In the golden autumn season, the rural areas of Jiaodong's hilly regions are bustling with activity. Fields shimmer with golden hues, and orchards are filled with the fragrance of ripe fruits.
In Laoguanzhuang Village, Dongting Subdistrict, Fushan District, Yantai City, Shandong Province, millet harvesting has just concluded. Farmers are either clearing straw from the fields or gathering sweet potatoes. Woven bags brimming with sweet potatoes are scattered across the land, while growers shuttle back and forth on agricultural vehicles.
"Recently, the village finished harvesting millet. The grain undergoes two rounds of threshing, followed by sun-drying, stone removal, hulling, color sorting, and manual screening to produce plump, high-quality millet. Our village’s sweet potatoes are also highly sought after for their rich sweetness and low fiber content," said Shi Xiuguang, Party Secretary of Laoguanzhuang Village.
To boost agricultural development and increase villagers' income, Laoguanzhuang established a millet farming cooperative, adopting a "Party branch + cooperative + farmers" model to grow the collective economy. The cooperative also registered the "Huoyan Shengu" brand, standardizing production to enhance millet quality and market competitiveness, doubling its selling price.
Transforming local resources into a thriving industry required support from various departments. Surrounded by mountains, Laoguanzhuang enjoys ample sunlight and mineral-rich soil, ideal for millet and sweet potato cultivation. However, limited rainfall and unreliable electricity once hindered irrigation, restricting specialty farming.
To address this, State Grid Yantai Fushan Power Supply Company installed two 200 kVA transformers and three 100 kVA irrigation-specific transformers, optimizing the power distribution network to ensure stable electricity for round-the-clock irrigation. Additionally, the Fushan Water Resources Bureau helped drill three deep wells exceeding 160 meters, working in tandem with the power infrastructure to resolve irrigation challenges.
"Previously, we relied on diesel pumps for irrigation—noisy, expensive, costing over 100 yuan per acre. Now, with electric power, well pumping is faster and cheaper, cutting costs by half. With reliable electricity, we can expand the cooperative’s scale next spring," said Shi Shengtian, head of the Laoguanzhuang Millet Farming Cooperative, standing by the well house and eyeing the upgraded power facilities with optimism.
Shi noted that the cooperative cultivates over 400 acres, involving more than 60 households. This year’s millet yield surged by over 30%, selling out quickly and earning the village’s produce the nickname "golden grains."
Meanwhile, in Huili Town, Fushan District, apple orchards glow red as the fruits ripen under the sun, filling the air with sweetness.
During peak harvests, demand for cold storage spikes. At 9 p.m., Lü Jinglun, head of Hongshu Fruit Cooperative, was still busy unloading pears into his cold storage facility.
"This year’s apple harvest was delayed by about 10 days due to weather, so we’ll soon be storing apples in bulk," Lü explained.
Historically, fresh fruits had a short shelf life, leading to low prices during peak seasons. To help farmers overcome this challenge, State Grid Yantai Fushan Power Supply Company upgraded 25 low-voltage power stations in Huili Town since 2019, adding 5,800 kVA capacity. These improvements expanded power coverage and efficiency, supporting cold storage and preservation needs.
With reliable electricity, local fruit growers now have stable irrigation, refrigeration, and storage solutions. Lü noted that storing fruits for later sales could yield higher prices.
Today, powered by electricity, villages in Jiaodong’s hilly regions are forging a "sweet path" to rural revitalization through specialty agriculture.