Chapter 1276 - 1148: Off-Season Vegetables

Chapter 1276: Chapter 1148: Off-Season Vegetables

The end of the year is approaching, and it’s the time of year again to prepare for New Year goods. Compared to last year, there are even more markets in Jingjiao.

After winter break started, May 1st, who arrived home earlier than Ping’an and Liu Yi, fulfilled his promise and accompanied Miao Lishan and Zhou Jiao on the streets for two days.

The market has always been crowded, shoulder to shoulder, with people pausing in front of various items, comparing carefully, choosing slowly, and haggling over every penny.

Zhou Jiao knew her son wasn’t used to this leisurely state, especially since the two of them could bring a guard out, so she set him free.

As May 1st came and went early and late each day, it was said that the side rooms of the second courtyard were filled with red spring couplets, not to mention that quite a few were piled in the main hall as well.

When Aunt Yuan, who often brought lunch to May 1st, mentioned this, Zhou Jiao didn’t pay much attention. She had confidence in her son’s ability to handle things.

Furthermore, her attention during this period had to be focused on the old house, where she was successfully experimenting with off-season vegetables.

Why did she suddenly get the urge to experiment with off-season vegetables?

This had to do with the southern vegetables and fruits Geng Dazhi brought back.

In past years, Zhou Jiao had space, so she would set up some racks in the kitchen. Using these racks as cover, she didn’t pay much attention since the types of edible items were few.

But ever since these southern vegetables and fruits arrived, not only did her parents and Zhang Guoqing have a better appetite, but even the notoriously picky Ping’an brothers were delighted to eat more when they returned home for the weekend.

Zhou Jiao hadn’t forgotten how much effort she spent correcting her sons’ picky eating habits. Although they improved a lot as they grew older.

With the ability to provide her children a better life, why wouldn’t she give it a try? Anyway, she had already secured the oil futures, and the manager had been found.

Now, with her free time not in a hurry to change jobs, it seemed that apart from going to and from work, she had nothing else to do for the time being.

So, this plan came about. In late autumn and early winter, Zhou Jiao set her sights on the vegetable plot in the garden behind the old house.

Uncle Yuan and Aunt Yuan, being old farmers, cherished that vegetable plot dearly; to them, no flowers or grass compared to it.

With their careful tending, by early winter, the garden, covered with a lot of specially found straw, still had a few little green seedlings left.

Though frozen and unlikely to grow much, it didn’t stop Zhou Jiao from being truly inspired.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

The ground was nearly frozen, so Zhou Jiao, holding an experimental thought, used straw and wheat stalks that had previously transported raw stones and seeds to burn open the ground.

She knew the theoretical knowledge and had connections, paired with Uncle Yuan’s excellent farming skills while idly at home.

The two of them cooperated perfectly.

Now, the vegetable plot in the back garden, though not large, already had low greenhouses set up with bamboo poles and oil cloth.

The "Han Book, Zhao Xinchen Biography" records: "In the Tai Guan Garden, winter scallions, leeks, and vegetables were grown, covered with roofs, and fires were burned day and night, waiting for warm air to grow..."

Greenhouse vegetables existed early in ancient times, but they have never been popularized, let alone form an industry till now.

Why?

Because it’s too costly!

From the phrase "covered with roofs, fires burned day and night," it’s not hard to see that vegetables had to be grown indoors and required fire burning to keep warm.

Zhou Jiao, familiar with modern greenhouse vegetable theories, of course, wouldn’t plant them inside her house, but limited by the lack of certain supplies.

She was just playing with a small experiment, deciding that if successful, she would directly hand it over to the agricultural department in her unit, letting the comrades make a more detailed plan.

—— If a project for off-season vegetables is to be established, it wouldn’t be possible without them leading it.

Even this one greenhouse, only she could manage it. If it were someone else, it would be impossible, in an era of rationed buying, it wouldn’t be achievable.

Now, with harvest time approaching, Zhou Jiao’s attention was fully on this.

At the moment, she was squatting to check the condition of some mushrooms on the ground, then turned to look at rows of leafy greens and leeks.

Beside her, Uncle Yuan was already beaming with joy, like a flower. "I see them, they’re growing very well; indeed, one can eat fresh vegetables in the dead of winter."

"Thank you, Uncle Yuan."

"Thank you for what? I’ve harvested the ripe ones for you. Shall I send them to the Big Courtyard, or should you take them on your way home from work?"

"I’ll take them home after work; it’s too cold for you to go out. Don’t hesitate to eat, remember to have Aunt Yuan cook a few more dishes for you."

"Hahaha..."

"Don’t just laugh, there aren’t many at home, how much can they eat? You might as well enjoy more yourselves."

Hearing her say this, Uncle Yuan responded cheerfully, "Okay, next year, let’s get a bigger one. Then, eating won’t be an issue."

"Sure."

Zhou Jiao readily agreed.

But she knew that he probably wouldn’t have the chance next year. As it seemed successful now, and as the main person in charge of this greenhouse, he would likely be reassigned.

But Zhou Jiao didn’t say these things in advance.

After all, this was a good thing; maybe Uncle Yuan might even get an official job. A job is good; better than guarding the old house, he could have a pension to collect in the future.

"Have you seen the courtyard over there? Wow, every early morning, there’s a cartload, really busy.

But after observing for a few days, sometimes they get so busy that by noon, May 1st doesn’t even have time for a meal. You should check it out sometime."

Uncle Yuan had mentioned it several times, and Zhou Jiao hadn’t taken it to heart.

Now, he mentioned that the child was so busy that even eating became a problem. Her heart stirred, and after checking the time on her watch, she decided to go see for herself.

—— She had no objection to the kids earning some money during their break, but if it meant missing essentials, that wouldn’t do.

The alley in winter had returned to its lively early years.

By the wall corner appeared once again the long-lost popcorn old man and children lining up with cloth bags.

The children building snowmen and having snowball fights nearby added life to these scenes with their joyful laughter.

Not far off, a big street, the nearby grocer’s entrance still hung with thick door curtains, couldn’t, however, keep the rich aroma of roasted chestnuts from wafting out.

Zhou Jiao glanced at her own second courtyard not far off and lifted the curtain to purchase a pound.

Her May 1st loved these, especially in winter.

By the time Zhou Jiao, holding a bag of roasted chestnuts wrapped in oil paper, arrived at the second courtyard, nearly an hour had passed.

With only half an hour left until work resumed in the afternoon, she felt a bit annoyed with herself for fearing the cold and the hassle of not biking there.

She pushed the courtyard’s gate, which creaked as it opened, revealing the latch was not secured.