The two brothers made more than a hundred corn cobs in the past two days. I came to the bean field today and found eight mouse holes in a hard day. Fifty pounds of soybeans were harvested. When we went back, the heavy soybeans made them very tired.
"Brother, let's dig sweet potatoes tomorrow. Roasted sweet potatoes are delicious, better than roasted corn." Si Xiaobai drooled as he spoke.
This was the first year of land reclamation, and there was really little to eat. The brothers couldn't stand it anymore, so they dug out bird's nests and even caught grasshoppers and roasted them.
Sweet potato is a new variety introduced this year. Yang Fan brought the seeds from Hyundai and tried planting them in Duolun.
In the Ming Dynasty, sweet potatoes already existed and were grown in Fujian. However, the yield of sweet potatoes at this time is very low, even if it is drought-resistant, it is still of some value.
It was not until the Qianlong period that sweet potatoes were fully adapted to China's soil and climate, and the yield began to increase significantly.
Sweet potatoes are sold in stores in Duolun, and they are called "dibao" by people in the city.
This year's trial planting also attracted a lot of attention, after all, many people have eaten roasted sweet potatoes at the night market. That kind of roasted sweet potato with golden honey has conquered the taste buds of many people.
Because the sweet potato fruits are buried underground, it is difficult to dig them clean through the soil, especially at the edges of wells, fields, and ditches. Some sweet potato vines dry up early and are often ignored by those who previously dug the sweet potatoes.
During the autumn harvest, as long as the remaining roots of the seedlings and vines are found, a bunch of sweet potatoes will be dug out. Even if no sweet potatoes are found, just digging around in the field with a shovel can yield dozens of kilograms in a day.
When Si Xiaosong heard about roasted sweet potatoes, he was also tempted, but considering that the sweet potato field was in another direction, it was too far. And I still have to look for opportunities to get pine nuts, so I’m a little hesitant.
"Well, let's go get sweet potatoes tomorrow and try our luck."
"That's great. I love roasted sweet potatoes the most. Last time I went to the night market, the government was promoting it and there were tastings. It was delicious, but my mother wouldn't buy it for me and kicked me." Si Xiaobai said aggrievedly.
In addition to food, there are also many economic crops that can be picked up in autumn.
Take peanuts as an example of a cash crop. Because the fruits are small, more crops are missed during harvest than sweet potatoes. As long as you are willing to bend down in the harvested peanut field and dig a few times with your hands, you can pick up one or two peanuts.
This year’s peanut field has been stared at by many people for a long time. After all, after the government promoted it in the night market for a few days, this high-fat snack is too suitable for people of this generation.
This year, Duolun City also planted 10,000 acres of cotton. After all, winter is coming, and these tens of thousands of people still need to make cotton-padded clothes and quilts. Demand is high.
Most of the people who come out to pick up cotton in the city are women. After all, it is too cold here in winter, and every household has to make cotton-padded clothes. It is very expensive to buy cotton in the store. After all, everyone in the family has to make cotton-padded clothes.
This time when the autumn harvesting season is open, many women plan to pick up as much as they can. After all, it can be regarded as saving money.
Before coming here, they had picked cotton and had experience. They put into their bags the cotton buds that were not picked cleanly when picking flowers. They also broke open the unopened cotton peaches and took out the hard petals inside. After they went back, they dried them on the roof. After drying, they could still be turned into cotton wool. Although the velvet is shorter and cannot be used for weaving, it is not a problem to make cotton-padded clothes, shoes, quilts and mattresses.
During this harvest festival, many parents promised that their children could sell the grain and vegetables they picked up in the market.
Half of the money earned goes to the family and half is used as pocket money for the children. The children didn't expect such a good thing, and they were all so happy.
These farmers are all refugees. They almost died of starvation last year. This year they came to Duolun City, allocated land, built houses, and got a bumper harvest. They suddenly turned around.
Originally, they were reluctant to spend money on their children.
However, the education department in the yamen issued an order allowing children to collect autumn leaves and receive half of the money for the family and half for themselves. The people of China have been afraid of the government since ancient times, and they dare not disobey the government's orders.
The starting point of this order is to cultivate children's business awareness from an early age. Let them understand that labor can create wealth, and every effort is rewarded. Let them have entrepreneurial spirit and interest in business from an early age. This is far more useful than the knowledge learned in books.
When boys get pocket money, they will rush to the toy counter in the store, where metal slingshots are sold, as well as bamboo dragonflies, wooden tops, paper kites, and glass balls.
The Si brothers have been jealous of a set of six-color glass marbles in the store for a long time. I stare at it every time I pass by. Glass in this era was not cheap. That's luxury.
Girls will buy flower handkerchiefs and red headbands. When young girls and their young wives get money in autumn, they will buy rouge and clam oil to wipe their hands and faces to prevent their skin from cracking in the winter. Nail polish made from impatiens is also sold in stores and grocery stores. These are in-demand items.
Strong laborers generally do not go back to pick up the harvest. This small amount of money is given to the old, young, women, children and disabled people who cannot do heavy work at home. It can be regarded as a benevolent policy of the Yamen.
It's not shameful enough to pick up autumn leaves by yourself and rob them with the elderly and children. If you want to make money, you can go to the dock to carry sacks, or go to the coal yard to transport coal and make coal cakes. The city of Toronto is newly built and full of job opportunities.
This year, because food planting is under instructions from above, each community grows something different, so everyone needs to share what they have. So if you can pick some up, you don’t have to spend money on them.
Picking up autumn is just a kind of fun. A small fight cannot solve all the problems. It can be regarded as some supplement for home use.
After farmers get money from selling grain, they can go to government-run department stores to buy daily necessities, or go to roadside stalls and night markets to purchase. Farmers will also trade part of the harvest they keep for themselves.
In order to activate the market, the Yamen opened the square in front of the door and used it as an open-air market.
It is divided into morning market and night market.
Anyone can go to the square to set up a street stall and sell their own things after going to the government to obtain a license. The government only charges one copper coin per day for garbage removal. Every day at dawn, the morning market begins, and the morning market is open for an hour.
Every day after dark, the street lights in the square are lit and the night market opens for an hour. Under the light, the stall owners also lit up the carbide lamps bought in the store and began to sell their products.
As soon as the opening hours are over, both sellers and buyers must leave immediately. Cleaners came in to clean up. Keep the square tidy.
The square is surrounded by a circumference of two kilometers. Except for the Yamen side, on both sides of the six Yamen doors, all the agencies opening their doors to the square are offices. The remaining three sides are filled with shops, which are also open for an hour after dark.
Because of its good public security, Duolun City dares to open a night market. Every night, the square in the center of the city is still very lively, with snack sellers, jugglers, and opera singers setting up temporary miniature stages.
Because Shiqiu was let go, everyone became paralyzed.
Si Xiaosong and Si Xiaobai discussed taking the opportunity to cross the barbed wire fence and dig out chipmunk and squirrel holes near the red pine forest.
The two of them had calculated that the prices of pine nuts and hazelnuts were much more expensive than grain. How much money can you make picking up autumn leaves instead of digging out chipmunk and squirrel holes?
On the fifth day, the two of them greeted their families and got up early to put the two cornmeal pancakes and water hyacinth brought by their families into their backpacks. He walked out the door with the stars in his eyes.
When we arrived at the city gate, it was already starting to get light.
Mo Daojun traveled early, and there were many people traveling at night.
At this time, there was already a queue at the city gate, all of which were people going out to pick up autumn leaves. The things grown in some fields are rare, so everyone rushes to get there. If you go late, there will be nothing left.
Moreover, places close to the city have been picked up. Only by going further away can you get good harvests.
For example, in the peanut field, this is a new variety that was planted on trial this year. A total of 500 acres of land were planted. There is also a sunflower field, just over one hundred acres. Also like carrots, children love to eat them.
Peanuts were brought from the Americas by the Spanish and introduced to Fujian from the Philippines in 1530. It was introduced less than a hundred years ago and there was none in the north.
Sunflowers from the south were introduced to Yunnan from Vietnam in the late Ming Dynasty, but sunflowers suitable for the climate of northern China were not introduced from Russia until around 1900.
But in Toronto’s roasted seed shops, melon seeds and peanuts are already sold. But they are all shipped from the south and are very expensive.
Although we have tried growing some locally, they have just been harvested and are not yet on the market. What the locals eat comes from the south. These two kinds of roasted seeds and nuts are sold as snacks and are very popular because they are rich in fat.
I heard that the government's experimental fields for peanuts and sunflowers were also open to harvest. Women and children were eager to try them. These two things were so delicious.
In order to promote it, the government held a three-day night market tasting event before, and many people tried it.
Therefore, after receiving the news of the opening, people lined up in front of the city gate early. If they arrived late, they would not be able to pick up anything.
Si Xiaobai looked at these people talking about peanuts and melon seeds, and felt a little moved.
Si Xiaosong looked at him and said, "Don't be impatient. We sold hazelnuts and pine nuts, so you can go buy some. The roasted nuts only cost five cents a pound, which is cheaper than hazelnuts. They also sell the ones they pick up in autumn at night markets, and the price is It will be even lower. Hazelnuts are only found in the north. Nowadays it is not peaceful, there are few goods, and they are more expensive."
Si Xiaobai thought about it and realized that this was true. I made a plan in my mind, sold pine nuts and hazelnuts, and bought some fried peanuts to satisfy my craving.
At this time, an officer on the city gate sounded the gong. This is the signal to open the city gate.
"Dear fellow villagers, things are not peaceful recently. Duoyan's Mongolian cavalry has appeared fifty miles to the west. Everyone must not go out of the barbed wire fences and trenches when picking up autumn. You should stay in groups and pay attention to safety. Some prairie wolves will also get into the barbed wire fences to catch them. Field mice, we have a good harvest here, there are a lot of mice. Anyway, don’t be left alone. Okay, don’t be anxious, now everyone lines up and leaves the city.”
With a sound of sore teeth, the heavy city gate opened. The people in front began to move, and Si Xiaosong grabbed Si Xiaobai's arm to prevent Bei from being squeezed apart. Follow the crowd and rush out of the city.
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