Trading the classroom for the farm: two young teachers explore a life in nature | Food Talk Vol.40

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In this episode of “Food Talk”, host Xiaojing and Foodthink’s Mei Ying interview two young people who have just completed their internships: An Tian and San Qi. Once nature educators and young teachers, they travelled to Yinlin Village in Guangdong to pursue their agricultural dreams—a place that boasts not only an eco-farm but also a small community built around it.

Over the past six months, they worked alongside local elders on the farm, involving themselves in everything from cultivation to event planning, and even taking over the farm’s café. The unique ecosystem and community atmosphere also provided them with the perfect opportunity to continue their explorations into nature education.

More importantly, this experience has given them the confidence to return to the countryside and build a new, independent life. They hope to establish their own farms and create their own living spaces in their hometowns—a dream that is steadily becoming a reality. Although returning to the village comes with many challenges, the choice of young people to return to nature and rural life is always inspiring. Please click the link to listen to their story.

Guests

An Tian

Head of Zaiye Living Farm and a ‘new rural farmer’. Aspiring to create a new way of living with his own hands, he plans to build a rammed-earth house and an eco-toilet on the farm to practice the principles of permaculture.

 

 

 

 

San Qi

An artisan with a passion for nature and life. Following her heart, she loves to reflect, record and explore—both the world around her and her own inner self.

 

 

 

 

Hosts

Mei Ying

A project officer at Foodthink whose happy hometown is in Yunnan.

 

 

 

 

Xiaojing

Host of Food Talk, who is dying to visit Yinlin Farm for one of their seasonal special drinks.

 

 

 

 

Timeline

00:05 An Tian and San Qi: backgrounds in nature education and their career transition

03:05 Why they chose Yinlin Farm, and a small detour during their road trip before the internship

08:00 An overview of Yinlin Farm and their daily routines

09:34 Primary crops and the practical challenges of farming

17:21 A lychee exhibition without lychees, and a misshapen potato exhibition: how to create moments of joy in farm life?

22:12 Collaborating with local farmers and learning agricultural techniques

28:09 Beyond farming: experiences in event planning and explorations in nature education

36:18 Taking over the farm café and developing seasonal speciality drinks

44:22 Should organic farms limit production? A discussion on Yinlin Farm’s business model

56:21 Reflections on village life and insights for future planning

A drone’s-eye view of Yinlin Farm.
Daily field rounds: pollination.
Tending to their own small plot of reclaimed land.
Guo Rui, head of Yinlin Farm, herding geese.
Learning how to plant and manage cucumbers from the head of the planting team in the morning.
Learning to use agricultural machinery.
Preparing for rice transplanting.
Harvesting potatoes was one of the most memorable tasks for San Qi: “If harvesting 10kg of potatoes is a surprise, and 100kg is a pleasure, then digging up 1,000kg in a single day is a nightmare.”
Finding joy amidst the hard work—such as this heart-shaped potato.
By collecting all the oddly shaped potatoes, An Tian and San Qi held a small “Misshapen Potato Exhibition” on the farm.
Eighteen (right), the dog adopted by An Tian and San Qi, living a happy life on the farm.
An Tian, San Qi, and Eighteen.
A group photo of An Tian and San Qi before leaving Yinlin Farm, with the treehouse they built with the children behind them.

Further Reading

Follow An Tian and San Qi’s own farm—Zaiye Living Farm. Check out their first published post: “The Way Home: Two Young Teachers’ Exploration of Rural Life After Resigning”

Ecological Agriculture Internship Programme

Launched by Foodthink in 2021, the Lianhe Programme’s “Ecological Agriculture Internship Programme” aims to support young people interested in ecological farming and established ecological farms. It enables young people to master farming knowledge and techniques through practice, while ensuring the experience of veteran farmers is summarised and passed on. At the same time, it provides farms with high-quality talent and injects vitality into rural communities.

To date, three recruitment cycles have been completed, supporting over 60 participants in internships ranging from three months to a year across more than ten ecological farms nationwide.

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Photos: An Tian, San Qi

Editor: Wang Hao

Podcast Creative Team

Programme Music: Banong

Coordinator: Mei Ying

Producer: Xiao Jing

Podcast Cover: Wan Lin

Contact email: xiaojing@foodthink.cn

 

Published by Foodthink