Flanking a stretch two-lane asphalt road, perch acres of farmlands dotted with rustling poplars which stretch from rural Beijing to bordering Hebei Province.
Each summer, the land takes on an emerald green hue; a reminder of the natural process of Oxygenic Photosynthesis which occurs under the sun's piercing rays.
The scene doubtless appears idyllic to the tourists who make the two-hour trip there to escape the urban sprawl.
However, the landscape is not nearly as romantic when viewed through the eyes of Lang Guangshan, a veteran farmer and native of Mafang Village in the remote Southeastern part of Beijing.
Lang sighed as he pointed to his cucumber patch where the wriggling leaves appeared blemished. "It is the result of chemical use in farming," he said.
"I have spotted more flying spiders these days," he continued. "I suppose there would be [even] more if pesticides weren't used."
He must put such thoughts aside, though, especially as he has recently signed a one-year protocol with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Team which has settled in Mafang Village.
The team is led by Shi Yan, who is an agriculture Ph.D. from Tsinghua University and best known for founding the Little Donkey Farm, an organic farming project which began in Beijing more than four years ago. According to the farm's website, it has attracted some 700 customers so far, generating projected revenue of around 1.61 million yuan (US$252,647) a year, based on the farm's orders, which range from between 1,600 yuan and 3,000 yuan for a single annual order. The webpage also disclosed that the majority of the farm's deliveries go to urban households.
"Farmers have no need to buy produce, as they can grow what they need," Wang Chenghou, a rural cultural campaigner from Zhaoyuan, Shandong Province said.
"Concerning their own intakes, farmers would never spray their plants with pesticides," he smiled wryly.
But that's only a small portion for family use. The majority of the produce transported from farmlands to the urban markets tells a completely different story. As well as the ubiquitous pesticides, some produce is soaked in chemicals such as bleach, formalin and melamine in order to look more presentable to city customers. The initial fury surrounding this has subsided into general apathy, and even humor, as some joked that their immune systems were strong enough to stand up to the chemical barrage.
Lang Guangshan's response, however, was less jocular, and he feels that the deterioration of the health is only a matter of time. Having worked in the farmlands for decades, Lang understands the tastes and needs of his customers. He is also convinced that Most are unaware of the rapidly, yet invisibly accumulating dangers. "How many people can be far-sighted enough to avoid these invisible dangers?" Lang questioned. Farmers need money; therefore, they have to follow the trend
