According to experts’ advices, Li managed this pilot grape field, applying farm manure and replacing pesticides with specially-made liquid medicine to prevent diseases and pests.
Without pesticides and chemical fertilizers, social benefits are achieved, but how about economic feasibility? Villagers are suspicious of Li’s ecological grapes.
Seeing she makes this experiment, some said: “You’re indeed a daughter of Sina Nongbu. Your father loves doing experiments. So do you.” They made these comments. But she doesn’t mind. She imagines that father would do experiments like this to do good to ourselves and others. So Mrs. Li really want to do it.
Since the very start of the experiment, Li has devoted herself to ecological agriclture. In addition to testing planting methods, she uses a DV camera to record the whole process. Despite busyness, she still takes every learning opportunity.
Li told us that through attending classes and self-practice, she has improved her abilities in video-recording.
Li watches TV programs carefully, especially those musical and dance programs on Kangba TV, XZTV and QTV. She minds those full shots and medium shots. Li has learnt a lot from TV programs. If she has spare time, she can use a tripod to make a satisfying video. But if she’s too busy or she has to improvise, She can’t perform well. Later, Li found that she could places her camera on stones. Through practice, Li has made improvements in video-recording.
From November 2011 to December 2012, Li Weihong spent one year to prove the economic feasibility of her ecological grapes.
As ecological grapes turn to good wine, the videos shot by Li during the past year will be edited into a documentary.
Li’ s brother told Li had so many domestic chores. In addition, she has to work on her experimental field. With so many things to do, she is unable to concentrate on study. She finds no time to timely practice what she learns. So, several days later, she totally forgets.
Later, with the help of technicians of “Eyes of Villages,” Li managed to complete the post-production of her film. This film, running more than 70 minutes, is named Grapes.
Her film is about her experimental agriculture in which even pests are not harmed. Li doesn’t kill them with pesticides. She uses homemade solution to repel them. More than that, wine made from her grapes is healthy and safe to drink. She even sell it to others.
Today, Li is playing Grapes at the village. Many villagers have come here to watch it. After seeing it, some feel inspired to cultivate ecological grapes. In this harvest season, what ripen at Gushui Village are not only grapes.
From that day on, villagers have become aware of the significance of Li’s doings. Since then, Li has taken up a new post as a teacher in ecological panting of grapes. Li feels very happy for others’ recognition. What further delights her is that Grapes has been played in Kunming and Beijing, from TV to internet. For that reason, Li was awarded with “Green Motivator” by SEE in 2013.
Li happily said she only expected her work to be viewed by local villagers. She had no ambition that it could be showed at other places like the village committee, let alone those metropolises. She only intended to show it at her village.
Such success has made Li very happy. In fact, Li’s life has not been changed very much for that award. But after that experience, some new ideas came into her mind – to make video archives for her hometown. In her shooting plan, collecting stories from those seniors in the village came as the first of priorities.
What interests Li Weihong the most now is no longer new things but stories told by senior villagers. She tries to contact those seniors to learn about the past and their stories.
Li’s father once wrote a couplet: “Motherland’s beauty is throughout the ages, hometown’s scenery is becoming better.” What she can do today is record current life as a reference for later generations.
