Renting a small piece of land for over 1000 yuan a year, not for making money, but for playing with mud and harvesting fresh vegetables... Driven by the "spring economy", many places have seen the rise of "shared vegetable gardens". Why do many people want to become "urban vegetable farmers"? How can the real-life version of "QQ Farm" last long? On weekends, the fields of Zhanglingqiu in Licheng District, Jinan City, are filled with citizens wielding hoes, as the Fangcun vegetable garden blooms in many areas. In this newly opened 'shared vegetable garden', people take advantage of the spring scenery to busy cultivate their own small world. Han Kunjie, the person in charge of "Zhanglingqiu's Countryside", told reporters that the vegetable garden covers less than 10 acres and is divided into 200 small plots of 30 square meters and 4 small plots of 50 square meters, which are rented out to nearby residents. Xinhua Viewpoint "reporters saw in this" shared vegetable garden "that each plot has a faucet at the head of the field, and" vegetable farmers "can fetch water for free to irrigate the land. The small paths in the middle of the plot crisscross, and occasionally" vegetable farmers "push small rotary tillers past. On March 12th, many citizens were working in the fields of Zhanglingqiu in Licheng District, Jinan City. (Image provided by the Integrated Media Center in Licheng District, Jinan City) Renting land here, "vegetable farmers" can choose from three "ways": self renting and self planting, only collecting rent, 1299 yuan per year; Self provided fertilizer and semi managed vegetable garden responsible for watering, weeding, and fertilizing, priced at 1599 yuan per year; Full custody of self provided fertilizers, sitting and waiting for harvesting, 1899 yuan per year. Han Kunjie said that the vegetable garden has been reserved since November 2025 and has been fully leased. "There is not a single piece of land left now. Li Lubing, a Jinan citizen born in the 1990s, is one of the early "vegetable farmers" to reserve land. Nearly ten types of vegetable seedlings and seeds, such as tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, etc., have been planted in the vegetable field. He is following his mother's guidance, carefully watering the seedlings by pinching the outlet of the water pipe. The reporter's interview found that "shared vegetable gardens" are not a new thing. In the southern part of Jinan, Chuhe Farm has entered its seventh year of operation, expanding its land area from 5 acres to 65 acres and attracting more than 300 family members. Not only in Jinan, but in recent years, operation models similar to "shared vegetable gardens" have blossomed in many places, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu in Sichuan, and Jishou in Hunan. Liu Yi, the person in charge of the "Songzhuang Collective Farm" in Beijing, told reporters that although it is not yet the most suitable season for cultivation, half of the first batch of 30 plots of land delivered by the farm have been rented out. The 'Cloud Farm' in Hangzhou, Zhejiang began operating in 2015. Due to the limited land area, in addition to recruiting "urban farmers", an online organic food store has also been opened here, and services such as planting education are provided. There are a large number of new agricultural management entities such as family farms in our country, and their courage to explore and try is the foundation for the rise of 'shared vegetable gardens'. ”Cui Bingqun, Vice Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Shandong Agricultural University, said. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in recent years, China has vigorously cultivated new types of agricultural management entities, and by the end of the 14th Five Year Plan, nearly 4 million family farms have been cultivated. Why do you love being an "urban vegetable farmer"? On March 12th, vegetable seedlings were growing in the "Shared Vegetable Garden" and "Zhanglingqiu Countryside" in Licheng District, Jinan City. Xinhua News Agency reporter Ye Jing spent one or two thousand yuan renting land, and the vegetables grown may not be as valuable as the rent. What's the picture for? Han Kunjie told reporters that about 70% of the "vegetable farmers" who rent land are families with children. The common wish of most parents is to let their children experience agricultural work. The "Compulsory Education Labor Curriculum Standards (2022 Edition)" issued by the Ministry of Education requires students to master basic labor skills such as vegetable planting and animal husbandry. Respondents believe that many children in cities lack exposure to farmland and experience farming scenes, and "shared vegetable gardens" can solve this problem perfectly. When my child was in elementary school and learned about growing vegetables and crops, he always came to ask me. I haven't planted it before, so I can't answer. ”Li Jiarun, a resident of Jinan, said that with this vegetable garden right at his doorstep, he can take his children to experience farming activities; For adults, growing vegetables and drinking tea are also a desirable lifestyle. Li Jiarun and two neighbors shared two adjacent plots of land, and the three families discussed how to open up the land and plant climbing vines and flower seedlings next to the fence, creating a natural small barrier for gatherings, camping, and walking children here. The person in charge of "Cloud Farm" told reporters that her original intention for founding the farm was to "do it yourself, eat healthy food, raise children in nature, and live a rural life". People feel more at ease eating the dishes they grow. Renting a garden to grow vegetables is, in a sense, an upgraded version of the camping craze. ”Liu Yi said. Cui Bingqun believes that for "vegetable farmers" who spend money to rent land, what they harvest is not only agricultural products, but also a composite value that integrates health, experience, emotion, and education. It can be said that vegetables are just 'byproducts' of these values.' 'What you spend money on is a one-year experience.'. ”Li Lubing joked, "Perhaps this is the 'vegetable growing gene' inherent in Chinese people's bodies." Cao Xiushuai, the head of Chuhe Farm, believes that urban residents have a strong demand for rural life experiences and healthy agricultural products. After the farm opened, it quickly attracted a large number of families, indicating that this market space is vast. After making "niche experiences" a beautiful experience and "shared vegetable gardens" widely popular on the internet, can traffic become "retention"? The reporter found that "not able to last for three years" was the common fate of many "shared vegetable gardens" before. From rise, silence, to return, some 'shared vegetable gardens' have also experienced fluctuations. Compliance with land use regulations is one of the key factors for sustainable operation. Taking "The Countryside of Zhanglingqiu" as an example, Wang Xin, the person in charge of the Rural Property Rights Trading Center in Licheng District, introduced that the land where the vegetable garden is located was originally the collective land of Zhanglingqiu Second Village. After organizing the transaction according to procedures, the "shared vegetable garden" with complete procedures and market-oriented operation in front of us came into being. Gao Yang, senior partner of Shandong Guoyao Qindao (Jinan) Law Firm, believes that the development of "shared vegetable gardens" must uphold the bottom line of farmland protection. The reporter learned from the interview that in addition to fixed costs such as rent and labor, the high rent replacement rate is also the "last straw" that crushes many "shared vegetable gardens". Ordinary people rent land for two or three years, and the fresh energy fades away. Taking Chuhe Farm as an example, we have an annual rental turnover rate of 20% to 30%, "said Cao Xiushuai. Industry experts believe that as the industry continues to develop and competition intensifies, the management of "shared vegetable gardens" will also tend towards refinement and diversification. The reporter noticed that some "shared vegetable gardens" have created "health and wellness courtyards" to better meet the desire of high-end customers in the urban area to have a "second home" and leisure and wellness in the suburbs; By supporting the development of labor study tours, parent-child trips, agricultural practices, ecological breeding, etc., we aim to meet the diverse consumption needs of families for weekend leisure and children's natural education. On March 15th, students participated in a study tour at Chuhe Farm in Jinan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Yuanyuan: "People's demand for green agricultural products is constantly increasing, and urban residents have a fast-paced lifestyle and emotional need to be close to nature and release stress. ”Cui Bingqun believes that under the joint action of policy norms and market drivers, "shared vegetable gardens" are expected to transform from a "niche experience" to a way of life for urban residents, serving as a link between urban and rural areas and truly integrating into the urban-rural integrated development system. (New Society)