Who Says No One Will Farm? Here Are 25 Young People Taking to the Fields
In early 2024, Foodthink opened recruitment for the third “Eco-Agriculture Internship Programme”. Thank you for your interest and enthusiastic applications. This year, we received a total of 62 applications for the farm internship. Following detailed discussions between Foodthink, 12 farm mentors, and partner organisations, we have decided to invite 25 participants to officially join us as interns.
May they reap not just food from the land, but also experience, skills, and friendship.
I. Tianyuanbang Rural Learning Centre
Huizhou, Guangdong
Spanning 30 mu at its original site and 12 mu at its new location, the farm cultivates a diverse mix of crops and livestock to support its organic farming and traditional craft education programmes. The fields grow a variety of grains, vegetables, herbs, and fruit, while the barns and ponds house chickens, ducks, geese, cattle, sheep, horses, and fish. Across the year, Tianyuanbang runs over a hundred activities—ranging from spring and autumn outings to short-break family camps, winter and summer schools, and study tours in farming and rural crafts—each season bringing a fresh set of experiences.
Eco-farm Mentor
Hu Weihe
After leaving university without completing his degree in 2004, he joined the founding team of Chengdu Waldorf School, serving as a gardening teacher and also instructing woodwork and clay modelling for five years. In 2009, he spent two years at Emerson College in the UK studying biodynamic organic farming in depth, during which he visited numerous Waldorf schools, biodynamic farms, and communities across Europe. Returning to his hometown in 2015, he established Tianyuanbang to explore and develop a modern form of farming-and-study education.
Farm Intern
Landa
Born in the 1990s, spiritually Scandinavian, and formerly a design consultant in Shanghai, they are now exploring a sustainable way of living that focuses on meaningful labour rather than conventional employment.
Healed by nature during a difficult period, Landa developed an interest in nature education and permaculture. Through this internship programme, they hope to begin a grounded rural life, learning from both the farm community and the natural world itself. The aim is to first let nature “educate” their body, mind, and spirit, before stepping into the role of an educator themselves.
II. Pengcheng Natural Farm
Conghua, Guangzhou
Established in 2014, the farm spans roughly 50 mu and primarily cultivates sweet potatoes, lychees, and guavas. Its founders practise natural farming methods in the hope of returning to a healthy, peaceful life, while also offering others the chance to discover and experience a more wholesome, environmentally friendly, and sustainable way of growing food.
Eco-farm Mentor
Wang Pengcheng
Born in the 1980s and formerly a state-owned enterprise employee, Wang turned his life around a decade ago, driven by growing concerns over food safety and environmental issues. He now dedicates himself to practising, exploring, and promoting natural farming methods.
Farm Intern | Xiao Jingyu
Born in the 1990s with a passion for truth, kindness, and beauty, Xiao Jingyu brings over six years of experience in the non-profit sector and began exploring sustainable living in 2022.
With a deep love for the natural world and a yearning for an authentic, healthy, and unhurried rural life, they hope to stay true to their original intentions in this fast-paced era. By putting down roots in the soil, they aim to clarify their physical well-being and strengthen their inner resilience.
They look forward to witnessing the real-world conditions and greater potential of ecological agriculture, learning cultivation techniques that are healthier and more harmonious for both nature and humanity, and connecting with like-minded companions to embark on this journey of discovery together.
III. Guixinyuan Farm
Huizhou, Guangdong
Guixinyuan Farm is a permaculture design practice site. Spanning over 110 mu, half of the land is forested hills, with 30 mu dedicated to ponds, 10 mu to orchards, and 10 mu to vegetable and grain plots. The farm practises diverse planting, growing everyday seasonal vegetables, fruit, and staple crops alongside fish and poultry.
Eco-farm Mentor
Zhang Suqiang
Zhang has been engaged in urban agriculture for 14 years, balancing city life with farm work. His projects have included running a small urban permaculture farm, delivering food and farming education in schools, community food-waste composting initiatives, and broader ecological conservation efforts.
Farm Intern | Ze Jun
At 25, Ze Jun holds a bachelor’s degree in Chinese and Sociology and previously spent a year working for a food sustainability advocacy organisation.
It has only been three days at Guixinyuan Farm, yet it already feels like home. Waking to birdsong, opening the door to sunlight and a gentle breeze, and falling asleep to the croaking of frogs and chirping of insects—there is no greater joy. Working alongside the farm community, the day passes in a flash. Ze Jun came to the farm while standing at a crossroads: should they continue with food research, or step into the role of a farmer? Since arriving, it has become clear that the two paths are not mutually exclusive. With so much yet to learn about food and agriculture, the path forward is simply to keep learning and working the land.
Farm Intern
Cheng Hao
Born in the 1990s, they have worked in government departments on digitalisation since graduating.
Concerns over food safety drew them to organic ecological agriculture in 2019, kindling a long-held desire to devote their efforts to it. They hope that while practising sustainable farming, they can open themselves to nature, cultivate a freer sense of self, and meet like-minded companions to journey forward together.
IV. Yinlin Ecological Farm
Conghua, Guangzhou
Ecological Farm Mentor
Guo Rui
Guo Rui graduated with a degree in Biotechnology from South China Agricultural University in 2005. He returned to his hometown in 2009 to start his own venture, and in 2013 began practising ecological farming. Along the way, he has completed training in natural farming, biodynamic agriculture, and soil improvement, while continuously studying and refining ecological growing techniques. His vision is for the farm to provide his family with a comfortable life, give his children a joyful environment in which to grow up, and supply consumers with safe, nutritious, and wholesome food.
Farm Apprentice
San Qi
Educator and self-explorer.
A rich life is a journey, not a fixed state of being; a direction, not a destination. Coming here is about opening up new possibilities for life. This does not mean the past was unworthy—only that I am drawn to a life with broader horizons. My hope is to master ecological farming techniques, eventually establish my own farm, and put sustainable living into practice.
An Tian
A vegetable grower who loves nature and building.
Childhood experiences in the countryside—climbing trees, catching fish, picking fruit, and helping with various farm chores—provided ample nourishment for the adult I am today. After ten years working in the city, I chose to return to my hometown, planning to create a small farm suited to our lifestyle with my partner. Before starting, I hope to lay a foundation for future farm life through a six-month internship.
V. Letian Bay Farm
Fengxian, Shanghai
The farm promotes a pastoral lifestyle that balances city and country living (‘50% urban, 20% rural’). Its primary focus is renting plots to urban residents, alongside offering workshops in farming education, nature immersion, and craft arts. Members grow around 60 varieties of seasonal vegetables on their plots throughout the year. Cultivation follows traditional methods: no chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers are used; instead, farming relies on organic compost and biological pest control.
Ecological Farm Mentor
Yuan Qinghua
Holding a master’s degree from Renmin University of China, she has been involved in rural reconstruction projects alongside Professor Wen Tiejun since 2003. She has served as General Manager of the Little Donkey Citizens’ Farm, Harvest Design, and Chuangzhi Smart Farm, and is currently the General Manager of Letian Bay Farm. In 2008, she studied natural farming under Cho Han-gui from South Korea. She earned a Permaculture Design Certificate in Hong Kong in 2010, a nature education certification from Cornell University in 2019, and spent 2009–2010 studying organic cultivation systematically in Thailand under the ‘Rice God’ programme.
Aged 27, with a master’s degree in organic agriculture. Successfully became a “theoretical giant and practical dwarf”, and an urban chicken keeper.
I grow cherry tomatoes that look like regular ones, and pumpkins that turn into gourds—I’m too embarrassed to tell people I studied agriculture.
After resigning without a backup plan, I travelled extensively and reflected on ways to navigate the crises facing young people today. Taking advantage of this rare period of freedom, I’m interning at the farm to answer my own questions about ecological agriculture and rural revitalisation through hands-on practice. I intend to keep pursuing my utopian ideals while also confronting the practical challenges of reality.
Intern Partner | Xiao Ling
A master’s graduate in design with five and a half years’ experience in landscape design, now exploring new directions for my personal and professional development.
My interest in agriculture stems from childhood experiences. Farming activities across the four seasons weave through my earliest memories, and every distinctive local food holds memories of home’s seasons and landscapes. My understanding of ecological farming began with academic research during university, where topics exploring urban–rural connections and farm-to-table systems built a foundational awareness. Now, I am delighted to take part in the day-to-day workings of a farm and learn exactly how it all comes together.
Intern Partner
Chi Chen
Aged 33, PhD in Economics, Christian, researcher in social innovation within food systems, and baking enthusiast.
Motivation and expectations for the internship: 1) To understand sustainable farm operations and management. 2) To learn and practise growing crops. I hope to leave the programme able to operate and repair various pieces of farm machinery.
Intern Partner
Tong Qi
Born in 1995, working as a quality inspector at a pharmaceutical plant.
After nearly seven years in the workforce, I’ve found my physical and mental health taking a toll. My aim is to discover a more natural, healthy, and sustainable way of living and working: to eat wholesome food, do meaningful work, and lead a balanced life.
VI. Zhiliangtian Eco-Farm
Alxa, Inner Mongolia
Eco-Farm Mentor
Ma Yanwei
Founder of the Zhiliangtian Eco-Farm in Alxa and Zhixing Educational Programme, and holds a Master’s degree in Ecology from Beijing Normal University. He joined the Alxa SEE Ecology Association in 2005. After leaving the organisation, he settled in Alxa and established the Zhiliangtian Eco-Farm.
Intern Partner | Guzi
Over 30, constantly on the move, yet still navigating a sense of uncertainty about myself and the world.
Since graduating, I have worked in fields related to nature, ecology, rural communities, and education. After moving between these various circles, I realised that distancing myself from nature was taking a toll on my health, leaving me prone to frequent illness. To safeguard my wellbeing and steady my nerves against the anxiety sparked by rapid environmental shifts, I yearn to spend more time with the land and find my centre. I also hope that, after deepening my understanding of ecological farming, I will be able to contribute more to healthier soil, a healthier environment, and healthier food in the years to come.
Intern Partner
Zeng Yunchuan
A young woman born in the 1990s, with previous experience working in corporate, government, and NGO sectors.
I used to be a ‘floating’ idealist. After years of grassroots work and self-reflection, I have finally managed to ground both my body and mind. Now in my thirties, I am following my inner calling to reconnect with the land and nature. Meeting Zhiliangtian feels like the perfect new beginning. So, I will start here and embark on this new path.
I N T E R N | A Chao
Born in 1995, dropped out of a postgraduate agronomy programme.
Having studied modern agriculture at university and grown up in a rural village, I noticed significant differences between my own experiences and the principles of ecological farming. I wanted to understand the practical distinctions between ecological and conventional agriculture, and to find work that could support my family while allowing me to nurture my well-being and reconnect with nature and the land. This was my original motivation and hope for joining the farm internship.
VII. Yuefeng Island Organic Farm
Kunshan, Jiangsu
E C O L O G I C A L F A R M M E N T O R
Tang Yaozhong
As the head of production and technology at Yuefeng Island Organic Farm and a local expert in organic rice cultivation, he oversees the entire estate’s production and daily operations. He leads the team in adhering strictly to organic production standards while actively exploring sustainable ecological farming. He also collaborates with research institutes inside and outside the province to collect and conserve germplasm resources of local specialty varieties, selecting those best suited for cultivation and promotion, such as Suyu glutinous rice, Yaxue glutinous rice, and local taro. On-site, he designs edible landscapes that blend education with recreation, working with local schools and families to co-develop food and agriculture education programmes.
I N T E R N | Juzi
Amateur cook with a fondness for wild vegetables. I started learning about agriculture out of an interest in food, only to realise that without getting my hands dirty in farming, I’d only ever have a superficial understanding.
A few days ago, while visiting Xiqing Farm, Wang Xin, who has been growing strawberries for a decade, casually remarked, “Plants have a way of speaking.” It struck me, offering another glimpse into how ecological farming differs from conventional methods. The journey from farm to table may take only a moment at the dinner plate, but it represents a full season—or more—at the farm. I want to find out: what happens on a farm when it operates with a critical reflection on conventional agriculture and productivist paradigms?
I N T E R N | Dan Yun
27 years old, born and raised in the countryside.
Hard work earned me a ticket to work in a city office tower. Over the past three years in Beijing, I’ve walked daily on concrete floors surrounded by steel and glass, riding a subway that’s as bright as day at all hours. After a while, this life breeds a sense of rootlessness—a panic of never quite touching the ground. I love the earth; contact with it grounds me. I hope to use this internship to return to and truly understand the land, earning its rewards through my own effort along the way.
VIII. Lüwo Farm
Xianyang, Shaanxi
E C O L O G I C A L F A R M M E N T O R
Da Hei
After founding Lüwo Farm in 2014, he studied and practised dynamic farming methods, established a local dynamic farming association, and teaches as an instructor. He has also retrofitted numerous pieces of agricultural machinery designed to preserve soil structure and suit local conditions.
I N T E R N | Chang Hongliang
Born in the late 1990s. After graduating, I worked on a hydropower station project overseas as part of the Belt and Road Initiative. I’ve since left that job to return home as a young person heading back to the countryside, where I’m now exploring and learning the knowledge and skills of ecological agriculture. My journey begins with making a living, but it will not end there. I aim to discover and realise my own worth, putting down true roots in rural life.
It has been nearly three months since I resigned and returned home. These past few months have been a mix of joy and worry. The joy comes from watching winter give way to spring and all things revive; various experiences close to nature have allowed me, long absent from the countryside, to feel the pulse of life once more. The worry lies in starting ecological agriculture from scratch with no prior experience, the challenges of making a living, and the differing values of family and friends around me. It has been difficult to forge meaningful connections with the land and the people here, making it hard to truly put down roots. Now, I am preparing to head to Lvwo Farm. I look forward to systematically learning living farming techniques, acquiring skills in farm production, processing, and operations, and learning to become a grounded, new-generation farmer, gradually taking root in the countryside. I also anticipate meeting the mentors and fellow interns, to learn and explore together.
INTERN PARTNER
Ci Nao
Cityboy Action-oriented. Victim of consumerism.
After shifting from a fear of insects to genuinely enjoying them, I have begun to reconsider the relationship between humans and nature. Realising that my previous job left me with far more physical and mental energy than I knew what to do with, I want to start from scratch. I hope to reacquaint myself with labour, production, and social relations, to personally experience the disparities and inequalities within them, and to broaden the horizons of my life’s experiences by taking the long way round.
INTERN PARTNER | Cheng Jin
Born in the 1990s and raised in the countryside of Chongqing. Formerly a PR specialist for a real estate company and an employee at a Web3 studio.
After resigning at the end of 2023, I moved to Dali for the long term and began farming a vacant plot within my landlord’s walnut grove on my own. Driven by a desire to learn scientific farming methods, I was fortunate to meet several individuals passionate about ecological agriculture at Chaimiduo Living Farm. There, I encountered agricultural concepts such as “no-till” and “soil cover” for the first time. Since then, I have been exploring ecological agriculture through documentaries and books, and have volunteered multiple times at Chaimiduo Farm to help build food forests.
Healthy soil is the foundation of agriculture. I look forward to learning at Lvwo Farm how to dynamically restore and strengthen soil, and how to cultivate crops scientifically. I hope that by learning agriculture, I can improve my ability to sustain myself, and by reconnecting with the soil, nourish myself anew.
INTERN PARTNER | Ya
Born in 1992. Previously worked in media and finance. Want to get closer to the land.
I am deeply grateful to Foodthink and Lvwo Farm for giving me the opportunity to engage with agriculture. Having grown up in the city, I have very little agricultural knowledge. I am eager, and firmly believe, that through this internship programme I will gain a vivid, three-dimensional understanding of ecological agriculture. I intend to learn through hands-on labour, letting my body remember what terms like soil health, living farming, machinery design, spray irrigation systems, seed breeding, product processing, sustainability, ecology, and environmental protection truly mean. I will draw closer to the land and cherish it, and I hope that the blessings the land has given me can be shared with many others.
IX. Liangliang Family Farm
Chengdu, Sichuan
Ecological Farm Mentor
Tang Liang
Born in the late 1980s and founder of Liangliang Farm, Tang Liang graduated with a degree in Biological Sciences from Southwest University in 2008. He initially worked for a technology company in Chongqing before completing a two-year placement at the Little Donkey and Sharing Harvest ecological farms between 2011 and 2013. In 2013, he returned to his hometown to establish Liangliang Family Farm (also known as Tangjia Liangliang Farm). He is dedicated to regenerative agriculture, bringing rural families together and exploring countryside lifestyles that honour the essence of life. After becoming a father in 2020, he now hopes to use his own hands to create a vibrant, life-affirming environment for his child to grow up in, while continuing to explore the development of local ecological communities and future living villages.
Farm Placement Participant | Shi Liang
A member of the post-80s generation with a deep love for rural life, firmly convinced that the path of ecological agriculture is bright and promising.
A decade ago, I was deeply drawn to the organic farming lifestyle depicted in the book *I Have a Farm*. The past year has been a significant turning point as I approach thirty-five. While delivering meals, I witnessed the reality inside a cancer hospital, which prompted me to reconsider health and wellbeing. Subsequently losing my job at a property management company left me disillusioned with traditional employment. After much reflection, I realised that ecological agriculture offers the only path to securing wholesome food, maintaining personal dignity, and fostering a balanced family life. It also presents an opportunity to give back to the community through clean, unadulterated ingredients.
Five days after arriving at Liangliang Farm, I have already begun to experience the deeply enviable rhythm of the Tang family’s life. They rise and rest with the sun, elders engage in light, healthful work, children play freely in nature and visit local temple fairs, and farming follows the old adage: ‘no ploughing in the rain, no toiling at midday’. It is a profoundly harmonious household. I suspect there is more to learn here than just techniques for soil regeneration; I also need to cultivate greater personal awareness and nurture a healthier family environment. This aligns perfectly with the farm’s broader ecological vision. Beyond providing wholesome food, we should strive to attract city dwellers to co-create a truly ecological world village, united by harmonious families and a restored natural environment.
X. Xiqing Family Farm
Beijing
Ecological Farm Mentor
Wang Xin
Born in the late 1980s, Wang Xin graduated from Beijing University of Agriculture with a degree in Landscape Plants. He began researching ecological agriculture in 2011, driven by the belief that good soil is the foundation for healthy, organic living.
Farm Placement Participant | Ba Jin
A member of the post-80s generation, I have worked in corporate enterprises, non-profit organisations, startup collectives and schools, often feeling like someone whose path has constantly shifted. I have now arrived at Xiqing Farm to begin learning the craft of cultivation~
I have spent years searching for the life I truly want, moving from the city to the countryside and eventually back to my hometown. I have found that the city’s pull has faded, but where, then, is my own plot of paradise?
When I came across Foodthink’s recruitment call, a wave of excitement washed over me, perfectly aligning with a long-held dream of tending a plot of land. Rather than letting the imagination run away, I want to step back and truly experience farm life, to see if I can actually do it—and love it. I hope to grow from a complete novice into someone who can grasp the basic skills of farming. My immediate goal is to independently grow vegetables and tend my own field; further down the line, I hope to make agriculture an integral part of my life, finding a viable path for myself and my parents to grow old in peace.
Here’s hoping I’ll truly earn my place among the farming community!
XI. Yirun Planting Farm: The Happiness Fruit and Herb Garden
Ecological Farm Mentor
Xie Yanping
Fellow farmers fondly call me Sister Yan Ping. After finishing secondary school, I left home to work in Guangdong, spending two decades away before eventually returning to the land. My hope now is to make a life on the farm, tending to it day by day to keep fit and provide for my family. What follows is my personal understanding of ecology, and the principles that guide my work: I see every patch of soil as a thriving habitat for microorganisms. If we treat it with care, the land can become a haven for all living things, where species nourish and balance one another, coexisting and flourishing. As the old saying goes, you reap what you sow. Only when a food forest is a shared resource for all creatures can ecology operate as naturally and effortlessly as the turning of the seasons or the rhythm of day and night.
Internship Partner | Chen Yujun
A 24-year-old mathematics graduate. After a gap year, he had planned to teach, but a health issue that makes prolonged speaking difficult led him to change course. He has a passion for exploration, a love of learning, and a commitment to hands-on practice.
Internship Partner
Yinan
30 years old. Biology researcher. An urban dweller keen to learn how to live in harmony with the land.
I am eager to learn how to work with the soil and put down roots in the earth. Alongside this, my academic background has sparked a strong interest in the scientific side of ecological agriculture.
XII. Little Willow Farm
Shunyi, Beijing
Ecological Farming Mentor
Liu Gang
Born in the 1960s. In 2013, he leased land in Shunyi, Beijing, to establish “Little Willow Farm”. He is dedicated to following natural processes and creating a natural, harmonious growing environment for plants.
Internship Partner | Zhixing
Born in the 1980s. With a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, a Master’s in Plant Ecology, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering, I have previously worked at universities and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. My research has focused on ecological water treatment technologies, managing powdery mildew in melons, and addressing soil fatigue from continuous cropping. I am now dedicated to integrating sustainable agricultural research with practical industry applications.
I hope to observe and learn through hands-on farming on organic plots, build practical experience in agricultural production, and test and expand upon the agricultural knowledge and theories I have already acquired.
XIII. Farmer Seed Network
Stone City, Lijiang, Yunnan, and the Naxi–Mosuo Three-Village Network: Situated along the dry-hot valley of the Jinsha River in Lijiang, Yunnan, the Naxi and Mosuo villages of Shitoucheng, Labe and Youmi have formed a close-knit network of mutual support and exchange, supported by organisations such as the Farmers Seed Network. In addition to maintaining their own community seed banks, the villages regularly host events to share and trade seeds and local cultural traditions. This ecological and cultural diversity has nurtured a rich farming and culinary heritage, with the three villages now home to several recognised inheritors of agricultural intangible cultural heritage.
Mentor
Mu Wenchuan
A member of the Naxi community, Mu Wenchuan currently serves as Deputy Secretary of the General Party Branch in Baoshan Village, leads the Shitoucheng Participatory Action Group, and founded the Three-Village Network. His family has lived in Baoshan Stone City village for generations, giving him an intimate knowledge of its environment, culture and history. He has mentored numerous young researchers and students visiting Stone City, and successfully championed Lijiang City’s intangible cultural heritage initiative on traditional walnut oil extraction.
Intern | Ziqi
An art practitioner with a focus on seeds, domestication, care ethics and ecofeminism.
I only truly began to care about species, seeds, soil and the wider web of ecological relationships when I started growing tomatoes on my balcony at home in 2022. Last year, I set up a small urban allotment with friends, where we learn from and work alongside the land and the crops. I originally hoped to join a farm through Foodthink’s internship scheme to gain hands-on experience in preserving heirloom varieties, but fate intervened when I discovered the Farmers Seed Network was also seeking interns. By happy coincidence, I will soon be heading to the network’s project site in Shitoucheng, Lijiang. Though I am already thrilled for the journey ahead, I keep telling myself to leave preconceptions behind and simply begin with the day-to-day work.
See you in the fields in 2024!
Co-ordination: Mei Ying
Photography: Interns, Intern Farm, Foodthink