Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 227 Storing Rice

All of Chen Fan's belongings, including the cured meat and fish he collected while teaching how to make turtles, and the rice, paddy rice, cured meat, cured fish, sausages, homespun cloth, and other items he later exchanged for selling charcoal stoves, were all kept in his room.

At first, they used a few bamboo poles to support two cabinets and hung meat, fish, sausages, and other things that could be hung on them. Later, two bamboo poles weren't enough, so they simply made a row of bamboo, placed it on the top of the wall, squeezed it together with the roof beams, and then hung all the things on it.

Most of the other things were put into the two unused cabinets, leaving only a dozen or so bags of rice and paddy, which were placed in burlap sacks on the bamboo bed, making it seem as if he were sleeping in a granary.

It wasn't a problem before there were no rats, but now that rats have appeared, we can't just leave it like this.

In fact, almost every household has a room for storing grain. The grain room is enclosed on all four sides, with only a small door through which people can enter and retrieve the grain.

Moreover, the grain was not left to be stored openly; a small granary was built inside the grain warehouse.

The granary was somewhat like a large fish tank, with an opening at the top. When storing grain, people would climb to the top, pour the rice in, and then seal the entrance with a wooden lid to prevent rats from getting in.

When you need to retrieve the grain, you take it through the small door at the bottom, which is only about the size of a book. Simply pull open the wooden board, and the rice will flow out naturally. After you've taken the grain, seal the board back up to minimize the risk of damage from rats or other pests.

Jiang Lili meant that he should also build a grain storage room.

Chen Fan was a bit conflicted. "Originally, I only wanted to renovate the stove and toilet, but now I have to build a row of rabbit sheds, open a back door, and if I build a granary, it feels like I could build a whole new house."

Jiang Lili looked at him, somewhat helplessly, "There's so much grain, we can't just leave it unattended."

This was the first time she had ever seen so much grain. There were three large sacks of white rice, weighing more than 660 jin (380 kg), and even more paddy rice, thirteen sacks, weighing about 2,400 jin (1,000 kg). All this was only worth 300 yuan, enough to buy 30 charcoal stoves. The price of grain was really too low.

Chen Fan stroked his chin, his eyes darting around, then suddenly chuckled, snapped his fingers, and said with a smile, "I have a way."

Jiang Lili looked up at him curiously, "What method?"

Chen Fan laughed and said, "I'll keep the white rice for myself to save the trouble of pounding it. As for the paddy rice, I'll take it to the brigade headquarters. The brigade headquarters has a granary, which was originally intended to be lent to members in need. Since it can be lent, it can also be stored. I'll store it at the brigade headquarters. In the future, if I need livestock feed, in addition to deducting work points, I can also use grain to offset the cost."

If work points are more valuable, keep the work points; if grain is more valuable, keep the grain. The choice is that simple.

Jiang Lili nodded slowly, seemingly lost in thought, and smiled, "That's one way too."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "What about the white rice? Where is it stored?"

Jiang Lili and Yang Ju usually use their own white rice for the rice they eat, without taking advantage of Chen Fan. Chen Fan already had more than 3 jin of white rice, and even after eating some recently, he still had a lot left. With the three bags of rice that came later, totaling 660 jin, it would be enough to feed him for a whole year, not just by himself, but even if you added the four girls.

With so much white rice, we can't just leave it lying around like this, otherwise it would be like feeding mice, and they'd be fed to their hearts' content.

Chen Fan tossed his hand and said confidently, "Simple. We'll make a few large rice jars in the next couple of days. Besides storing rice, we can also raise fish in them."

Jiang Lili puffed out her cheeks and grinned, "That works too."

……

After get off work in the afternoon, Chen Fan first went to the brigade office to find Secretary Yang and the others. Together, they went to Team 6 to welcome An Quan and discuss the preparations for the breeding farm.

Along the way, Chen Fan rode a horse, Ye Shubao rode a bicycle with Captain Zhang, and Xiao Liewen and Secretary Yang rode bicycles respectively.

It has to be said that the income of a brigade leader is much higher than that of an ordinary commune member, and it is also easier to obtain bicycle tickets.

Their bicycle tickets weren't distributed to the brigade headquarters by the commune; they were directly awarded to them by the commune.

In the various production competitions, Lujiawan Brigade won first place many times. Each time they won first place, in addition to the commune's commendation of the production team, the production team leaders would also receive another reward. They didn't want anything else, just bicycle tickets. So after saving for so many years, they finally had one bicycle per person.

Except for Captain Zhang, because he gave his ticket to his eldest son.

Chen Fan rode his horse slowly behind the three vehicles and said casually, "Captain Zhang, if you're not riding a vehicle, why don't you find a horse to ride? There's not even a cotton pad on the back of the vehicle. Aren't you afraid of getting hurt?"

Captain Zhang, with his feet on the pedals of the old-fashioned bicycle, huffed and puffed, "That horse has been pulling the cart all day, how can it move? It needs a good rest."

Ordinary old-fashioned bicycles don't have these pedals; only postmen's special vehicles do. This is definitely a frame that Captain Xiao got from an acquaintance at the post office and assembled himself.

(A 28-inch bicycle with footrests and brackets, some with two crossbars on top)

Chen Fan glanced at him and then looked away, smiling at Captain Zhang, "What if you guys drink too much later and Captain Xiao can't handle you?" Xiao Liewen pedaled hard, "What do I do? I'll just sleep at your place!"

Chen Fan clicked his tongue, "But I only have two single beds, and the four of you can't fit in."

Ye Shubao turned around and laughed, "Don't listen to his nonsense. Every year, we have a welcome party for the cadres stationed in Team 6. After drinking, we don't go back home, but sleep at Uncle Yang's house. Oh, Uncle Yang is your Captain Yang's father. He used to be the captain of Team 6. Old Yang is like a son following in his father's footsteps."

Upon hearing his words, Chen Fan nodded in realization, understanding then.

At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief. He was wondering if he should take them all home after they got drunk. The problem was that Secretary Yang was from Team 4, and Ye Shubao was from Team 7. Since they were in the wrong teams, it was a bit of a dilemma.

Now that a place to sleep has been arranged, everything is fine.

At this moment, Xiao Liewen turned his head and glanced at him, saying in an annoyed tone, "You didn't even put a saddle on the horse. Riding a horse with your back bare is uncomfortable for both you and the horse. Otherwise, we could switch."

Chen Fan was slightly taken aback. "I'm not feeling unwell. I might as well practice my horse stance."

Then he bent down and stroked the horse's mane, asking softly, "Are you feeling unwell?"

The mare chuckled a few times, "I don't know, I've never carried people before, I've only ever hauled cargo."

Upon hearing his words, Xiao Liewen was speechless.

I was practicing riding a horse to learn the horse stance, but I don't know who I learned it from. The problem is that the horse stance is supposed to be "power originates from the feet," but I didn't even have stirrups. What's the point of practicing?

Chen Fan carefully considered Captain Xiao's words. Since he said that, it must not be without reason; there must be some basis for it.

But where can I find a saddle?
Anyway, none of the production team's horses had saddles. In his opinion, a so-called saddle was just a blanket draped over the horse's back and fastened with a rope made from a modified military belt, which didn't count.

Then there are horseshoes, stirrups, and bits, but they're missing. If we let him get them, he'll get the whole set.

If you don’t know, just ask.

Chen Fan immediately asked, "Does our commune sell saddles?"

Without turning his head, Xiao Liewen said, "No."

Secretary Yang chuckled and said, "Back when we were first liberated 30 years ago, there were still troops stationed here. At that time, a cavalry company was left behind. There were some craftsmen who knew how to make saddles and horseshoes. However, when the troops left, those craftsmen were taken away with them."

Those that remained were pack animals, either pulling carts or plowing fields like oxen. Even when they occasionally rode a horse, they would just use whatever was available as a mat and tie it tightly with ropes; nobody really knew how to make a saddle.

Chen Fan's face fell. "Then why don't you continue?"
Xiao Liewen knew what he was thinking without even turning his head, and immediately continued, "I said I'd like you to put a saddle on the horse, not a real saddle, but at least get a thin cotton quilt to put on it, just like the horses that Yang Zhijun and Li Zhengqun ride. You've been going to the commune with them for more than half a month, and you don't even have any thoughts about it?"

Chen Fan shrugged. "Better to have none than something of poor quality."

Xiao Liewen chuckled twice, "You need to solve the problem of whether you have it or not first, then solve the problem of whether it's good or not."

Chen Fan nodded. "I understand, that's the basic development path. But I'd rather have none than something of poor quality."

Secretary Yang suddenly said, "There really is a saddle in the brigade headquarters warehouse, and there are also stirrups."

Captain Zhang seemed to remember as well, and chuckled, "That saddle was from when the army was still around. It was a saddle that the cavalry company had replaced. Uncle Huang was the village chief back then, and he couldn't bear to throw it away, but since he didn't have any use for it, he put it in the warehouse, and it's been there ever since. That thing is no longer usable."

Ye Shubao suddenly said, "Didn't Xiao Chen say he knows carpentry? He made that drawing board himself. Why don't you try to make a set based on that saddle?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan couldn't help but scratch his head, "Do you guys really think I know everything?"

Then he clapped his hands and said, "A broken saddle is fine, the problem is we don't have the materials."

Making a proper saddle is not that simple. There are all sorts of materials, such as wood, leather, sponge, and rivets. Where is he supposed to find them?
When it came to materials, Secretary Yang had no choice but to laugh and say, "Then you can continue riding your bare horse."

The group chatted and laughed, and ten minutes later they arrived at the home of Captain Yang of Team 6.

(End of this chapter)