Rebirth in 1984, starting from beekeeping in the mountains

Chapter 138: New Year's Eve Ancestor Worship, Diao Bo Niang's Changed Face (Two in One)

The Hunan Flavor Food Factory signed an order for 10,000 kilograms.

Bringing surprises at the same time.

However, it also brings certain supply pressure to the bee farms next year.

For now.

In addition to this order of 10,000 kilograms.

At the Third Food Factory, when we picked up the goods last time, Chief Zhang from the Purchasing Department had already clearly stated that the demand would be increased next year.

At least one thousand kilograms need to be purchased every month.

If we calculate the total amount, it is higher than that of Hunan Food Factory.

The supply and marketing cooperatives also requested an increase in quantity. After some arguing... they also requested that the purchase volume be increased to at least 800 kilograms per month.

The reason is also very simple.

Now let’s not talk about anything else. In the Xiaonan area, Linyuan honey has already made its name famous.

These 800 kilograms are not only to meet the sales needs of Xin County Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

It also needs to be distributed to supply and marketing cooperatives in several other counties.

Based on the current momentum, Fang Hongan estimates that by the time of next year's peak honey production season, the supply and marketing cooperative will definitely want to increase the quantity to one thousand kilograms.

With this calculation, these three fixed major channels alone...

The annual demand for honey exceeds 30,000 kilograms.

Coupled with the sales channels that Liao San, Pang Sishun and others have already laid out, the demand for honey next year will be at least several times higher than this year.

Fang Hongan calculated that there are currently four apiaries and more than 200 farmers in the breeding scale.

It should be able to be supplied.

But if we want to expand other channels, we have to continue to expand the scale of breeding.

therefore.

After the teams from the Agricultural School and the Institute of Agricultural Sciences left, Zhang Qingnan and other Xin County leaders asked him to continue expanding the farm and encourage more farmers to raise bees.

Fang Hongan also readily agreed.

And, only three days had passed.

When Zhang Qingnan came to set up the place, Fang Hongan immediately took out a detailed plan.

In the plan, Fang Hongan listed the plan to build ten more apiaries throughout 1985, and to encourage at least one thousand farmers to engage in beekeeping.

Moreover, the plan was broken down directly into each month and each township.

Also attached was a farmer cooperation agreement and drawings for the apiary construction.

At last……

He also listed some issues that needed to be coordinated and resolved by the county.

such as……

The construction of processing plants.

According to Fang Hongan's previous plan, he was going to advance step by step. He wanted to build a small processing plant first, and then gradually expand the scale when the bee production increased.

However, after winning over large and influential customers in the region and province one after another, and with the supply and marketing cooperative as a stable channel, this small-minded plan is obviously no longer applicable.

Fang Hongan planned to build a processing plant that could produce at least 10 kilograms of honey and 5000 kilograms of beeswax annually in one step.

This involves the issue of processing plant land and construction funds.

On the one hand, the county needs to approve land for the processing plant.

On the other hand, we also hope that the county can step in and help solve the loan problem.

In addition to the processing plant, building bee farms in towns outside Qianmaping may also encounter various obstacles. We hope that the county will coordinate with various towns and provide strong support...

In short, combine the experience of the previous life with the learning during this period.

Fang Hongan made the plan as detailed as possible.

After reading Fang Hongan's plan, Zhang Qingnan, as a senior county official, could not help but immediately fall into shock and contemplation.

He originally thought that many of Fang Hongan's concepts and practices in planning and promoting breeding were advanced and amazing enough.

But unexpectedly, Fang Hongan’s plan was not just as simple as breeding.

It actually includes processing, by-product development... this is a complete one-stop industry.

In this era when the open policy had just been implemented for less than a few years, this undoubtedly brought a huge shock to him, a senior county official.

Holding Fang Hongan's plan, Zhang Qingnan didn't sleep well for three days.

After traveling to the region and returning to Xin County, Zhang Qingnan immediately convened a meeting of the county party committee.

After a full day of intense discussion.

Finally, on a chilly morning, Fang Hongan got the result he wanted.

The county agreed to Fang Hongan's request for land to build a processing plant.

In addition, we also communicated and coordinated with the rural credit cooperative in the county, and the rural credit cooperative agreed to provide a five-year interest-free loan of 300,000 yuan.

Finalize these two important things.

Fang Hongan also immediately summoned Wang Tong, Fang Chengtao, Zheng Quan and others to the county town and held a meeting.

After telling these people about the entire grand plan, I also divided up the tasks and burdens for next year.

While shocking these people, it also filled them with fighting spirit.

When they return to Shiwan Village, they will reveal some of the information.

Not only Shiwan Village, and not only Sangmuling Administrative Village, but... the entire Dongling of Tianmang Mountain, the people were boiling with excitement.

The development of the Linyuan Bee Farm is something we can all see.

Let’s not talk about anything else, just look at the three apiaries that can be seen, each one more shocking than the other.

As for the more than 200 farmers who have signed contracts to cooperate with the bee farm, although they have only joined for more than a month, the weather is approaching cold.

But most people still collected honey once.

The weight ranges from ten to twenty kilograms. Although the money is used to pay for the beehives and bee species, the harvest is real and can be seen.

I heard that the model of apiary and cooperative beekeeping will be expanded in the coming year. It is really hard not to be tempted.

The news spread.

It started from the second day after Wang Tong and his friends returned to the village.

Shanmuling Village Committee once again became the busiest place with people coming and going...

And at the same time.

Fang Hongan was not idle either.

Although the general direction has been set in this county.

However, the details of the land use, as well as the loan accounts, loan batches, and a series of other details, also need to be constantly negotiated and discussed...

How fast the time goes by!

It’s not slow at all!
In the small rental house, there were frequent cries of babies and occasional bursts of laughter...

that's it.

More than half a month passed quietly.

In the last few days of 1984.

The general details regarding the processing plant land and loans have been basically finalized.

in this way.

When the time turned to the first day of 1985.

Fang Hongan held a small full-moon banquet for his daughter at the county's state-owned guesthouse.

In the 1980s, full-month banquets were not very popular in the Xiaonan region, and people generally paid more attention to hundred-day banquets.

The main purpose of Fang Hongan holding this banquet was to thank those who visited his home.

By the way, it’s also a farewell.

This county town is convenient for purchasing things and transportation.

But Lan Wenxiu still didn't feel comfortable living in the small rental house.

There are still many inconveniences.

The ambient air is not as bad as in the mountains.

In addition, Lan Wenxiu also knew that Fang Hongan's affairs in the county had basically been settled, but there were still many things waiting for Fang Hongan at the apiary in the mountains.

During this period of time, Lan Wenxiu has seen how hard and tired her man is.

Many times, you need to run both ways.

You also need to keep thinking and planning.

Here in the county, she could do nothing to help except taking care of her newborn daughter.

Fang Hongan didn't let him interfere either.

Even when it came to taking care of the child, she was not allowed to do many things while he was in confinement.

Now that I'm back in Shiwan Village, even if I can't help, at least Wang Tong, Fang Chengtao and others can help share these tasks.

The small mud house in the mountains is dilapidated.

But it is stable and warm!
……

……

1985 1 Month 2 Day.

Fang Hongan returned to Shiwan Village with his wife and infant daughter.

The cold air in the mountains has begun to show.

Enter winter.

Over at the bee farm.

In fact, it is the season when honey production stops.

However, winter is the most troublesome time for apiaries.

As the weather gets colder, there are only a few nectar sources in the mountains for the bees to collect.

So, starting in November.

It is necessary to leave enough honey for the bee colonies in the beehive to prepare for the winter.

In addition, it is also possible to feed the bees with honey water to increase the activity of the bee colony.

Besides that, the most important thing is to keep the bee colonies warm during the winter...

As insects, bees have fairly average cold tolerance.

Although movable-frame beehives are better at keeping warm than traditional barrel-shaped beehives, they are still not suitable for the mountains where the lowest temperature in winter can reach minus ten degrees Celsius.

It is also a severe test for the bee colony...

Wrap with thermal insulation cloth. This is the first layer of protection.

In addition, before Fang Hongan returned, Wang Tong and Fang Chengtao had already arranged for people to place all the beehives in the wooden house of the apiary.

When the apiary was first built, the need for insulation was taken into consideration.

Therefore, the wooden houses in these three apiaries are all equipped with indoor wintering areas.

After the beehive is placed indoors, you should pay attention to the temperature frequently.

If the temperature is too low, you should burn smoke in the morning and evening to try to maintain the temperature near the wintering area.

If necessary, also use the strategy of placing a fire pot indoors…

Anyway...

Managing bees over the winter is quite troublesome.

For those families who don’t have many bee colonies, the problem is easier to solve.

But for such a large apiary, you can't be careless at all.

Fortunately, this winter, God was kind enough to give us a warm winter.

The temperature is significantly higher than the same period in previous years.

On January 1985, 1, three days after Fang Hongan and his team returned.

The first snow has just fallen.

When it snows, it will be a big event for people living in the mountains.

It’s basically the most leisurely time of the year.

In the past when everyone had their own big pot, there might have been various work tasks within the team.

The weather was bad in the past two years and the crops were generally poor.

In winter, many families still braved the cold wind and ran to the mountains just to get a bite to eat.

This year is a bumper year.

It's not just a good harvest of crops in the fields, but for most of the villagers in Shanmuling, there is one more thing they hope for.

Therefore, after the heavy snow, except for very few families, every household felt obviously more peaceful and quiet compared to the previous years.

It took three days to tidy up the wooden house.

After arranging the affairs of several apiaries.

Fang Hongan led Wang Tong, Fang Chengtao and Zheng Quan, organized more than ten people, and started to go into the mountains.

In the Tianmang Mountain area, after the snow falls, the temperature in the mountains is generally around minus ten degrees Celsius.

Although this year's winter is warm, the temperature is several degrees higher than the same period last year.

But when Fang Hongan and his team entered the mountain, the temperature was also below minus five degrees Celsius.

In this kind of weather, the bees in the mountains hide in their hives and huddle together to spend the winter.

It is impossible to lure bees or dig up wild beehives if you go into the mountains at this time.

The reason for choosing to go into the mountains at this time is entirely to prepare for attracting bees next year.

Like many animals, bees also have a peak breeding season in spring.

It is called spring prosperity.

For bee farms, spring breeding is crucial to the entire year's breeding.

In the new year's plan made by Fang Hongan.

The first apiary to be established is not an apiary that is mainly used for honey production like the previous three.

It is a bee farm mainly engaged in breeding.

The scale of this apiary will far exceed the previous three apiaries.

Bee farm expansion, farmer cooperative promotion...

This requires a large number of bee colonies, and it is not realistic to completely collect bees from the wild.

Relying on the three existing apiaries for swarming and breeding is simply not enough.

The only option is to build a special breeding apiary.

However, building a breeding apiary also faces the problem of a shortage of breeding bees.

So... preparations must begin this winter.

Although it is impossible to directly lure bees in winter, you can set up bee-luring barrels and dig bee-luring holes in advance.

Make plans in advance, and when spring comes, the bee colonies that have been dormant for a year will wake up and enter the spring breeding season.

This is also the peak period for wild bees to swarm.

At this time, many bee colonies will swarm and flee, and even if some bee colonies do not swarm, they will easily abandon their old nests and build new ones after consuming the honey in the old nests.

Based on the above reasons, the success rate of bee luring barrels and bee luring holes arranged in advance will be better than that of bee luring during the honey flow period.

Moreover, in this winter when the mountains are covered with heavy snow, there is enough time and energy to set up these beehives.

More than ten people were divided into three bee-luring teams.

Fang Hongan, Wang Tong and Fang Chengtao each led a team.

Each group of five people went into the mountains every day and used simple bee-attracting barrels, or used tree holes, tree pockets, and rock cracks to burn beeswax on them to create bee-attracting holes...

At least fifteen bee-attracting environments can be created in one day.

that's it……

It lasted for ten days.

After setting up more than 400 bee-luring sites on the nearby mountains, Fang Hongan announced the cessation of the bee-luring operation.

It is worth mentioning that during the bee-luring operation during this period.

In addition to luring bees, the three bee-luring teams also harvested a lot of mountain products.

The cause of this was Comrade Zheng Quan, who once went to the mountain and couldn't help but bring some traps and set them up on the mountain.

As a result, when we went up the mountain the next day on a snowy day, we really gained something.

After the other two groups found out, they all came over.

Zheng Quan also welcomed everyone who came and shared his experience in making and placing cage covers with everyone.

From then on, every time the bee-luring team went up the mountain, they would bring down wild goods such as rabbits, pheasants, and musk deer.

This ensures that after coming down the mountain every day, we can have a meal together to eat mountain products, and also save a lot of meat.

No one was willing to take the remaining meat home, but after cleaning it, they left it at Fang Hongan's house.

After the 10-day bee-luring preparations were completed, all kinds of wild mountain products were already hung under the eaves of the door of the earthen house and above the stove in the fire room...

Look at these wild mountain products.

Fang Hongan suddenly had an idea.

I thought of the big banquet held by the production team a few years ago.

Maybe... we could hold a year-end celebratory dinner for the bee farm?
After thinking for a while, Fang Hongan felt more and more that he should do it.

After finding Wang Tong and Fang Chengtao and telling them about this idea, they both clapped their thighs in agreement.

Immediately, do it.

The next day, Fang Hongan asked Fang Hongjiang to go to a house in the village and buy a big fat pig weighing more than 300 kilograms.

then……

The invitations were sent out quickly.

In addition to county, town, and village officials and bee farm staff, the celebration also invited one representative from each of the 200 farmers who had signed cooperation plans with the bee farm.

It is estimated that there will be about 240 people in total.

Just hold a celebratory banquet with thirty tables.

In addition to this big fat pig, they also brought in thirty chickens, thirty ducks, more than three hundred eggs, and more than a hundred kilograms of wine...

It is worth mentioning that most of these chickens, ducks and eggs were sent by households in the village.

Although Fang Hongan was determined not to take the things back, these people also learned the trick Fang Hongan used at Fang Chengtao's house and simply threw the things down and left.

In desperation, Fang Hongan could only collect the items and have someone write down the details, weight and name of the owner.

Anyway, they are all cooperating farmers, so when we purchase honey, we can just add it in during the settlement.

After purchasing all the supplies.

On the day before the Chinese New Year, in the early morning, it was followed by a sharp howl.

This grand year-end celebration banquet marked the beginning of the preparations.

The fat pig weighing more than 10 jin was stabbed in the neck with a sharp butcher knife to let the blood out. Then, the pig was blown, poured with hot water, shaved, and cut up on the shelf...

It feels like going back to the days of the production brigade.

In addition to Fang Hongan, Wang Tong, Fang Chengtao and the staff of the apiary, the invited representatives from each household all came early to help.

Build the stove, wash vegetables, cut vegetables, light the fire, wash dishes...

The atmosphere was very lively...

Fang Hongan also picked up the special large spatula used for cooking big pot dishes and stood in front of the stove.

The cut vegetables were put into the oven and came out one by one accompanied by bursts of aroma.

Soon, those who were eagerly waiting discovered that not only were the ingredients more abundant than the year-end banquet held by the brigade in previous years, but the food was also much more abundant.

The taste is even better.

When Fang Hongan finished cooking the dishes and was about to serve them on the table, someone suddenly started to make a fuss and shouted, insisting that Fang Hongan say a few words.

Seeing hundreds of eyes looking at him eagerly, Fang Hongan did not refuse.

Without a microphone or loudspeaker, I just shouted at the top of my lungs.

On that small square where more than 200 people gathered, under the warm winter sun.

As usual, I first summarized the general situation of the bee farm in the past year, then expressed my gratitude, and finally the outlook for the new year...

It basically follows the very tacky annual meeting summary model of later generations...

Although it seems vulgar to Fang Hongan, it is quite useful in this era.

When Fang Hongan finished speaking, the whole room burst into applause, and the celebration banquet reached its climax.

……

The year-end celebration banquet is over.

Then came the Lunar New Year’s Eve.

The Little New Year in the south comes one day later than in the north. In the Xiaonan area, in addition to the customs of sweeping the house and worshiping the Kitchen God, people also worship their ancestors.

Families with better conditions would slaughter a rooster, pour chicken blood to express apology, and then cook the chicken and burn paper money to offer sacrifice to their ancestors.

Even if one is poor and cannot afford to slaughter a rooster, paper money still has to be burned.

The place for ancestor worship is generally in front of the shrine (the main hall where the shrine for worshiping ancestors or deceased parents is placed).

Fang Hongan currently lives in this mud house, which was originally just a low house left by his grandparents, and he installed furniture in the main room.

Therefore, in recent years, Fang Hongan has carried out the New Year's Eve sacrifice in two steps.

The first is to go to the graves of parents to pay homage, and the second is to go to the old house left by grandparents to pay homage.

In the main hall of the old house, there is a family left.

Knowing that Fang Hongan had this custom, Lan Wenxiu helped Fang Hongan pack his clothes early in the morning.

After Fang Hongan slaughtered the chicken and sprinkled paper money on it, she immediately boiled water to pluck the feathers and steamed the whole chicken as quickly as possible.

As in previous years, Fang Hongan took the offerings, went up the back mountain first, and went straight to his parents' grave.

After my parents died unexpectedly, their bodies were transported back to Shiwan Village for burial, and the two tombs were buried together.

More than a month ago, when his daughter was just born, Fang Hongan returned to Shiwan Village.

I have worshipped my parents before.

While announcing the good news to his deceased parents, he also took the opportunity to tidy up the entire tomb, cutting off the thatch and clearing the prickly moss.

This saves a lot of effort compared to previous years.

After the worship, he walked straight to the old house.

The old house left by my grandparents is actually quite some distance away from Fang Hongan’s mud house.

This old house with blue bricks and large tiles is very old.

Many places have become dilapidated. Before my grandfather passed away, he left a message that this house would be left to Fang Hongan.

But by that time Fang Hongan had already moved into a mud house, and in the rural areas deep in the mountains, disputes over the division of such inheritance were the most likely to arise.

With such a cunning aunt, Fang Hongan knew that it would be very difficult for him to inherit this old house alone.

So, I didn’t move here.

The objects and layout of the old house have not been moved at all.

It can be considered as a thought.

Before getting married, Fang Hongan would come to clean and renovate the house every once in a while.

After getting married, Lan Wenxiu was responsible for cleaning, and Fang Hongan would only come when it was time for repairs.

At the beginning, all the keys to the big bull-head lock in the old house were in Fang Hongan's hands.

But later, his uncle Fang Qingshan came over. At that time, Fang Hongan was just a teenager. He could not resist his uncle's shameless request and gave him a handful.

As a result, not long after, a musket left by Grandpa Fang Hongan and some furniture and utensils were missing from the old house.

After asking, I found out that it was that cunning aunt who took Fang Hongan's cousin Fang Honghua and others out to exchange for money. At that time, the furious Fang Hongan went to his uncle's house and made a big fuss. He kicked a hole in the door of his uncle's house.

The matter was brought to the village committee, and it was finally decided by the old branch secretary and his colleagues, which calmed my uncle's family.

……

It's been very busy recently.

If you think about it, Fang Hongan hasn't been to the old house for a long time.

Carrying the sacrificial items in the bamboo basket, when Fang Hongan walked to the square near the old house, he felt something was wrong.

There is no sign of weeds growing on this long-abandoned lawn.

Not only was it cut cleanly, but even many of the sunken and uneven areas were smoothed out.

If it weren't for the familiar old house standing there quietly, Fang Hongan would have doubted whether he had come to the wrong place.

When he turned to the front and saw that the door of the old house was open, Fang Hongan's face couldn't help but darken.

In my heart, I had already guessed something.

And sure enough, it was after hearing the sound of Fang Hongan walking in.

Two voices, one male and one female, soon came out of the room.

The moment he saw Fang Hongan, the middle-aged man turned his head around in a daze, while the fat woman, with her mouth wide open, came up to him enthusiastically:

"Oh! Hongan, you're here too!"

That enthusiasm, this greeting, seemed to be boiling hot.

After she finished greeting, she laughed and said in an attitude of seeking credit: "Your uncle and I also came to the old house to worship our ancestors today! Seeing that this old house has not been cleaned for a long time, we worked together to tidy it up. We have been busy since early morning! Take a look... isn't it much better than before!"

Needless to say, the short and fat woman was Fang Hongan's aunt, Xie Liucui.

At her side, Fang Hongan's uncle Fang Qingshan also quickly adjusted himself after the initial guilty feeling. He looked at Fang Hongan with an awkward smile and said, "If you can't take care of the old house from now on, just leave it to me and your aunt!"

First, he took the initiative to complete the task, and then promised: "Don't worry, except for cleaning and repairing, we won't touch anything in this room!"

"Yes Yes!"

Xie Liucui also quickly echoed, "These are all the things that the old man left for you. We don't want any of them. Take some time to ask your uncle to go to the village committee and write a note for the old branch secretary and others to be witnesses!"

"The old man's will...we have always recognized it!"

……

The couple sang in unison, and their sincere attitude seemed so strange to Fang Hongan.

However, if you think about it, it seems to be in the process of cleaning up.

Considering Xie Liucui's personality of not doing anything without benefits, her frequent gestures of goodwill and concessions must mean that she has something to ask for.

And what we are asking for is also very obvious.

It's about beekeeping.

There were signs of this long before Fang Hongan started the promotion and cooperation plan.

While Fang Hongan was feeling embarrassed, Xie Liucui came to Lan Wenxiu's house with chickens, ducks, and canned fruits.

This was done in the name of the aunt visiting her niece-in-law, and she apologized for the exchange of fields, but in fact she was here for the apiary.

He wanted to persuade Lan Wenxiu and Fang Hongan to move their whole family into the apiary.

However, Lan Wenxiu decisively refused at that time.

Later, after launching the promotion plan.

They were also reluctant to sign up openly for fear of being laughed at, so they asked someone to intercede for them.

But this time, Fang Hongan directly rejected it.

Since they had agreed to keep each other safe, Fang Hongan didn't want to have any contact with his uncle's family anymore.

Honey promoted this, but didn't want to take their whole family to play.

After that rejection, the uncle's family seemed to have accepted their fate and never looked for Fang Hongan again.

Unexpectedly, it turned out that he had been holding back a big wave, and at this time, he blocked Fang Hongan.

And, I have to say, the timing was chosen quite cleverly.

Putting aside other things, it is only legitimate for my uncle's family to come to the old house to worship their ancestors.

Taking care of and resting up can also be said to have a legitimate reason.

Moreover, starting from the old house of Fang Hongan’s grandfather, playing the emotional card that Fang Hongan cares about the most, also fully controlled Fang Hongan’s character of being soft-hearted and not hard-hearted.

Fang Hongan was very clear about this trick, it was definitely not something his incompetent uncle could have come up with.

Ninety-nine percent of it was this Diao aunt's idea.

Don't hit someone who smiles, especially during this special time of the year.

"it is good!"

Fang Hongan nodded and said calmly: "Then go find the old branch secretary to sign a document when you have time!"

"But... I won't bother you and your aunt with cleaning and resting matters anymore. I'll arrange for someone to come over!"

I originally thought Fang Hongan accepted the good intention, but I didn't expect...

Fang Hongan finally revealed his awkward side.

This made Xie Liucui and Fang Qingshan feel a little embarrassed, and Fang Qingshan lowered his head again guiltily.

And Xie Liucui did indeed quickly open her mouth again: "We are all family! What's the trouble? If you are too busy, we will take care of this old house!"

After that, she waved her hand and said directly: "Come! Come! Come! Hongan, look, your uncle and I have cleaned up this house, let's worship our ancestors first!"

This is obviously an attempt to take over the matter by force.

Unexpectedly, facing his enthusiastic solicitation, Fang Hongan remained unmoved this time: "Aunt! Since this house is to be handed over to me according to Grandpa's original will, I think it's better to make a clear distinction.

What I mean is, I should be able to call someone to come over to clean up, so... I'll just say it straight, I won't bother my uncle and aunt anymore!"

"This……"

Xie Liucui's face turned awkward. She never expected that Fang Hongan would refuse so bluntly.

She wanted to take charge of this matter, of course not because she wanted to do these things, but in order to embrace the family affection, so as to pave the way for their family to follow Fang Hongan in beekeeping in the future.

During this period of time, Xie Liucui's eyes were almost getting red eyes.

During the second half of this year, this nephew, whom he once looked down upon, became the focus of the entire Dongling.

Not only will he become rich, but the entire village will also be on the fast track.

Town leaders, county leaders, regional leaders, and even provincial departments...

The news is getting bigger and bigger.

One bee farm, two bee farms...more than two hundred farmers...

The noise Fang Hongan made became bigger and bigger.

At the same time, their family has undoubtedly become the biggest joke.

Right now, when talking about Xie Liucui, everyone in Shiwan Village would smile with disdain, spit, and hum with disdain:
"tui!"

"Deserve it!"

(End of this chapter)