My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 147 Before Entering the Mountain

Wang Laishun led the leaders and reporters who were loitering around the reservoir back home, and didn't forget to tell Chen Ling that in another four or five days, once everything was ready, they would go hunting in the mountains.

The hunting trip was initially organized by Team Seven.

There were only three teams of men going up the mountain: Team Seven, Team Five, and Team Four.

These three teams have more young and middle-aged players.

Later, because the wild boar that had wandered into the village fetched a good price, the villagers inquired around and found that the prices of other wild animals and medicinal herbs were also much higher than in previous years, so they all clamored to go.

Go ahead and go. Anyway, this kind of hunting isn't all done at once. Each team has its own preparations and plans. We're surrounded by mountains on three sides, so no one will stop us from going wherever we want.

Taking advantage of the county leaders' visit to the village, I also asked for more hunting rifles and bullets.

During the interview, the leaders also accompanied the reporter to visit several households.

Wang Laishun made a point of showing them the wolves that had been killed.

After the wolves were divided, not everyone was skinned.

After seeing the report and learning more about the wolf pack entering the village, the county leaders realized just how serious this year's wolf problem was.

He readily agreed to allocate more hunting rifles and bullets to the village.

Last time, they only gave us about two thousand bullets, which were just for short-term self-defense; we couldn't really fire them freely.

Besides these issues.

The county leaders also mentioned the encouragement of greenhouse farming over the past two years.

Vegetable greenhouses are expensive; if all else fails, you can just grow mushrooms.

This promotion encourages farmers to grow mushrooms, mainly oyster mushrooms, which can be grown year-round and require only half an acre or one or two acres. Even a small amount, such as two or three-tenths of an acre, is acceptable.

However, this technology only began to become widespread in the 1970s and 1980s.

By 1994, the total national output of oyster mushrooms had just reached a little over 20 tons.

Encouraging planting at this time can genuinely generate profits.

There are far too few farmers cultivating on a large scale, let alone in such poor and remote areas.

The main reason is that everyone usually goes to the mountains to pick mushrooms. There are all kinds of mushrooms, and you can easily pick a lot.

People don't think these things are very valuable, and nobody is willing to take land meant for growing grain to grow this stuff.

Last year, someone planted it in Yangtougou, making it the only household in the entire Changle Township to do so.

Last winter and this spring, we made quite a bit of money. This year, the greenhouse was destroyed by floods, so we expanded it to a larger size.

With this example presented, quite a few people in the village actually started to consider it.

After lunch, Chen Ling and his son Liang Yuemin were playing cards when Wang Lixian and a few of his brothers came over to ask them for advice.

They inquired whether growing mushrooms in greenhouses was feasible.

The key is to look at the issue of investment.

Even if you lose money, don't lose too much.

I do know quite a bit about Chen Ling.

Just tell them that they can build a small greenhouse outside their own yard, lay down plastic film, let it get warm during the day, and cover it with thick straw mats at night. The only thing that needs to be done is to put in some effort and thought when cultivating the mycelium and building the greenhouse. The cost is actually not much.

All it takes is the cost of plastic sheeting and some simple materials. A greenhouse of two or three-tenths of an acre, a few acquaintances to help, a few bamboo poles to support the greenhouse frame, and mud-brick walls can be built in three or four days without any rush.

After some consideration, Wang Lixian realized that he had made a lot of money from selling watermelons this year. After covering the debts at home, he still had a considerable surplus. Fortunately, there was a plot of land on the east side of the yard. Since he wouldn't be growing vegetables in the winter, he could try growing mushrooms instead. The main reason was that he now trusted what Chen Ling said.

After careful consideration, Wang Lishan and his brothers decided to forget about it.

They're busy raising pigs and selling clothes, so they don't know how this stuff will turn out after it's planted. They'd better not get involved.

Some things can be profitable if done by one person alone, but if everyone rushes to do them, it won't work.

They kept this in mind and thought to themselves that it was better to do what they were familiar with and stay safe.

……

Beautiful mountains and clear waters, the autumn scenery is delightful.

The reporters interviewed several more families in the afternoon, and they weren't in a hurry to leave.

They took photos everywhere in the village, ostensibly to gather material for interviews, but really they were just enjoying the food, drinks, and fun and wanted to stay an extra day.

They ate dinner at Wang Laishun's house again that evening, and this time they invited Chen Ling over as well.

Many of the reporters from the city were young, mostly women, and Wang Laishun's original intention was to have him accompany them for drinks.

Chen Ling did go, but he didn't want to stay long.

They only cooked two dishes for me, sat with me for a while, and then I went home.

The next day, as the reporters were leaving, they came to Chen Ling's door and asked him how he made the wolf meat, saying that the braised wolf meat he made the night before was delicious.

After Chen Ling told them how to make it, each of them enthusiastically spent money to buy several kilograms of wolf meat.

After seeing these people off, Wang Susu asked, "Is wolf meat really that delicious?"

After the village distributed wolf meat, Chen Ling had nothing to do, so he cooked it several times at home in different ways.

She thought the taste was better than what she had in her village, but it was just so-so, far inferior to badger meat.

Chen Ling shook his head and said, "I didn't like it much. Maybe they have weird tastes."

That's what he said, but he knew the truth in his heart.

His and Wang Susu's tastes have become more discerning over the past six months.

The wolf meat was heavily seasoned.

The marinating time is long enough that whether it's stir-fried or braised, most people will find it to be a rare delicacy.

However, comparisons are always a risk.

Just like Liang Yuemin and his son, they ate there yesterday at noon and both said it wasn't as good as Chen Ling's other dishes.

Cooking is simply about removing the original flavor and enhancing it.

It's simply about removing the unpleasant flavors from the ingredients and enhancing their good ones.

Wolf meat is difficult to process.

Even if you tell them how to make it, they won't be able to cook anything really delicious. They just keep adding seasonings and end up with a mouthful of seasoning flavor. It's not as satisfying as eating dog meat.

But most people do these things just for the novelty.

Some people even say that if you eat wolf meat, the wolves won't dare to come, and the livestock won't be harmed by wolves. This is a superstitious belief.

"Since it doesn't taste good, why did you tell Zhenzhen yesterday to catch a wolf cub to eat? Wolf cub meat is tender."

Wang Susu sat on the threshold of the main room, pounding medicine, and said with a light laugh.

"Yes, we catch some whenever we have the chance. Wolf cubs eat less junk food, so their meat doesn't have as many strange flavors, and it tastes better."

Chen Ling responded as a matter of course.

As he spoke, he found several more herbs and sorted them out.

We're heading into the mountains; it won't be a short trip.

Wang Susu prepared some simple and effective hemostatic and wound medicine for him, in case he accidentally got hurt and it became infected if not treated in time in the mountains.

Also, bring snake repellent powder and snake medicine.

Wang Susu sorted things out in detail, and then asked Chen Ling to go to Chen Guoping to get some cold medicine and medicine for treating diarrhea.

Even if many people grow up in the mountains, they will inevitably experience some discomfort. Spending the night in the mountains can easily lead to diarrhea or a cold, which are minor ailments that can make people feel weak all over.

Having a full supply of medicines is not a bad thing; it's always better to be prepared.

Although Chen Ling didn't need it.

The main purpose was to reassure his wife.

However, after visiting Chen Guoping's house, I didn't get much medicine. Instead, I lost some wolf meat and two pieces of offal.

Wolf meat, as well as wolf heart, wolf gallbladder, and other parts, can also be used in medicine.

Sister-in-law Xiufen said she had wanted to come to our house to ask for it for a long time, and it just so happened that Chen Ling went there by himself.

So I went home and got some.

Before leaving, he also told Wang Susu about the method of making medicine.

They also said that whether wolf meat tastes good or not is secondary; the main thing is that it's good for your health. Since Chen Ling can cook, he should cook it more often; it will be good for him.

This is good stuff; tell him not to feed it to the dog all the time.

Chen Ling agreed and saw her out, only to find his wife trying to suppress a laugh.

Upon further questioning, it was discovered that wolf meat was used in medicine, primarily as an aphrodisiac.

Chen Ling's face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and he cursed his wife for being so troublesome.

A true man can ride a horse on his arm.

Do you even need this? Who do you think you are?

Wang Susu laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight, saying that Sister-in-law Sufen meant well and shouldn't be blamed.

Then, as if he had just thought of something, a hint of joy appeared in his eyes.

Looking at Chen Ling, her smile grew even sweeter.

Chen Ling found it strange and asked her what was wrong, but she just shook her head and said nothing was wrong.

I discussed with him about taking Wang Zhenzhen to school together tomorrow, and then we could stroll around the county town and buy whatever we wanted. We also wanted to prepare some things for him to take into the mountains in the next couple of days.

Chen Ling wasn't concerned about the quantity of prey this time, nor was it simply for entertainment.

He approached it with the mindset of Taobao.

Some things that have become extinct or rare in later generations, or that are useless in the eyes of ordinary people, may become treasures in one's own hands and can play a greater role.

Now that Wang Susu wants to arrange things for him, he agrees to everything, but he only picks out the necessities to prepare and doesn't need to buy anything else.

The next day, after dropping off Wang Zhenzhen and buying things, Liang Hongyu and her parents stopped them again and had lunch at their home, making it a lively day.

Liu Yinhuan and her two children are handling work and school matters in the city; the family doesn't plan to stay in Beijing permanently anymore.

Liang Yuemin has nothing to do, so he's been spending these days taking his parents out for fun.

When Chen Ling told them that the village was going to go hunting in the mountains, the father and son were very interested.

However, both of them were aware of their own limitations.

Knowing that I couldn't endure that hardship, I would only be a hindrance if I went.

So it wasn't even mentioned.

...One autumn rain brings a chill.

On the first day of the intercalary eighth month, it rained all day and only stopped at night.

Autumn has deepened without us even realizing it.

At this time, the cicadas in the trees stopped their incessant chirping.

Like grasshoppers in autumn, they are about to finish the last part of their lives, becoming old and weak, moving slowly, their claws unable to grip the branches, and their once dark and bright eyes gradually turning gray.

When the autumn wind blew, it extinguished the last embers of their life, and they fell into the grass, unable to fly again.

However, the village's poultry have been in for a treat. These days, they circle around the bushes every day, and when they find cicadas falling from the trees, they immediately pounce on them and peck at them vigorously, without needing to be fed at all.

These days, news of the wolf hunt in Chenwangzhuang has spread far and wide, and people from all around often come to visit.

When you go to the county town or the countryside and encounter people from Chenwangzhuang, they often stop you and ask you all sorts of questions.

There was also an old man pedaling his bicycle, wandering around the village calling out to buy wolf pelts.

However, the price he offered was too low, and nobody paid any attention to him.

Apart from people like Chen Ling, most families in the village hunt wolves mainly to sell them for money.

The dead poultry, sheep, and wolf meat were mostly sold at the county markets.

Keep the wolf pelt, clean it, and sell it when it gets cold; it will fetch a higher price then.

The old man wanted to buy wolf pelts, offering the same price as a few years ago. Who would be foolish enough to sell them?
Chen Ling spent half the day working in the fields, gathering two baskets of grass and picking some vegetables to take home. After the children finished school, he let them take the wild boar cubs away, keeping five for himself, which were caught by two dogs.

Although it can eat from the trough now, it's still too small. It's fine to keep it for now. It doesn't eat much. I feed it when I feed the chickens, ducks, and rabbits.

But when the meat grows bigger, if I don't like it, I'll slaughter it and eat it.

Wild boars grow up just like domestic pigs, eating and defecating a lot. Their manure is extremely smelly and difficult to clean. Even if you pile it up outside the yard or dredge it in the field, the smell is still too strong. So it's best to raise them to a certain weight and then slaughter them for meat.

As Chen Ling fiddled with the wind chimes given to him by Liang Hongyu's granddaughter, Xiao Lizi, he thought to himself that if the little girl came a little later next time, the wild boar would probably be all gone.

...The autumn morning was slightly cool.

Chen Ling climbed the ladder to the roof and poked at the clogged chimney, only to find a large, charred rat inside, which made his eyes widen in disbelief.

I have no idea how that guy managed to squeeze in there.

He and Wang Susu steamed buns early in the morning. They stuffed firewood into the stove, but the fire didn't start for a long time, and they even got a mouthful of smoke.

So this is what's causing the problem.

Logically speaking, since our weasel comes over every night and kites often roam around, there shouldn't be any mice.

They even crawled into the chimney.

Wang Susu was also puzzled, saying that perhaps it came from somewhere else.

The two of them worked for half a day and finally got the steamed buns in the pot.

The remaining flour wasn't wasted; it was kneaded into dough, and then rolled out into several flatbreads.

He asked Wang Susu to set up the stove, then went to the chicken coop to get a few fresh eggs and some scallions. After washing his hands, he squatted down by the stove and started making egg pancakes.

The leavened flatbread has layers, and Chen Ling used the method of filling the flatbread by poking a hole in it and stuffing an egg inside.

Flip it over with a shovel, and you'll have one in less than two minutes.

Once the griddle was fully heated, Chen Ling worked even faster, finishing all the remaining pancakes in less than ten minutes, leaving about ten more egg pancakes in the steamer basket.

It was early in the morning, and the young couple were both hungry.

Steamed buns take at least forty minutes to steam, so why wait around to eat them?

He scooped up a pancake, wrapped it with some pickled vegetables, added some chili peppers, and then smeared it with sesame oil.

It tastes delicious with fresh scallions.

Wang Susu ate three.

He ate the rest himself, leaving none for his sister-in-law.

When the steamed buns were ready, Wang Susu went to wake her younger sister up for breakfast.

Chen Ling, already content, patted his belly, brewed a pot of hot tea, brought out a reclining chair, and basked in the sun in front of the main room.

The autumn morning sun is not harsh at all; it feels warm and pleasant on the skin. After a good meal, basking in the sun while reading a book or newspaper is the most pleasant thing to do.

When Wang Zhenzhen saw him like this, she came over to join in the fun and moved a chair and a stool next to him to do her homework.

About an hour later, Chen Ling was drifting off to sleep.

Liang Yuemin and his son entered the courtyard. Lately, they haven't been driving much; they've been riding bicycles instead. Qin Rong carried a water bottle, while Liang Yuemin carried the slingshot Chen Ling had made for him. The father and son played wherever they went.

I brought two people with me today.

He said he was a new friend he met in the county town.

Chen Ling noticed that the well-dressed middle-aged couple were not ordinary people. After asking them, he learned that they had eaten the eggs he had given to the elderly couple and thought they were delicious, so they came here specifically to buy more eggs.

This greatly surprised him.