In the early morning fields, the thin mist has yet to disperse. Agricultural machinery is busily working across the land, and drones soar through the blue sky, accurately completing their spraying tasks. This futuristic expanse stands as a testament to Zhang Chen and her team's modern revolution in traditional agriculture, all driven by Zhang's years of tireless dedication and exploration.

"I've always had a dream – I hope one day robots can work in the fields, freeing farmers' hands," Zhang Chen reflected with determination as she recalled her "robot dream" while sitting in the cooperative's office. This initially distant aspiration gradually transitioned from fantasy to reality through her efforts.

Leading the Xinhan Planting Professional Cooperative (hereafter referred to as "Xinhan Planting") in Cang County, Cangzhou City, Hebei Province, Zhang has transformed her family's tens of acres of farmland into over 100,000 acres of leased and entrusted land. Through a machinery alliance, deep processing of agricultural products, and brand promotion, she has truly brought the "Fields of Hope" to life, showcasing their abundance and vitality.

Generational Continuity: Passing the Torch as a "New Farmer"

Born in Zhao Village, Zhang Chen could have chosen an easier career path after graduating from Hebei Agricultural University. However, her love for the land compelled her to return to her saline-alkaline hometown. Walking down the fields, the sun-scorched crops and strenuous agricultural labor deeply touched this young girl's heart.

"I've always known how hard my parents worked the land. I helped them as a child, spreading fertilizer and weeding, and experienced the hardships of labor. Working hard all year round while potentially losing money due to poor grain prices made me think that I had to change this traditional method of farming in the future."

"I want to change the situation for my family and fellow villagers who wake up early and toil hard for limited harvests, turning agriculture into a promising and valuable endeavor," Zhang Chen expressed.

"When I first chose agriculture, to be honest, it was quite painful, especially observing how changes in seasons affected income." As she entered agriculture without resources or experience, she faced enormous pressure from misunderstanding as she used her savings to lease a few hundred acres of land. The first year went relatively smoothly, but the real world turned out to be far harsher than anticipated.

"In 2015, a severe drought occurred, and nearly all my investments were lost. This was a major blow to me and even threw me off balance mentally."

Especially as she watched the barren cornfields, she had moments of doubt about continuing her endeavor.

"That was the lowest point in my life," Zhang recalled. However, her father’s words made her realize that difficulties had already become the norm; those who truly persevere rely on willpower and innovation. "From that moment on, I understood I had no way out and realized that relying solely on hard work in agriculture wasn't enough – I needed to learn how to farm scientifically."

Zhang mentioned that while agricultural insurance existed at the time, its payout ratios were relatively fixed, unable to cover total losses. In addition, while commercial insurance offered guaranteed yield options, the premiums were prohibitively high. At that time, Cangzhou lacked access to such insurance, so she couldn't even consider it.

With coordination from the Hebei Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and discussions with major insurance companies, commercial insurance was launched that year, significantly reducing the uncontrolled risks posed by natural disasters in agricultural production.

Having undergone this experience, Zhang realized that developing agriculture required more than just hard work. "We must learn from others, draw from outside experiences, and continuously update our thinking." It was in that year that she embarked on an uninterrupted learning journey, participating in several training programs provided by local organizations, including "Leading Goose" Tsinghua Project, Zhejiang University training, and exchange activities at China Agricultural University. Through these learning experiences, she connected with numerous agricultural experts and met many young individuals who shared her dreams across various regions.

"During that time, I learned a great deal, including how to predict market trends through data analysis and how to communicate with villagers to build trust." These invaluable experiences clarified Zhang's direction. The setbacks and difficulties she faced in agriculture also felt less isolating due to the shared support and understanding.

Resource Integration: Establishing a Machinery Alliance to Forge New Pathways

In 2015, filled with passion, Zhang returned to her hometown with the determination to pursue her agricultural dreams in this vast land. Starting with the turnover of 300 acres of land, she gradually embarked on the path of modern agricultural exploration. However, her journey was not smooth but rather fraught with challenges.

"Initially, the villagers were not optimistic about land turnover; some preferred to leave the land fallow." Recollecting the initial difficulties, Zhang spoke with a hint of helplessness. Due to the inability to achieve extensive contiguous land consolidation, mechanization was challenging to implement. To push her plans forward, she had to lease land at prices above the market rate. "At that time, the leasing price was around 300-400 yuan per acre, but I paid 650-700 yuan per acre to expedite the process, almost doubling the cost."

The difficulties she faced are evident, as this meant that after planting two seasons of crops, her profits were almost nonexistent.

However, hardship never deterred Zhang. "Not only do we need passion, but we also need to translate that passion into tangible outcomes to persuade villagers that this path is feasible." In her words, agriculture cannot be merely about traditional "farming"; it must maximize the land's exploitation benefits. She started with small goals, progressively improving production approaches and introducing advanced machinery. The concept of "fully mechanized and intelligent operations" has since been woven into every facet of her explorations.

Zhang's efforts to modernize agriculture were significantly aided by breakthroughs in "entrustment models." "Mechanization in agriculture is the first step, while the entrustment model provides the essential foundation for the cooperative's development." From 2015 to 2023, after several years of exploration, the cooperative's entrusted area expanded from a few hundred acres to over 100,000 acres, with contracted agriculture covering 220,000 acres, becoming a supportive factor transitioning from single agricultural production to diversified agricultural services.

Unlike traditional land leasing models, the entrustment approach does not alter farmers' land ownership but provides full-service offerings of "planting, managing, and harvesting" from the cooperative. This service model saves farmers costs while alleviating production worries, where "we help them manage their land," Zhang explained. For instance, in the sowing phase alone, the precision of mechanization can save farmers 15 yuan per acre while increasing yield. This not only offers tangible benefits to farmers but also enhances their trust in the cooperative. "Whether our members or ordinary farmers, whether leased or entrusted, the earnings will invariably increase."

The cooperative provides each farmer with earnings data, allowing the numbers to speak for themselves, thereby gradually earning the villagers' trust.

In 2016, building on the foundation of land turnover, Zhang further established a machinery alliance. She integrated previously scattered mechanical resources for unified scheduling and allocation. "Sometimes during busy farming periods, coordinated machinery deployment is crucial. Through unified distribution, we can achieve more efficient planting and harvesting during the peak agricultural seasons without wasting a moment."

The success of this mechanism not only significantly improved the efficiency of agricultural machinery but also helped the cooperative generate greater benefits at lower costs.

Today, more farmers confidently entrust their land to the cooperative, benefiting from modern agriculture on a broader scale while utilizing large farming machinery more efficiently.

Technological Innovation: Transforming "Sweat Agriculture" into "Smart Agriculture"

"2018 marked a turning point; that was when I first clearly realized that modern agriculture must embrace technology." Zhang reminisced when she began exploring the introduction of Beidou technology, aiming to enhance efficiency through unmanned operations.

"Initially, undertaking this project proved quite challenging," she recalled with a hint of nostalgia laced with helpless laughter, "because we were the first in Cangzhou to embark on this undertaking, although I can't claim to be the first in Hebei Province, I can definitively say that I was the first to implement the Beidou system here."

" I remember vividly that the tractor was supposed to follow a straight trajectory, but suddenly, it seemed to 'misbehave,’ veering off course." Zhang gestured with her hands, mimicking the scene, "From afar, I could hear workers rushing and calling out, fearing it might veer right into the ditch."

"This isn't reliable! It's less practical than my old machinery," one operator exclaimed.

Reflecting on those moments, Zhang couldn't help but feel both awkward and helpless.

She immediately called the technology provider, and when technical experts arrived on the scene, the issue was quickly identified – the cooperative, being near an airport, faced severe signal interference from aircraft. Every time a plane took off, the navigation system would uncontrollably malfunction.

The technical experts advised installing a signal base station to strengthen the Beidou signal, but the costs were steep. Setting up a base station not only involved a one-time investment but also ongoing maintenance, far exceeding the budget.

Investing in a base station would cost between 450,000 to 500,000 yuan, a daunting investment that made everyone tread carefully. Zhang lamented that her family at the time had begun to doubt her persistence: "How can you spend this money and expect to recoup it? What if the technology fails again?"

Zhang pondered deeply over the pros and cons, but ultimately resolved: "Mechanization is the future trend of agriculture; if we cannot overcome these obstacles, there's no chance for development."

She understood that once this road was paved, it would yield a transformative jump in agricultural efficiency.

"We've set up the base station, but how do we assure efficient collaboration between drones and agricultural machinery? System optimization and equipment upgrading require both technical and financial backing," Zhang explained. "It was truly a tough endeavor back then."

"Now, our cooperative operates 53 drones, covering over 300,000 acres," Zhang expressed with pride when discussing their current operational scale. She provided an example: In one day, a drone can complete spraying tasks across 2,000 acres, solving a problem that took conventional farmers a month to accomplish. Moreover, the wages fetched by professional drone pilots are enviable, with monthly earnings often exceeding several thousand yuan, surpassing their previous income from outside jobs.

"What moves me the most is how smart agriculture has motivated more young people to stay." Zhang smiled with a maternal warmth, pointing to a group of young pilots working nearby. Since the founding of her cooperative, it has attracted over a hundred young individuals, including those born in the 1990s and 2000s, along with university graduates.

"Many young villagers have now obtained drone pilot qualifications and become specialized agricultural 'aerial defense' operators. There’s a recent college graduate who previously worked in sales out of town, but returned upon hearing about our drone training. He never expected the agriculture sector to offer good income alongside future prospects, and he’s thriving now," Zhang beamed with pride.

Integration of Three Industries: Continuously Enhancing Agricultural Added Value

As the entrusted area has expanded, the cooperative has gradually shifted its focus to higher-added-value agricultural processing and marketing.

In daily life, a simple piece of pasta embodies an unwavering pursuit of taste and quality.

"Making good noodles isn't easy; the taste varies greatly depending on the flour," Zhang explained. With the rise of e-commerce, consumers increasingly prefer online shopping to meet their lifestyle needs. From daily necessities to foods, people tend to buy ready-made products like steamed buns and wheat cakes.

She illustrated that regional differences in raw materials significantly determine food taste and characteristics. For instance, the wheat from Shandong differs from that of other regions, resulting in a chewier texture and rich wheat aroma. However, using specific types of flour exclusively may cause steamed buns to crack, necessitating combinations with other varieties for improvement.

"Offering quality products isn’t just about selling; it's a responsibility," Zhang noted. From production to processing, she established stringent corporate standards and partnered with research institutions for precision, ensuring that each batch of noodles reflects genuine flavor and quality. This isn’t just a commitment to consumers, but also a dedication to cultivating and enhancing agricultural values.

In 2016, she registered her brand and began extending the secondary and tertiary industry chains, transitioning from raw grain to refined food products, thus gradually increasing production value. "We hope that every grain grown in saline-alkaline soil not only becomes a healthy food for our tables but also carries a story filled with culture and sentiment."

Following this, she actively sought presence on major online platforms, hosting e-commerce live broadcasts to create new job opportunities for local women. "We established a live broadcast studio to both sell products and showcase our services, letting more people understand the value of eco-friendly saline-alkaline crops." Additionally, she frequently takes cooperative members and products to various trade fairs, constantly enhancing brand influence.

Facing fierce competition in online channels, Zhang and her team dive deep into the nutritional advantages of saline-alkaline wheat, develop innovative packaging, and tell the "story" of saline-alkaline grains effectively. "In the future, I hope to expand into first-tier cities, letting more people know that good grains come from saline-alkaline lands, ensuring greater returns for our villagers' hard work."

"I aspire not only to standardize agricultural mechanization and maximize the value of entrusted land but also to establish the 'Saline-Alkaline Land Golden Industry' as a hallmark, promoting agricultural products nationally, taking tangible actions to achieve modern agriculture," Zhang said, contemplating her thoughts momentarily. "In the future, I'd like to explore smarter management modes, such as utilizing big data for integrated equipment management. That day may arrive sooner than we expect."

"Freeing hands and advancing smart agriculture is my greatest wish." At that moment, Zhang radiated a bright smile, her gaze unwavering – her "robot dream" is now one step closer to tomorrow.