A Chinese reveals his magical life as a farmer in Canada
Mr. Lu is in his fifties and a strong Northeastern man. He has a dark face and speaks with a local accent, capable and honest. Three years ago, he bought more than 30 Quarters (1 Quarter = 800 meters * 800 meters, equivalent to 160 acres, 960 city acres) of land in Saskatchewan. Calculated, it is a large amount. He is a well-deserved landowner, and a big one. Where is the landlord!
Mr. Lu immigrated to Canada from China and originally lived in Vancouver. I have been engaged in agricultural technology work in China and like to work with land and crops. Three years ago, after going through many twists and turns, I got through the ideological work with my family, moved to Saskatchewan with another family of friends, and started living as a Canadian farmer on my own land.
Saskatchewan is located in south-central Canada. It is mainly agricultural and has rich oil and various mineral deposits underground. We visited there in the summer of 2005 when we drove across Canada. There are thousands of hectares of farmland, as far as the eye can see, as flat as a stone. One piece after another, squarely separated by roads. I didn’t know it at the time, but that square piece was 1Quarter. Green grass seedlings, bright yellow rapeseed flowers, and blue-purple alfalfa flowers connect the sky and the earth. Under the clear blue sky, the vast sea of flowers and surging waves are stunning. The road runs through colorful fields and leads straight to the horizon, with no end in sight. Among the flowers, there are no people on the road, and cars are rare. We were often the only ones in the car, and the scenery remained the same even after driving for hundreds of kilometers. It was that time on the road in Saskatchewan that we personally experienced the scientific conclusion that "the earth is round". Because the fields are so vast, looking far into the distance and looking straight to the sky, you can see that the earth and fields are slightly raised and arched at a very small angle. During that trip, the vast fields of Saskatchewan left a very deep and beautiful impression in our hearts. As long as you mention Saskatchewan, you will see the endless vibrant fields, the sea of golden and blue-purple flowers, and you can smell the fragrance of plants mixed with the fresh earthy smell.
The Mr. Lu in front of me has made his home in this field. He said that some farmers like to build their houses in the fields, which is the pastoral scenery that our eyes are often attracted to when we go out: a lonely house on a green field, with flowers in front of the door, trees behind the house, and green vegetable patches next to it. , or there is a small pond. Farmers who like liveliness live in the town, and their neighbors are all acquaintances. The so-called town is just a village. There are hundreds of people in the big ones, and only dozens of people in the small ones. The town where Mr. Lu lives has a population of two to three hundred people, which is not too small. The population density of Saskatchewan is very small, and the distance between towns is dozens of kilometers. In recent years, there have been some Chinese immigrants there. Compatriots sometimes get together for gatherings, drive more than 100 kilometers to a certain town to have a meal, chat, and then come back. Anyway, there is no traffic jam there at all. After more than 100 kilometers, just step on the accelerator and we will be there in a short time.
Mr. Lu not only bought land, but actually farmed it. The locals welcome such outsiders. The local farmers have worked on that land for several lifetimes and have deep feelings for the land. They are unwilling to sell land, let alone sell it to people who are not here to farm but to make money by speculating on land. Mr. Lu said that most of the people selling land are old and frail and cannot afford farming. Their descendants have gone to cities to develop and are unwilling to continue living the life of farmers. Most of the people who buy land are neighbors. They have long been eyeing whose land is good. Once they know that someone wants to sell it, they immediately go to discuss the purchase without waiting for it to be put up for sale. In the countryside, whose land is well taken care of and has a good harvest in autumn is highly respected. Farmers like that also have a great sense of accomplishment.
Canadian farmers are simple, kind and enthusiastic about helping others. Mr. Lu's family had just moved to Saskatchewan and were unfamiliar with the place. Their neighbors gave them a lot of help. Farming in Canada is very different from that in rural China. It is completely mechanized. At the beginning, he was not familiar with agricultural machinery and had many problems. Once, he asked a neighbor a question in the field. Because his English was not fluent, he couldn't even speak or gesture clearly. The neighbor asked him to call his home phone and asked Mrs. Lu, who was slightly better at English, to continue speaking. Finally figured it out and gave the answer. The problem was solved and Mr. Lu was very happy. Unexpectedly, that night, a neighbor knocked on his door with a few books.
Every town holds celebrations, and the time is spread out, taking turns and continuing. Today is town A, tomorrow is town B, and the day after tomorrow is town C. Whichever town's turn it is to hold a harvest celebration, residents of other towns within a radius of one or two hundred kilometers will go to participate, gather friends, eat and drink, and return home happily.
This is Mr. Lu’s current life, simple and happy, wealthy and satisfied. During the spring, summer and autumn, the couple and their parents-in-law lived in Saskatchewan. It is enough for him to drive the farm machinery to the fields alone, while his wife manages the house and finances at home. The average annual net income from 1 Quarter of land is 10,000 yuan. In Canada, they already belong to the high-income group. Moreover, the land he bought three years ago has appreciated a lot in value. Of course, his neighbors have more land, a lot of income, and live a comfortable life. In winter, Saskatchewan is very cold and the wilderness is white. If you stand in the field for two minutes, the wind will penetrate your whole body and make you cold from the inside out. My parents-in-law returned to Vancouver for the winter, and the couple had fallen in love with their life as farmers in Saskatchewan. They stayed in the town, sometimes traveling or visiting their children in college in Toronto. Mr. Lu said with a smile: Living here, the relationship between husband and wife is getting better and better, and every family is living happily. There is a popular saying here that a wife is most important in the house, and neighbors are the most important outside. Yes, in Saskatchewan, a sparsely populated province, it is rare to see a person driving a farm machine alone in the fields all day long. The only people I see occasionally are my neighbors, and the only person I see at home is my wife. We depend on each other for our lives, and it’s hard to even think about a bad relationship!
Mr. Lu said that he likes to be a farmer in Canada and likes this simple, healthy and free life!