Chapter 491: The Greenhouse Cultivation Is Too Amazing
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After Madam Zhao’s chili sauce obtained good reviews in the market, she immediately went to apply for a private workshop.
As soon as the workshop was built, Zhao Lanzhi helped her negotiate business everywhere.
It was not even enough for Madam Zhao to sell 200 bottles of chili sauce a day.
As soon as there were more orders, there was a problem.
The price of chili in winter rose crazily. The chili that Madam Zhao and Father Zhao had bought in large quant.i.ties before autumn was completely insufficient for the workshop to process into sauce.
The production of hundreds of bottles a day gradually decreased to 100 bottles, 50 bottles, 20 bottles, and finally not even a bottle could be produced.
Before Madam Zhao could expand her business, she stopped because of the lack of raw materials.
It was not only their small workshop that could not buy chili, even the food factory did not have enough chili. Many products that required chili as the raw material had to be stopped. They could only continue production after the chili was harvested next year.
For people who liked to eat spicy food, not having chili was simply a suffering.
Especially when it came to eating dumplings, what was the point without chili oil?
Tian Qi’s family had planted 10 acres of chili. He dried them and planned to sell them to the restaurant later because their purchase price was more expensive than the factory.
Who would have thought that after half a month, the price of the chili had soared. When Tian Qi’s wife was in a hurry to sell the chili, Tian Qi saw the opportunity and patiently waited for another half a month to bring the chili to the market to sell.
Unexpectedly, the chili was sold at a price more expensive than beef.
The food shops of rich families that could not do without chili as ingredients were all fighting to buy his “precious” chili.
Tian Qi had made a killing. He could not stop smiling even in his dreams at night.
Apart from chili, fresh fruits and vegetables became rare in winter.
Even the price of green onions and ginger rose exponentially.
Families with ground heating planted green onions, lettuce, and so on at home.
Apart from eating themselves, they could also occasionally go to the market to sell for some silver.
The canned fruits became a top-notch luxury delicacy in winter.
Bai Wutong looked at the quarterly price report submitted by Sheng Huaixuan. “The demand for vegetables and fruits is very high. The price is so high. We have to recalculate the total number of acres to be planted next year.”
Sheng Huaixuan nodded. “Based on this year’s needs, I’ve summarized the estimated number of acres of food crops to be planted next year.”
Bai Wutong flipped it open and exclaimed, “It’s a very detailed summary. However, if the greenhouse vegetables are promoted to the public, I reckon we might have to make adjustments.”
Sheng Huaixuan was surprised. “Greenhouse vegetables? Do you mean planting them indoors?”
Stinky had obtained a few strawberry seedlings from Bai Wutong and guarded the house every day.
If indoor gardening was promoted to the commoners, the cost of the ground heating infrastructure alone would be immeasurable. There was no need to do this to achieve economic income.
Bai Wutong smiled and said, “It’s indoor gardening, but not the kind you think.”
Sheng Huaixuan couldn’t imagine how it would be done. Bai Wutong smiled and said, “Come with us to take a look. You’ll know after taking a look.” No matter how many explanations they could say, it was best to view it himself.
Sheng Huaixuan followed Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao into Village Chief Zhao’s experimental planting area. When Village Chief Zhao saw them coming, he said excitedly, “Great Empress, I was just about to report to you. You can harvest the persimmons planted in the greenhouse.”
The last time Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao came, it was still green. When they walked into the shed that was covered by straw, it was actually filled with a joyous red color.
The plump persimmons looked extremely tempting.
Sheng Huaixuan was extremely surprised to see the vegetables and fruits that could only be seen in the summer.
He sized up the greenhouse in disbelief, really not understanding how they were grown.
Bai Wutong squatted down and picked two small persimmons. She rubbed them and placed them beside Chu Tianbao’s mouth. “Is it sweet?”
This was the seed she had brought from the modern world.
Previously, she had planted them in Youjia village and had only obtained such a large shed of persimmons after a year of cultivation in the southern frontier.
Many people had never seen such fruits.
Chu Tianbao chewed and swallowed. “It’s sweet, juicy, and refreshing.”
Bai Wutong put one in her mouth and commented, “It’s just the right amount of sweetness and sourness. It can be made into a pot of beautiful ketchup with French fries. It will be extremely delicious.”
Village Chief Zhao smiled and said, “The persimmons planted in the greenhouse are indeed sweet.”
Sheng Huaixuan ate three in a row before asking, “How long will it take to harvest this greenhouse?”
Village Chief Zhao said, “The growth period of persimmons is short. They can be harvested in four months. In total, we can plant three batches of persimmons a year in a greenhouse.”
“In the future, we can eat persimmons whenever we want.”
Sheng Huaixuan was shocked. “If we can plant three batches a year, can we also plant three batches of other fruits and vegetables a year? Doesn’t this greenhouse need to be rebuilt and replaced?”
Village Chief Zhao explained patiently, “The temperature in the greenhouse can be adjusted at any time. Each vegetable has a different growth cycle, so the number of times it can be planted will be different. However, ordinary vegetables can basically be guaranteed to grow at least two batches a year.”
“As long as the greenhouse is secure and the structure doesn’t shatter or collapse, it can be reused.”
Knowing that Sheng Huaixuan would definitely ask about the cost, Village Chief Zhao chuckled again. “The materials and the technology to build the greenhouse were all taught to me by the Great Empress. I’m not too sure either.”
Sheng Huaixuan was not in a hurry to calculate the cost. He still wanted to see what other vegetables and fruits the greenhouse could grow.
Village Chief Zhao led them to another greenhouse.
What greeted his eyes were all green strawberries.
Bai Wutong said, “Stinky likes to eat strawberries. He must be very happy to see so many strawberries.”
Chu Tianbao said, “We can bring him here to pick as many as he wants.”
They visited several more large sheds one after another. They planted melons, eggplants, cuc.u.mbers, peas, leeks, onions, and other crops.
The crops in every greenhouse were growing extremely well.
Sheng Huaixuan exclaimed, “If the greenhouse technology can be promoted, the prices of vegetables and fruits in Carefree City will be stabilized all year round.” At the end, he still asked about the cost of the greenhouse.
Bai Wutong replied, “Because it’s near the sea, the structure of the greenhouse can only be stabilized with reinforced concrete. If it’s not built by the sea, the cost will be relatively low. The main cost will be the greenhouse frame and the shed membrane. The maintenance of temperature and structure, plus the investment of an acre of land will add up to about five taels of silver.”
Sheng Huaixuan asked, “How long can it last with five taels of silver?”
Bai Wutong smiled and said, “As long as the shed is not damaged, it can be used forever.”
If one acre of strawberries could yield 3,000 catties, they could earn dozens of taels. If there were two batches a year, they could earn more than 100 taels.
The investment cost was nothing compared to the earnings.
Sheng Huaixuan said excitedly, “The greenhouse cultivation is really amazing..”