For several years, a computer game "The Happy Farm" has been popular among Chinese people. Today, many Chinese have their own, real, Happy Farms.
A Farm of Her Own
It is Saturday. Yan Zhen is leaving for her grounds at the edge of Beijing. She rents a piece of farmland for 800 yuan per year in the Happy Farm in the west of Beijing, an area of 15 square meters.
If you aren't good at farming, you can pay a farmer to care for the land, and you just pick the vegetables and visit the countryside with your friends or family on weekends. However, on some other farms, you just bring your basket and pick the fruits or vegetables you want before paying money.
Concerns about Food Safety
"I think we Chinese have been troubled by problems of food safety. When you have planted your own vegetables, and know what fertilizers (肥料) have been used, and picked them with your own hands, this is very safe," Yan Zhen said.
The Happy Farm
Older people often remember that many years ago farm products were untreated and food was clean, but now they are worrying about the poor food quality. Some of them find on these farms a means to help the community and to better feed the family. Some of them start gardening for their pregnant daughters to protect the health of mother and child. On the other hand, some parents want to teach their children the value of work and healthy foods on the farms.
