Big walnut grower Zhang Ziqing: a walnut changes a world

"July walnut August pear, September persimmon to market", now is a large number of walnut market season. On August 16 this year, the first walnut festival in Mazhuang Town, Fei County,"Hill" walnut from Wenjiang Walnut Research Institute of Fei County won the first prize for its excellent comprehensive quality! The director of the walnut research institute is Zhang Ziqing, a 35-year-old entrepreneur.

The self-employed "soldier brother" returned to his hometown to plant walnuts

"August 16, Shandong Province Fei County (China's walnut town) Mazhuang town opened the first walnut festival, our units (Fei County Wenjiang fruit and vegetable planting professional cooperative, Fei County Wenjiang walnut research institute) as one of the main co-organizers of this walnut festival, careful planning, careful preparation, with their own strength to win the favor of the national walnut merchants, but also by leaders at all levels of full affirmation. In this year's Walnut Festival three walnut varieties: Xiangling, Yuanfeng, Hill, our unit has achieved: first prize, second prize, third prize each of the outstanding results, ranked in the forefront of the main co-organizers. I wish this Walnut Festival a unique, high level, friendship and complete success!" "The training at Qingdao Agricultural University really inspired me a lot and gained a lot! Live and learn, there is no professional high-level theory as the basis for our development is blind! Learn to learn knowledge, learn to behave, learn to do things." From Zhang Ziqing's diary.

After graduating from high school, Zhang Ziqing was sent by his family to the army for exercise. Eight years of army life made his character more tenacious and persistent. He was successively rated as "Excellent Soldier" and won a third-class merit. In 2009, Zhang Ziqing, who was demobilized from the army, did not report to a unit with better working conditions, but chose to start his own business.

He said, rely on the mountain to eat the mountain, father generation is farming, but planted a lifetime, still can not walk out of the village this mountain. He wants to lead the villagers to farm together and make a fortune together! In 2009, Zhang Ziqing founded Fei County Wenjiang Walnut Research Institute and served as director. In 2010, he established Wenjiang Fruit and Vegetable Planting Professional Cooperative in Fei County to find excellent walnut varieties and lead the villagers to a well-off society together.

But everything is difficult at the beginning, how can there be such casual success! The biggest problem Zhang Ziqing encountered first was that the villagers did not "catch a cold" on his newly introduced walnut seedlings."My seedlings were planted in the same year, and they began to bear fruit in the fourth year." Ordinary seedlings start to see benefits in the seventh year, but the cost is lower. The common people are still conservative. They would rather spend less than spend more to buy good seedlings." At that time, farmers did not have the consciousness of "getting rich by science and technology", which made Zhang Ziqing, who wanted to do a big job, suffer a little blow. However, the eight years of life in the army honed his tenacity of never admitting defeat. He thought that if he wanted to change the old ideas of farmers, he would have to practice himself and take the lead in planting first, so that everyone could see the new benefits brought by the new varieties!

Small walnut, big universe

Don't underestimate this little walnut. Our Qianlong Lord also has a small poem "Palm Rotation Sun Moon" praising walnut. "The sun and moon are spinning in my hand, and time is turning back. When will you become white-headed?" This poem will play with the wonderful place of pecan written incisively and vividly, palm rotation of the sun and moon, what a state.

Data show that if China's per capita walnut consumption reaches 1 kilogram level in 2020, China's walnut demand will reach 1.4 million tons in 2020 based on 1.4 billion people. Thus, walnut production and marketing of the domestic market is very large. Zhang Ziqing was also interested in this business opportunity and began to explore planting walnuts.

When it comes to walnuts, Zhang Ziqing has endless topics. He said his walnut variety has a thinner skin than ordinary walnuts and bears fruit earlier. The kernel is milky white, high in kernel yield, high in oil content and good in taste. Although **, Hebei, Yunnan and other places also have a history of planting walnuts, Zhang Ziqing said that Yimeng Mountain has a wide planting area and relatively many excellent varieties. Fei County is the "hometown of Chinese walnut". The main walnut producing area in Fei County is Shaoyao Mountain in Mazhuang Town. If the planting area of the whole county reaches about 150,000 mu, the planting area of Shaoyao Mountain will be more than 80,000 mu. Here is the bluestone mountain area, the environment climate is suitable, the weak alkaline soil and bluestone contain a lot of minerals and trace elements, making it a unique advantage to plant walnuts here.

Zhang Ziqing was selected as "Excellent Instructor" in the 6th "Labor Star" Vocational Skills Competition in Linyi City, revitalized Yimeng Labor Medal, technical expert in Linyi City, and Shandong Province Forest Seedling Association also selected Zhang Ziqing as 2013 Advanced Worker in Forest Seedling Work in April this year. The research institute and cooperatives have created profit income of more than 300,000 yuan for the members of the unit, providing more than 2.6 million high-quality early-fruiting thin-shell walnut seedlings for Shandong, Jiangsu, Henan, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei and other places, which has strongly promoted the development of walnut industry. The members of the co-operatives who had tried so hard to "exclude" them in those days have now become the backbone of the co-operatives. Hou Peichang, a member of the 70-year-old this year, wrote "Walnut Fu" for this purpose."Walnut oil is full of fragrance, and the Zhenguo family number is strong." Enriching intestines can strengthen kidney, nourishing longevity and regulating yin and yang. Seek development according to local conditions, ten thousand mu of green shade from mountain wasteland. Experts carefully cultivate, visitors like weaving peony village."

Agricultural production depends on science and technology

Wenjiang Walnut Research Institute of Fei County is the governing unit of Shandong Forest Seedling Association, the permanent governing unit of Linyi City Association, and also one of the main bodies of modern agricultural project implementation in Fei County in 2013. Wenjiang Walnut Research Institute has built 650 mu walnut standard demonstration garden in Xinanyu Village, Mazhuang Town, planting 21450 high-quality walnut seedlings, which has made positive contribution to promoting the brand construction of "China Walnut Town" in Fei County. On August 16 this year, at the first Walnut Festival in Mazhuang Town, Fei County, Zhang Ziqing led the "Hill" walnut of Wenjiang Walnut Research Institute in Fei County to win the first prize for its excellent comprehensive quality!

As a "modern new farmer", Zhang Ziqing is also diligent and studious, participates in technical training and theoretical study in relevant fields, modestly consults fruit tree experts, carefully studies walnut breeding and high-yield cultivation techniques, as well as fine variety selection and promotion. Integrated control of related diseases and insect pests, pollution-free green production technology and related products deep processing development research. In order to improve his professional level, he went to Qingdao Agricultural University twice in 2012 and 2014 to participate in new farmer entrepreneurship training in Shandong Province, broadening his vision from theoretical knowledge to extracurricular practice, increasing his knowledge, and establishing cooperative relationship with some agricultural skills in other places.

Zhang Ziqing, who has achieved some success in learning, also applies his knowledge. Since 200 years, his walnut research institute has held 12 training classes and relevant lectures, training more than 600 members of scientific research institute and fruit farmers representatives. He has also walked into fruit farmers for many times to explain at home, benefiting more than 100,000 people through TV, distance education and other channels.

Facing the difficulties encountered in the current development, Zhang Ziqing also talked about his own ideas. "Right now, the most important thing is scientific research! There are few people engaged in scientific research in rural areas, and there is a shortage of scientific research equipment and funds, which makes the cycle from approval to popularization of new varieties very long. However, scientific and technological workers who can independently complete new varieties are too scarce. We want to invite outside experts to guide and impart experience. Often, we haven't started lectures yet. The cost is a headache for us. The lack of a base for breeding new varieties is also a difficulty encountered at present." Zhang Ziqing said,"Fortunately, through the development and growth of these years, some merchants from other places have come to the cooperative to offer to buy seedlings, so we don't have to worry about sales." As an out-and-out farmer, Zhang Ziqing also has a simple wish and plan like a farmer. He says technology gets rich. He wants to advance vigorously along the path of modern agriculture. Actively cultivate new good varieties, strip off fruit tree varieties, and increase the intensity of declaration. After the walnut is ready, he will also carry out modern breeding, ecological breeding, absorb surplus rural labor force, carry out special breeding, standardized breeding and large-scale management in his spare time, so as to bring more benefits to farmers and lead a good life together.