitten, and they could not bear fruit, and they could only look forward to the next year. "This time next year, I have more cattle here, and the mountains are full of fruits and vegetables, which must be very beautiful." Ma Tengfei said.

Although he is in a busy state of running at both ends of the city and the village, Ma Tengfei is very satisfied with his current state of life, and every time he returns to the village, a poetic sense of "picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence and leisurely seeing the South Mountain" comes to his face, "Here, stress and troubles will dissipate." (End)