My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 261 Folk Eccentrics
"Brother Chen, are you picking vegetables?"

"We're not picking vegetables, we're thinning out seedlings."

Thinning seedlings? What is thinning seedlings?

"..."

Good grief, here comes another barrage of "why" questions.

Chen Ling was speechless and could only answer simply: "Thinning seedlings means making dense seedlings sparser so that they have more space to grow. Otherwise, they won't have enough nutrients and the vegetables won't grow well."

In fact, many of these reporters came from rural areas and knew about the thinning of seedlings, so they helped Chen Ling explain.

The seedlings growing in this vegetable garden need to be thinned out after about a week because they were planted so densely.

Especially the Chinese cabbage, because it can grow very big, so only one seedling is left in each hole.

The rest must all be removed.

More importantly, you should be careful not to pull out seedlings randomly when thinning them out.

You can't just pull out all the good seedlings at the end of the growing season and leave only the weak, insect-eaten, and diseased seedlings.

At this point, thinning is usually not done all at once.

Instead, it will be done in batches.

For example, if you have ten vegetable seedlings, and you thin out two seedlings the first time, you'll have eight left.

Five trees remained the second time.

Taking it slow allows you to select the healthiest and strongest seedlings without making any mistakes; this method is very safe.

"Yes, that's right, this young man is very thorough."

After listening to a male reporter finish speaking, Wang Cunye grinned and praised him.

"Uncle, hello, what are you spreading in this vegetable patch?"

"These are wheat bran, mixed with wood ash, used to repel insects. Otherwise, insects will come and eat the seedlings. If you sprinkle wheat bran, the insects will eat the wheat bran first and they will all die."

"What about this? What about this? Why are there piles of grass still covering the vegetable garden? Why haven't you cleared them out?"

"That's also for keeping insects away. Crickets and crawfish like to crawl under the haystacks. Put it up before sunset, and when you come up early the next morning and lift it up, there's a whole layer of those guys crawling under the haystack. You can just wipe them all out."

Wang Cunye slowly stood up, rubbed his back, and explained, "If we don't do it this way, relying solely on wheat bran, they won't be fooled after a while."

"what?"

"This... just placing grass can get rid of insects? That really works?"

This left the group of young reporters speechless and stunned.

“Of course it will work. We’ve been doing it this way for years. If you don’t believe me, come to the vegetable garden tomorrow and you’ll see crickets crawling all over it.” Wang Cunye said, then asked the young man who had just spoken so well about thinning the seedlings, “Isn’t this how you grow vegetables where you’re from?”

"No, we live in a plain area with large plots of land. Sometimes we grow vegetables on several acres or even tens of acres, so we started using pesticides a long time ago." The young man shook his head.

“Oh, that’s true. This method is too tiring and not suitable for large plots of land.” Wang Cunye nodded.

“We live in the mountains, so we don’t grow much. Take this kind of cabbage, for example. We only have a few vegetable plots, so we just lay some straw on them and it’s quick and easy.”

“In the past, we would use sticks to dig holes one or two fingers deep under the haystacks. At night, crickets and other insects would crawl into these holes. In the morning, when we lifted the hay, we would trap them all inside, and none of them could escape.”

As he spoke, the old man started to laugh.

The young men and women were infected by his laughter and found the story very interesting.

Some were even eager to find some sticks and poke holes in the grass.

"Let my son-in-law find you some sticks. He's good at making these holes. Let him teach you."

The old man sat happily on the embankment, rolled a cigarette, and pointed at his son-in-law.

Chen Ling was enjoying himself, listening to his father-in-law talk with these people, when suddenly things turned around and he found himself in trouble again.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, he felt helpless. Fine, he might as well do as he was told, "It's just a matter of finding a few sticks."

Then they went to the edge of the orchard and found a few straight sticks, and taught the enthusiastic young reporters how to poke a few deep holes under the haystack.

This method is much more effective than simply laying straw or sprinkling wheat bran.

It is also through years of farming experience that ordinary people have figured out the living habits of these pests.

Vegetables that mature in late autumn, such as radishes, cabbages, and spinach, are most susceptible to damage from insects like crickets. To ensure that these vegetables can survive the autumn and winter, it is essential to devise effective methods for prevention and control.

They led these people to tidy up the cabbage area.

While these free laborers were still around, Chen Ling led out the little white calf, attached a plow, picked out the peeled potato chunks in a basket, and led them to plant potatoes.

Potatoes planted now will naturally be harvested in winter.

This is what is known as winter potato.

Chen Ling was originally waiting for Zhao Dahai and the others to arrive so he could lead them in planting the vegetables. After all, the plot of land in the vegetable garden wasn't very big, and everyone could finish planting while playing around.

Moreover, the cucumbers and tomatoes have all been dug up, and the empty land has been plowed once, leaving only planting.

These reporters never expected to stumble upon such a wonderful opportunity.

It's really cheap for them.

Planting potatoes is simple. Cut a potato into large pieces, put the chopped potato pieces in a cloth bag or small basket, carry the bag or basket, and walk behind the cow.

After the oxen plowed the land, they would pick up a potato, drop it into the furrows created by the oxen, and stomp on it to bury it in the soil.

Walk forward, throw another piece, step on it again, and it's just a repetitive cycle.

After Chen Ling demonstrated it a couple of times, these young men and women learned it. They laughed and joked around, competing with each other, and finished in less than two hours.

However, doing farm work is secondary; they just find it novel and want to join in for fun.

Fishing is better than catching fish.

After finishing their work, their attention quickly shifted to the little white calf.

However, given Chen Ling's previous warning and the stories the village boys had told about the little white calf, although they were very tempted by the beautiful calf, they dared not approach it rashly, though their curiosity was undeniable.

They all surrounded Chen Ling, asking him all sorts of questions, from the cow to the dog.

Since he had put in the effort and helped with the work, Chen Ling patiently explained some things to them.

When the young reporters talked about their experience of hunting wolves and wild boars with dogs last year, they listened with rapt attention.

"Brother Chen, I heard that hunting will be banned from now on, and guns will have to be put away," said the female reporter who seemed interested in Chen Ling.

"Well, hunting can't be decided in one fell swoop."

Chen Ling smiled and said, "Take wild boars for example. If their natural predators gradually decrease, they will soon become a plague. It is necessary to regularly go into the mountains to eliminate a batch of them. Otherwise, if we let them run wild, it will be a disaster for people, crops, and even the forests."

This is true, but young people who have not experienced such events do not take it seriously and simply listen to Chen Ling's words as stories.

Where had they ever witnessed the ferocity of wild boars?

"Brother Chen, let's take a picture together."

These female reporters really seemed to be eyeing Chen Ling like they were seeing a piece of Tang Monk's flesh; they were extremely eager to get close to him.

After he finished speaking, she enthusiastically pulled him to take a group photo.

If Wang Susu hadn't come out with the doll to give them water, they would have kept pestering Chen Ling to finish taking pictures of the film. But as soon as Wang Susu appeared, they all automatically dispersed.

Moreover, I was unexpectedly amazed by Wang Susu's appearance and temperament.

Especially the girls from the provincial TV station, they didn't think much of it when they came, but now that they saw Wang Susu and Chen Ling standing together, they suddenly realized what it meant to be a perfect match.

Putting everything else aside, just by looking at their demeanor, anyone could tell at a glance that these two are a married couple.

It's a very strange feeling.

This made some girls feel very ashamed.

However, this strange feeling didn't last long.

They were then drawn to other things on the farm.

Beautiful fish in the irrigation ditch, flocks of birds flying to and fro in the orchard, bold egrets gracefully landing on the backs of water buffaloes not far away, and quails wandering around in their enclosure.

It's truly dazzling.

After finally seeing Heiwa Xiaojin's true appearance and the kites in the farm.

That would be even more incredible.

Besides sighing with admiration, they finally understood what the village boys had said: Chen Ling really did have some strange abilities. He could raise anything well, and the things he raised were so tempting that people subconsciously wanted to own them too.

Especially after they pleaded several times, Chen Ling allowed the dog and the hawk to perform a short show.

These people couldn't help but exclaim that this was a young, extraordinary person from the common people. They had never seen such a spiritual dog and eagle, as if they could understand human speech.

Several girls from the provincial TV station even had the urge to produce a special interview program just for him.

"Brother Chen, this eagle is so fierce and majestic, why do you call him Baldy?" a girl asked curiously.

In fact, not only girls, but even several men thought the name sounded bad.

"Haha, this name comes from the fact that my hawk was injured twice and lost all its feathers twice. I named it in remembrance of that," Chen Ling explained.

This explanation made some people burst out laughing.

"Just because someone's bald twice doesn't mean they're called 'Second Bald Guy.' That name sounds like something a bandit would say."

"Haha, you know what, it's a female hawk."

"...Brother Chen, you really are something. You should give it a new name."

"It can't be changed, it's already accepted this name, hahaha."

Wang Cunye, listening nearby, couldn't help but laugh along; his son-in-law could indeed be quite unreliable at times.

After touring the farm, the young reporters became increasingly reluctant to leave. When they finally saw that there were many rooms in the bamboo and wooden buildings, they tentatively asked if they could stay overnight. Unsurprisingly, they were politely refused again.

They could only leave with regret.

While it's still early, we need to find Wang Laishun, the village party secretary, as soon as possible to resolve the issue of food and lodging.

After they left, Chen Ling suffered the consequences, getting a good pinch from his wife who was furious.

Wang Susu saw it: when those stylishly dressed girls were taking photos, they all rushed to squeeze next to their husbands.

Knowing his wife was jealous, Chen Ling quickly comforted her, "Don't be angry. Tomorrow I'll take Rui Rui and we won't go out, and we won't let any outsiders come."

"I'm not angry. It's not your fault. I'm just... I just feel a little sad." Wang Susu pouted and puffed out her white cheeks, speaking in a muffled voice.

She was sensitive and knew that Chen Ling, with his temperament and personality, wasn't the type to philander. But those young and beautiful girls were clearly after her husband, so it was no wonder she felt bad seeing them.

Upon seeing this, Chen Ling quickly carried his troublesome son to the bed beside him and hugged his wife to comfort her.

"They even call you Brother Chen..."

"Oh, don't listen to that. They're older than me, and they're not ashamed to call me 'big brother'."

"She looks so stylish, and she smells so good in perfume..."

"Stylish? That's not stylish at all. When Rui Rui is a little older, I'll take you to the city, to Beijing, and we'll buy you lots of pretty clothes. You'll definitely look much better in them than they do."

"...I think I'd better not buy it. I won't be able to wear it anyway."

She rarely wore the high heels Chen Ling bought for her, but with her husband putting so much effort into coaxing her, her discomfort quickly vanished.

She wasn't a petty woman, nor was she pretentious.

But she's still young, only in her early twenties. If she doesn't even feel a pang of jealousy or feel any jealousy for her husband, then there's definitely a problem in the marriage, and there's no point in continuing.

But they are living happily ever after now, and their lives are getting better and better, so it's normal for them to have some minor emotional outbursts.

Chen Ling also felt that it wasn't a bad thing for his wife to occasionally act coquettishly; it would make their married life sweeter.

He was just about to take advantage of the moment and be affectionate with his wife.

My son burst into tears at the worst possible time.

This brat absolutely cannot be separated from his parents. His parents are currently in the middle of a lovey-dovey relationship, and when he feels that no one is taking care of him, he immediately starts to refuse.

Lying in bed, she cried so loudly, her throat was about to break.

"You really know how to pick your timing."

Chen Ling stood up angrily, held the little guy up and spun him around in the air, and said fiercely.

The little guy liked playing like this, and soon stopped crying and started laughing, with snot bubbles coming out of his nose.

"You, really, all you do is torment your father."

"..."

"Ah Ling, Zhenzhen is starting school the day after tomorrow. Could you take some time tomorrow to cook her a nice meal?"

"Oh, okay."

Chen Ling nodded, "That's true. This girl is about to start school, and Rui Rui will be two months old soon. There's only a little tail left this month. Time really flies."

Just then, Wang Zhenzhen ran back and shouted from outside, "Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, I start school the day after tomorrow, can you take us out to play tonight? Catching fish at night is so much fun!"

Chen Ling opened the window and saw that Liu Nier and the others had all come after school and were following behind Wang Zhenzhen, all craning their necks to look at him.

"Okay, I'll take you guys out tonight."

Then she turned to Wang Susu and said, "You and Rui Rui should go too. You can use the new gadgets that Sister Yin Huan bought for you, and Rui Rui won't have to be afraid of mosquito bites anymore."

"It's been so long since our family went out for a stroll."

When Liu Yinhuan came, she specially brought two baby outfits with fine gauze masks. When the zipper was pulled up, they were like mosquito nets, so mosquitoes couldn't fly in.

Moreover, the clothes are thick, so mosquitoes can't bite through them.

"Okay, after we eat, let's go out and have some fun together."

Wang Susu also felt that she went out less often after having a son, so it was good to go out and play with him this time. It was cool at night, so there weren't as many mosquitoes as before, but she still had to be careful if she went near the water.

Dinner was ready quickly. Recently, Gao Xiulan has been in charge of most of the morning and evening meals, so the two of them don't need to worry about it.

After the family finished eating, the elderly couple stayed home to watch the house while the children grabbed their tools and flashlights, and, taking advantage of the just-darkened sky, led a group of kids off to find a place to catch fish and play.

(End of this chapter)