I have a wildlife zoo-Chapter 579 : The Lush and Vibrant Paddy Fields

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Drinking honey tea, we made our way to the small farm.

Passing by the farmland, we saw a field of rice, green with hints of yellowing, enclosed by a wooden fence.

In the outside stone channel, clear water flowed silently, presenting a beautiful rural pastoral scene.

Yan Ganghui curiously asked, "Oh, do they grow rice in the zoo too?"

Rice is planted in spring and takes four months to mature.

Now, more than two months have passed, and the plants are thriving, having reached the ear-shooting stage.

A vast expanse of rice swayed gently in the breeze, allowing glimpses of slightly immature pale yellow ears hanging among the green leaves.

The grains were plump and brimming with life, a sight that brought joy to the onlooker.

By July, the ears of rice would turn a beautiful golden color, ready to be harvested.

Occasionally, tourists would stop by the roadside, and parents with children would point at the ears of rice and laughingly explain, "The rice we eat every day, this is how it grows!"

Yan Ganghui looked at the display next to him talking about organic farming and rice, and found it quite interesting!

He grew up in the city and only saw vast farmland from the train when he went to school, so this was really the first time he was this close and observed the farmland with such detail.

Now, there were some new installations next to the rice paddies.

Several large compost bins were lined up beneath the trees adjacent to the ridges of the field.

Next to the bins, displays explained the ingredients used for composting, how they fermented, and also introduced the huge Manure Fermentation Tank behind the elephant exhibition area. If interested, visitors could lift the lids of the bins to peer inside and take a sniff.

Beside it, a beautiful little pond had been arranged, its edges built up with large and small rounded stones. Through the clear pond water, one could see the cobblestone bed and the green lotus leaves floating above it.

Next to it was a thicket of green grass and shrubs, with light blue and pink wildflowers, and white butterflies fluttering among them.

Under the warm sun, the glittering water and lush greenery created a scene brimming with nature.

Half bathed in sunshine, half hidden among the bushes.

Having observed regularly, blackbirds and light-vented bulbuls frequented the area, so trees like mulberries, Chinese tallow, and paper mulberries with their broad leaves suitable for nesting were chosen to attract them to settle here. Additionally, fragrant plants were added as a food source for insects, resulting in a rich and dense plant community.

Su Hui excitedly pulled Yan Ganghui's hand and pointed at a tree, "Look, a squirrel!"

Yan Ganghui glanced over and saw a fluffy little squirrel standing on a tree trunk, its lively black eyes scanning the surroundings, its bushy tail swaying gently behind it.

It scampered down the tree nimbly, burrowed into the grass below, and in a moment, disappeared.

The small pond attracted many animals and offered a peaceful and enjoyable walk in this area.

The pond could store rainwater, which could then be used to irrigate the fields when needed, and the local wildlife could also utilize the pond. The dense shrubbery and trees provided excellent shelter.

In the pond, there was a waterladder pump, resembling the tracks of a tank, which could be foot-operated, turning the wheel to lift water up through the blades in the trough and into the field.

The ancient water wheel symbolized the ingenuity of our ancestors and watered the millennia-old agricultural civilization of China.

This was specially sought out and made by an old carpenter from the countryside as per Fang Ye's request.

When tourists visit, if they want to experience what it's like to irrigate the fields, they can use the water wheel to lift water themselves.

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```Nowadays, diesel engines or hydroelectric pumps are used to pump water, and there are fewer and fewer people who can make this kind of waterwheel. Young people scarcely have seen it, but for some of the older generation, it truly is a childhood memory.

An elderly man in a shirt brought his grandson, excitedly stepped onto the wooden axle, and hugged the pole above, starting to step on the pedals.

The waterwheel immediately started to emit a rhythmic and pleasant "clack clack" sound as the wheels turned slowly, accompanied by the sound of gushing water. A stream of clear water cascaded from the blades and flowed into the fields.

After the old man had stepped on it a few times and had his fun, he got off, but the child seemed to enjoy it greatly.

The old man wiped his eyes with his hand, appearing as though he might cry, but then he quickly started smiling.

With a nostalgic look, he sighed, "Ah, you know, when I was a child, I spent my summers accompanied by a waterwheel. But we used a hand-cranked one. Whether with my parents or my siblings, each of us would hold onto a handle of the waterwheel and crank it to transfer water from the pond to the high terraced fields.

It was an all-day job, starting before dawn and going until the sun was high, sweating profusely under the scorching sun, and not stopping until the sunset. That's why we must treasure our grains; they truly don't come easy."

The child stepped down from the waterwheel and nodded, seemingly understanding.

Yan Ganghui couldn't help saying, "This kind of natural education is really great! It broadens horizons and brings one closer to nature, and you can learn a lot. It can truly be said to be edutainment at its finest. When we have kids in the future, we must frequently bring them here for visits."

Su Hui smiled and said, "Sure!"

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They fed the alpacas and played with them for a while, then arrived at the elephant exhibition area!

They saw several gray elephants walking towards the edge of the activity field, with crowds of tourists watching from the other side of the moat. It was a lively scene, and they hurried over to see what was happening.

Arriving, they found that Fang Ye, dressed in a zookeeper's uniform, was in the activity field, which explained the crowd.

It was almost June, and some early-ripening watermelons had already hit the market!

As the number of visitors started to increase, Fang Ye prepared to show the visitors the interesting behavior of elephants eating watermelon, and he even planned to give the elephants a pedicure soon after.

The elephants had been at the zoo for a few months now and had come to understand the meaning of the target stick under the training of the animal keepers.

The elephants approached Fang Ye, seemingly asking, "What do you need us for this time?"

Pingping reached out her trunk, pulled on Fang Ye's hand, and shook it, looking very happy.

Initially, shaking her trunk meant she wanted food, but now she considered him as a friend.

Meiling seemed to have caught a whiff of something delicious and couldn't wait to stick her trunk into the bag, rummaging around.

Fang Ye also patted Pingping's trunk and said with a smile, "Here, I have some watermelon for you to eat!"

He slapped Meiling's trunk and said, "Hey, don't be so anxious."

Meiling didn't seem to care; to her, having fruit to eat was what mattered most.

Fang Ye took out a large watermelon from the bag and handed it to Bobo!

The visitors were curious about how the elephant would eat the watermelon. Would it swallow it whole?

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Barely an effort for Bobo, he easily rolled up the watermelon, which weighed more than a dozen kilos, with his trunk.

He placed the watermelon on the ground, held one half with his trunk, and stepped on the other half. With a "crack," a muffled sound rang out, and the watermelon split open on the spot.

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