Renting a patch of land to grow vegetables in a shared farm has become a popular trend among city dwellers in Beijing, offering them a unique way to relax and enjoy healthy life.
Offering more than 300 plots of land ranging from 20 to 120 square meters, a large farm in Haidian District of Beijing has attracted a lot of urban residents, around 70 percent of whom are retirees, to grow vegetables.
Song Fengsheng is one of them. He rent a 60-square-meter plot in the farm at a cost of 2,400 yuan (around 329.76 U.S. dollars) a year. "I grow garlic and leeks. I work two or three hours a day mainly to exercise my body. The air here is fresh, and I feel in good shape. I can eat what I grow, which is completely healthy," he said. At another farm in Beijing's Changping District, a dozen people are sharing a greenhouse to grow cabbages, turnips, lettuces and other seasonal vegetables.
Zhang Dongping, a 48-year-old Beijing resident, has become self-sufficient in vegetables since she started to grow vegetables in the greenhouse five years ago.
"The rent [for my plot of land] is 3,000 yuan (around 412.44 U.S. dollars) a year. I mainly grow seasonal vegetables like carrots, white turnips and leafy greens. I grow what my family and I like to eat. Each week, my harvests are enough for my family to eat and can also be gifted to some friends and relatives," she said. Many farms on the outskirts of Beijing have introduced farmland-sharing services, allowing city dwellers to plant vegetables while immersing themselves in the charm of rural life.
"Growing vegetables in the countryside offers me an opportunity to improve my mental and physical health and reduce stress of daily life," said Hao Xinyu, a resident from downtown Beijing.
"I often bring my daughter along so she can experience the joy of harvesting. She is very happy when picking vegetables on her own," said Liu Lei, another resident.
Growing vegetables in shared farms popular in Beijing residents
Growing vegetables in shared farms popular in Beijing residents
