Chapter 684 Nod of Praise
The elders nodded in praise and added a few words of experience from time to time.
At the same time, several large-scale growers and breeders in the village gathered together to plan a joint exhibition with neighboring villages. "Our village's organic vegetables and local eggs have always been famous, and we can't let them be buried. If we hold an exhibition with the neighboring village, there will be more varieties and it will definitely be more attractive. When the time comes, more wholesalers will come and the price will be good." An uncle said while gesturing, his eyes full of longing for a good harvest.
With everyone working together, the village quickly took action. During the slack season, the young and middle-aged people in the village carried their tools and rushed to the front line of the scenic area construction. They shouted slogans, moved stones, and compacted the foundation. Every drop of sweat was poured out of deep affection for the village. The women were busy on the makeshift stoves, with smoke curling and the aroma of food filling the air, bringing warmth and strength to the working people.
Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping were also busy, shuttling between construction sites and farmers' homes to coordinate with all parties and solve problems. Qi Tongwei, with his familiarity with the village's topography, planned the most reasonable layout for tourist facilities, taking into account both aesthetics and the convenience of tourists; Hou Liangping used his knowledge to train farmers participating in the exhibition on marketing skills, teaching them how to highlight product features and attract customers.
However, the road to development is never smooth. Just when the construction of tourism facilities in the village was in full swing and preparations for the agricultural product exhibition were in full swing, a sudden rainstorm hit the village. The rainstorm was strong and lasted for a long time. Some old houses in the village were destroyed, some farmland was flooded, and the crops that were about to be harvested fell in the mud and water, causing heavy losses.
Looking at the tragic scene after the flood, the faces of the villagers were once again filled with gloom. Some could not help crying quietly, and some collapsed on the ground, full of despair. Qiangzi, leaning on a cane and supported by his family, came to the disaster site with difficulty. He looked at everything in front of him, his eyes red, and said in a trembling voice: "The village has just started to get better, how come it encountered such a big disaster..."
Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping rushed to the scene as soon as possible. Seeing the villagers in pain, their hearts were cut by a knife. Qi Tongwei shouted loudly: "Don't lose heart! We have gone through so many difficulties and have not fallen. We will succeed this time! Save people and crops first, and save as much as possible." Hou Liangping also quickly organized young and strong villagers to form a rescue team and rushed to various disaster sites.
They braved the heavy rain and shuttled through the mud to help the trapped people move to safe areas and rescue some important supplies and agricultural equipment. The old branch secretary also led the women and the elderly to prepare hot water, food and clean clothes for everyone at the temporary resettlement site to comfort the emotions of the affected people.
After the rainstorm, the village was in ruins, but the villagers were not defeated by the disaster. Under the leadership of Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping, they quickly started to save themselves. On the one hand, they reported the disaster to the higher authorities and sought relief supplies and financial support; on the other hand, the villagers helped each other, repaired houses and cleaned up farmland. When the surrounding villages heard the news, they also lent a hand and sent seeds, fertilizers and daily necessities to help them overcome the difficulties.
After a period of hard work, the village gradually recovered. The damaged houses were renovated, and crops were planted again in the farmland. Although the best planting period had been missed, everyone took good care of them and hoped for a good harvest. The construction of tourism facilities was also being promoted overtime in preparation for the upcoming tourist peak season.
At another villagers' meeting, Qi Tongwei looked at the villagers below the stage, who looked tired but determined, and said with emotion: "Fellow villagers, we have encountered too many difficulties along the way, but we never gave up, but became more united. I believe that as long as we continue to hold hands and keep our hearts connected, nothing can stop us from living a good life!"
The villagers listened to Qi Tongwei's emotion and nodded, their eyes flashing with hope that never faded after all the vicissitudes of life. The applause died down, and the old secretary slowly stood up. His figure was slightly hunched under the wear and tear of time, but at this moment, he was full of determination. "Secretary Qi is right. We have come this far by gritting our teeth and taking one step at a time. Although we have suffered a disaster, our spirits have not collapsed. This is the root of our village!"
However, just as everyone was preparing to regroup and embrace a new life, new challenges quietly arrived. With the surrounding areas paying more attention to eco-tourism and following suit, the competitive pressure suddenly increased. Tourists who were once attracted by the unique scenery of the village are now diverted to other places. The business of several farmhouses in the village has become deserted, and the shop owners are worried and anxious as they look at the empty tables and chairs.
"What can we do? We've invested so much effort, and the peak season is about to come, but the number of customers is decreasing." A farm stay owner pulled Qi Tongwei's clothes, her eyes red and her voice choked with sobs.
Qi Tongwei was also very worried, but he knew that he had to calm everyone down at this moment. "Sister-in-law, don't worry, let's think of a solution together. The tourism market is changing rapidly, and we have to keep up." He turned to look at Hou Liangping, his eyes full of eagerness to seek support.
Hou Liangping frowned, thought for a moment and then said, "I think we can't just follow the routine anymore. We have to find out the unique selling point of our village. Before, we focused on the rural scenery, but now we have to focus on in-depth experience. For example, we can add some traditional farming culture experience projects, let tourists work in the fields and learn to cook farm dishes, so that they can stay and have fun."
The villagers started discussing the matter. Some questioned, "Will this work? How can city people be interested in something that is commonplace to us farmers?" But most people were willing to give it a try, after all, there was not much room for retreat at this point.
Therefore, under the organization of the village committee, the villagers got busy again. They dug out old farm tools that had been put aside for many years, repaired them, and opened up a special experience area in the field; women who were good at cooking gathered together to study how to improve home-cooked recipes to be more attractive, and also carefully decorated the farm kitchen to prepare for tourists to "show off their skills".
At the same time, in order to increase the popularity of the village, Hou Liangping took the initiative to contact major media and travel bloggers, inviting them to come to the village for a free experience. At first, there were few responses, but Hou Liangping did not give up. He called and sent emails again and again, sincerely introducing the characteristics and changes of the village. Finally, several bloggers were moved by his persistence and agreed to come.