The initial intention of Tian Xin was to find jobs for the young people in the village who were unemployed, providing them with stable incomes.
Of course, this matter also required the village to step in. Since Tian Xin was the initiator, she was given a nominal position at the factory, so if the manager was unavailable, people could come to her.
All work proceeded smoothly for half a year. When the well was drilled, it was just the beginning of spring.
It was time to plant the trees, but Tian Xin found that some farmers started to slowly stop collecting saplings.
Tree planting was crucial, missing the timing meant waiting another year. Tian Xin hurried to the fields to check the situation.
On that day, at the edge of the first team's field, someone had pulled out the planted persimmon seedlings, preparing to plow the field.
Tian Xin stepped forward and asked, "What's happening, Uncle Li, why have they all been pulled out?"
"What's the use of planting these, taking up space and wasting fertilizer. You people are constantly giving misguided commands, instructing us to plant whatever without considering if it will bring any money."
"Yes, exactly, you get us to plant to complete the work, without considering how time-consuming it is. Whether everyone can make money, there's been no clear explanation from the start till now."
"That's right, we're not planting anymore. With this time, it'd be better to grow more pepper trees and grain."
Tian Xin knew someone would inevitably think like this, she just hadn't expected it to happen so soon! It had only just begun, and someone was already backing out!
She anticipated these tasks wouldn't be easy, getting everyone to believe her was unlikely.
After explaining all morning, her throat was almost burning. She steeled herself and gathered everyone at the wheat field to hold a meeting.
At the wheat field, the dense crowd awaited to see what insight Tian Xin, the young woman, could share.
"Hello everyone, fellow villagers. Today, I've gathered you here to explain the purpose of planting persimmon trees," Tian Xin shouted loudly.
The wheat field was vast, her voice dispersed as soon as it went out. She cupped her hand to her mouth, shouting till her face was red and her neck swollen.
"I remember the day before I became a village official, it was right here!" She pointed to the ground, continuing: "Uncle Li asked me if I could lead everyone to make more money."
Tian Xin glanced at Uncle Li sitting in the back smoking a dry tobacco pipe, and the crowd followed her gaze to look over. Uncle Li awkwardly raised his hand slightly.
"I remember saying this!" Tian Xin continued, "As long as I become the village official, I will definitely find ways to help everyone make money!"
Her words were somewhat touching, thinking about the villagers' expectations for her, her eyes reddened: "This planting of persimmon trees is the most suitable long-term development planting project I could think of for our village right now!"
She paused for a moment, then continued to shout: "I know it takes time for everyone to accept my idea. But now it's already spring, if we delay any longer, then we'll have to wait another year.
Persimmon trees are slow to bear fruit, my term is only three years, I hope that next year at least, everyone will be able to see the results brought by persimmon trees.
Planting persimmon trees isn't the goal; turning them into money is the goal. Isn't that right?"
The people below began to discuss when they heard her say this.
"Xinxin, it's not that we don't believe you, spring is a busy time for us, we have to grow pepper trees, plant beans, and sweet potato seedlings."
"Later we will plant corn, sow vegetable seedlings, and we can't delay spraying fertilizer on the trees either!"
"We just want to know if what you're saying is reliable, can you give us reassurance?"
"Exactly, we've tried a few times before, never accomplished anything and wasted a pile of fertilizer money!"
Everyone voiced their opinions, nodding in agreement with each other.
Tian Xin glanced at Tian Fushun standing at the back and cleared her throat, saying, "Alright, today I'll give you all reassurance."
She took a few steps forward, getting closer to everyone.
"First of all,"
The reason we're planting these persimmon trees isn't to eat persimmons. I'm aware that in recent years, no one has eaten the persimmons from the fields. But our purpose in planting them is for later processing into persimmon cakes, to turn them into local specialties! Making persimmon cakes has two benefits:
Firstly, they can be sold directly. Secondly, by mastering this craft, our aunts and aunties, even if processing for others, can earn an income."
"In that case, if that succeeds, it would be wonderful. But how can you guarantee they will sell well and bring income to everyone?" someone shouted from the crowd.
"Exactly, no one has seen these persimmon cakes you're talking about. If we can't sell them, and they end up in our hands, who bears the loss?"