The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 136 - 125: Reassurance (Additional - for reaching 75000 votes on Yunqi)

Chapter 136: Chapter 125: Reassurance (Additional Chapter for reaching 75000 votes on Yunqi)

Even when preparing compost, one must choose a method that is doable. In "The Development of Farming Manure from Ancient Times to Present," Manbao had selected three methods that they could implement.

Among the methods introduced by the author, which are chronologically developed, Manbao felt that one was identical to their current method of composting at home. That method was also feasible, albeit quite slow, requiring a longer fermentation time.

The method they currently used, due to the adoption of insulation measures and a secondary processing of the materials thrown in, worked much faster.

Given the recent rise in temperature, Manbao and her family had decided to plant ginger pieces after a while, by which time they would need a large amount of farm compost, which was why she chose this method.

Seeing that Old Zhou indeed bore no blame towards her, Manbao’s courage grew, and she proudly said to him, "Dad, I was thinking that since we didn’t know whether this method would be successful or not, I had Silang try it out first, and planned to tell you after it proved successful."

Old Zhou truly rejoiced, affectionately stroking his youngest daughter’s head, "Manbao has thought everything through. Just now, your elder brother and I took a look, and indeed, this method is good. We’ve only been digging this pit for seven or eight days, and it’s already fermenting. Perhaps it might even be ready after a few more days."

Manbao’s spirits lifted, and she immediately said, "The book says we need to control the temperature and not let it get too hot, otherwise the nutrient value would be burned away, so when the temperature gets too high, we need to open it up to cool down or dry it out a bit. Once the temperature drops, we pile it up again and pour some manure to ferment a second time. Dad, do you think our temperature is high enough?"

Old Zhou, however, had no idea; he had never used this method before, and even the concept of the compost heap temperature being too high was new to him.

But after all, he had been a farmer all his life. Even if he didn’t understand, he could still ponder over it, unlike Zhou Si, who merely followed whatever Manbao said.

So after a little thought, he asked Dalang to reopen the grass cover and then to turn over the compost.

All the sons were kept back by Old Zhou; of course, as the only literate person and the one who had imparted the knowledge, Manbao was also kept back, while the others and the children went back home first.

Zhou Xi glanced at the child standing among the adults and helped her mother to head back.

Clearly, the commotion over the compost was not a minor affair; the whole family pitched in. Previously, Zhou Xi knew that Zhou Si had used her as a decoy to steal compost, which had been so infuriating that it nearly moved her to beat him on the spot. Manbao’s arrival sent her emotions fluctuating, but now she had calmed down.

The returning members of the Zhou family were very quiet; Ms. Qian let Datou and the others run ahead to the house, while she slowly walked with the support of Zhou Xi’s hand, lecturing her along the way, "Your temper, ah, is still too impulsive. Impulsiveness leads to mistakes; you need to be more composed in the future."

Ms. Qian laughed at this point, "You could learn from your sister on this; look how cautious she was just now, even making sure to watch your dad’s face first."

Zhou Xi couldn’t help saying, "That child, she’s always so sly."

Holding her mother’s arm, Zhou Xi couldn’t hold back her inner thoughts, "Mom, if I don’t get married in the future, would it be alright for you to let me take care of Manbao?"

Ms. Qian, taken aback, frowned and asked, "Why do you think like that? Manbao is already six years old, and besides, she’s still..."

Ms. Qian didn’t finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Zhou Xi, however, said, "I’m not asking her to call me mom. I just thought that it’d be nice to have a child close to me. When I’m old and nearing death, there would be someone to glance at me, to know whether I am dead or alive. Mom, I really don’t want to get married."

Ms. Qian’s face tightened, and she didn’t speak. Zhou Xi, observing her expression, dared not say more, but her intentions were clear.

Unaware of all this, Manbao was squatting far away, watching her brothers being instructed by her father to dig out and spread the compost from the pit.

Indeed, the temperature inside the compost heap was very high. Although Old Zhou had never encountered this before, he knew from his youngest daughter’s explanation that high temperature could "burn" the nutrients, so he instructed to spread out the compost to air it.

As a result, everyone could see that the basket of rotten leaves they had first dumped in had turned black and crumbled into pieces at a mere touch of the hoe, which was much faster than their previous method of piling up straw.

It’s worth noting that their usual method of preparing compost generally took an entire year.

From the end of summer, when they stopped adding compost, until early spring, it would take about half a year for the straw to decay, and this was even after the village had adopted a new method from outside. Before that, the straw would not decay at all.

Dalang and Erlang couldn’t help but exchange glances, both feeling that indeed, like father, like daughter. Manbao was so much like her father; the improved method of composting the village had adopted years ago was acquired by her father in exchange for two steamed buns.

Old Zhou rubbed the compost with his hands, satisfied, "Good, let it air out overnight, and then we’ll pile it back tomorrow."

He added, "If this method works, we’ll dig another pit to compost at home too. With that, we can speed things up a bit and have more compost."

Because of Manbao’s new method, they would use less animal manure compared to their current ratio, increasing the demand for dead leaves and other soil, indicating that with the same amount of manure, they could produce more compost.

For the rural folk, the hardest part about farm compost is the animal manure since not every family keeps so many livestock.

The reason their family had it was that they had a large family and raised quite a few chickens.

Old Zhou planned to dig two large pits next to the existing compost heap at home to compost together, intending to start before the rice seeds were sown.

As for the compost needed for the rice seeds, well, he would first borrow from Silang’s compost heap. Hadn’t the boy stolen the compost from home?

He could use that to make amends.

Zhou Si, upon hearing he wouldn’t get beaten or scolded and only needed to compensate with compost, immediately agreed, completely disregarding the other owner’s opinion.

Worried about her ginger, Manbao quickly said to Old Zhou, "Dad, I’ll let you have the compost from this pit first. But when it’s time to plant my ginger and I need compost, you have to give it back to me."

"If it’s compensated, why should I have to give it back?"

"I don’t care, you have to give it back. Otherwise, my ginger won’t grow well."

Old Zhou found his daughter’s insistence amusing and chuckled heartily. He nodded and said, "Alright, I’ll compensate you."

It’s just a matter of digging another compost pit, after all. He didn’t have much else, but he had plenty of sons to send to the mountains to dig soil and collect decaying leaves. They could have as much compost as they wanted.

The sons: ...

Clueless about all this, Manbao, having received Old Zhou’s affirmation, happily held his hand and walked home. Even when Liulang offered to carry her bookcase, Old Zhou declined.

Old Zhou himself carried the bookcase, holding her little hand and earnestly admonishing, "Manbao, you must study hard in school, and listen to Mr. Zhuang, understand?"

Manbao nodded.

He continued, "Read more books, especially about compost and farming. If you find anything good in them, be sure to tell Dad. When we make money at home, Dad will buy you meat to eat."

"Dad, you said the same thing last time, that when we make money at home, you would buy me meat to eat. But you didn’t, and in the end, I had to buy it myself."

Caught out, Old Zhou chuckled sheepishly, "Your mom holds the money. You want to eat meat? Then tell your mom later on and let her give you the money."