Farming Beneath the Changbai Mountains

The work in the ginseng field is really endless. After doing this, there will be another. If you add in the crops in the fields, farmers will really have no time to relax. In this era without herbicides and pesticides, having a good yield depends on diligence. The Xu family is pretty good, with ginseng fields and crops in front of them, and everyone in the family can work. Even the youngest ones like Jinghan can help with weeding and other things.

Weeding is also required on the horse paths and ponds in the ginseng field. Otherwise, the grass will be too tall, which will affect the light and temperature of the sticks. After digging the ginseng soil, Zhixin began to lead the people to weed, first Chi Mianzi, then Chi Bangzi, and Ma Dao. The Xu family had a total of 60 feet of ginseng, and it took five or six days to finish it all. After all the grass in the ginseng field was tilled, Mr. Xue led the children to weed the crops, while Zhixin and Zhiming fertilized the ginseng.

Ginseng is a very strange thing. It cannot be used in ordinary manure, otherwise it will rot directly. What can be used for fertilization is bean cake water. Steam the bean cakes in a pan, then slice them off little by little with a knife. Then soak it in water and ferment it in a large tank for a period of time. When the fermentation is almost complete, fertilize it in the ginseng field.

Fertilization of ginseng is also very particular. Fertilization is not required every year. During the six-year growth period of ginseng, fertilization is only required in the fifth year. Fertilizing early will not be effective enough, and late will not have the effect, so we choose to fertilize in the fifth year, which is the summer of the year when the saying goes.

When applying fertilizer, use your hands or a special small scratcher to make a small groove in the middle of the two centimeters. Then pour the bean cake water into the small ditch and cover it with soil. When some people plant Bangchui, they will first sprinkle a layer of bean cake powder, then cover with some soil and then plant Bangchui. Although there is no need for top dressing, there is also a drawback, which is that it is prone to insects. Especially the ground cricket, which is a pest whose scientific name is mole cricket. This insect will directly bite off the stem of the mallet, causing serious harm. There were no pesticides in this era, so gradually no one used this method of spreading bean cake powder.

Fertilizing ginseng is a very laborious task, and you can't do much in a day. Zhixin and Zhiming, one was digging ditches in front, the other was pouring fertilizer in the back, and they also had to carry bean cake water from the other side of the house to this end, so they worked slower. A total of fifteen feet were frozen, and it took two people more than three days to finish.

People from the village also came to fertilize Bangchui, but they worked even harder. They hauled large buckets of bean cake water from home, and then found ways to get it into their own ginseng fields, which was even slower. Some people were envious when they saw that Zhixin's family had already done all this work. "Brother Xu, your family is pretty good. I think every job can be done much faster than ours. In the past, Old Liu Tou just drank all day long, and he didn't do anything wrong. He really didn't notice it. It depends on the reference." There are so many benefits.”

After hearing this, Zhixin raised his head and smiled, "Yeah, it's quite convenient to be close. Dazhu, if you look good, why don't you come and see me?"

"Forget it, I'm not here to do this. This is because your family has many hands and is diligent. It would be different if it were replaced by that lazy one. He lies on the kang all day long, even if he sleeps on the pool. I can’t do any work.” The man named Dazhu scratched his head and smiled innocently.

People from other houses nearby couldn't help laughing after hearing this. "Dazhu, you are right to the point. As long as people are diligent, they can live a good life no matter what day they come. Those lazy guys who know how to eat and wait to die all day long, even if you give them a He’s too lazy to get the gold and silver.”

After everyone laughed for a while, they lowered their heads and went to work. They all wanted to work more while the weather was nice, so who was willing to chat?

The days passed in a hurry, and by mid-July, it was time to pinch the ginseng seeds again. This work can naturally be done by children, so Zhixin and the others didn't have to worry about it. Wenhan, Wencheng and Jinghan went to beat the frozen ginseng field.

Under the Bangchui shed is a green ginseng leaf, and each ginseng tree is topped with a bright red ginseng seed. A ginseng tree can bear twenty or thirty ginseng seeds. Each one is heart-shaped, about the same size as a soybean seed, slightly flat, and has a red peel on the outside. The Xu family's ginseng is growing well this year, and the ginseng seeds on it are also large and plump, and the red fruits make people feel happy just by looking at them.

"Be careful when you pinch them. Keep some of them before they turn red. Then pinch them again after two days. If you can't wash the green fruits out of them, it won't work." Jinghan warned.

"Okay, little sister, we all know it." Wen Cheng smiled and started to pinch the ginseng seeds.

Everyone held a basket in their hands and knelt on the surface of the pool. They worked in groups of two, just on both sides of the pool, pinching ginseng seeds face to face. The pool is generally five and a half feet wide. One person cannot reach the opposite side anyway. If two people are just right, no ginseng seeds will be left behind. Wenhan and Wenxuan are in the same group, Wencheng and Wenchang are in the same group, and Jinghan and Jingwan are in the same group. This is just right, two feet apart from each other. After the two feet are pinched, they can go down and fuck each other.

Jinghan pinched the ginseng seeds with joy. Looking at the red ginseng seeds in the basket, she felt that the future was full of hope. "Jingwan, how are you? Are you used to being able to work?" She was afraid that Jingwan was not used to the work in the field.

"Sister, it's okay, it's fine. We went up the mountain and ran through the forest all day long. Do you see me falling behind like that? Isn't this work tiring? It's okay." Jingwan smiled. Compared to Jinghan, she was just Be gentler.

Jingya is eleven years old this year. Mrs. Chen saw that she was not used to doing such farm work and she was too old, so she asked her to do some needlework at home. In two years' time, it's time to start preparing to get married. Naturally, it won't be like Jinghan, who can't run around all day long.

It doesn't take much effort to pinch ginseng seeds, just quick hands. At this time, the advantages of girls are revealed. Jinghan and Jingwan have quick hands and careful hands, and they can do it much faster than Wenhan and others. It didn't take more than an hour to pinch all the two feet. The two sisters returned the pinched ginseng seeds to Chen, and then continued to work next to Wen Cheng and the others. In one afternoon, all the ginseng seeds were pinched off, so naturally they were all sent back and waited for Zhixin and the others to wash them out in the afternoon.

After lunch, everyone started washing ginseng seeds. This washing of ginseng seeds is to remove the outer layer of peel from the ginseng seeds. Naturally, it is impossible to pick this thing up with your hands. Instead, you have to put it in your pocket, then scrub it with your hands, or step on it with your feet. After scrubbing to a certain extent, the peel and pulp inside should be rinsed away with water, leaving only the white seeds.

To do this work, it is best to go to the riverside, where water is more convenient. So Zhixin took the children and went to the river to wash ginseng seeds.

Inside the linen bag, put half a bag of ginseng seeds with the stems removed, then tie the mouth and place it on a flat stone. Jinghan stepped on it with her bare feet, step by step carefully, and gradually, dark red juice flowed out from the pocket. This was the pulp. In this era, there is no sophisticated chemical industry, so these pulps can only be wasted and washed away with the water.

When less and less pulp comes out of the cloth bag, it means that it is almost full. Zhixin opened the bag, poured the ginseng seeds into a large basin, and rinsed them carefully.

If you can pick out a fifteen-foot stick, you can get about forty kilograms of fresh ginseng seeds, which can be divided into three bags. Wen Han and Wen Cheng also got a bag and stepped on it. "Little sister, why do I think you can do it faster than the two of us? Are we stronger than you?" Wen Cheng was a little puzzled. The three of them started together, so why was Jinghan so fast?

"Second brother, you guys are very energetic, but you have to step on this thing evenly and step by step. If you kick this thing here and there, you will naturally do it slowly." Jinghan smiled. She said in her previous life But those who have been working for many years, although they are young now, their experience is there after all.

After hearing what Jinghan said, Wen Cheng felt that it made sense. Only then did I start to pay attention to my feet and apply even pressure. As expected, a lot more pulp came out. "Hey, it's really useful." Wen Cheng shouted excitedly.

"Wencheng, don't look at this little job as inconspicuous. You must know that there are tricks to everything. All these must be carefully considered." Zhiming listened to the conversation between the brother and sister, and happened to borrow machine to educate these children. "Wencheng, Third Uncle sees that you are quite good at medicinal materials. Do you want to join Jinghan and study medicine with Third Uncle?"

After hearing this, Wen Cheng looked up at Zhiming and said, "Uncle San, I'm very stupid. As long as you don't think I'm stupid, I will learn from Uncle San." He didn't have much talent for reading, and even Can't keep up with Wenchang and Wenxuan. It seems that even if I can go to school to study in the future, it will still be difficult for me to become famous. It's better to study medicine with my third uncle and be able to support the family.

"Don't talk nonsense, you're not stupid. All the children in our family are smart and good prospects. It's just a matter of talent in one area." Zhiming scolded Wen Cheng with a smile. "Don't say you are stupid anymore. Learn from your third uncle and your brother-in-law. I'll wait until you learn the same thing and see if you can find an apprenticeship in a medicine shop. Medical skills also need to be practiced." After all, Zhiming could not let go of his favorite career. Although he had gone through some things and could no longer practice medicine, his deep-rooted hobby was still difficult to change.

"Brother Wencheng, you study hard with Third Uncle. When our family gets rich, we can open a medical clinic in the town. Then you and Third Uncle will sit in the hall. That would be great." Jinghan also felt that Wen Cheng was good at this, so he encouraged him with words.

"Yes, brother Wencheng, you have to work hard." Jingwan and Wenchang also said in unison.