In late autumn, the apples of Jingning County reach peak harvest season. "Our dried apple snacks are soft, sweet, and tangy—retaining maximum nutrition with no additives!" explained Wang Jianqiang during a livestream on October 12. Rain had delayed picking, but his online sales surged. Workers in the adjacent packaging facility hustled to meet orders, exemplifying the revival of Wufanghe Village.

Wang, born in this rural Pingliang community, once saw apple farming as uninspiring. After a decade running a construction firm across China, the 39-year-old gambled on returning in 2021. His catalyst? A "hometown letter" from Jingning authorities promoting their "Returning Geese" initiative to lure entrepreneurs back.

Jingning’s apple industry, cultivated over 40 years, now spans 1 million mu (66,667 hectares) with a brand value of ¥18.1 billion. Yet Wang bypassed traditional orchards to establish Guchengji Biotechnology, focusing on value-added processing. "Supermarkets lack apple-based snacks," he noted. His firm buys "imperfect" apples—scratched or misshapen but equally nutritious—at above-market prices, transforming them into ¥5-per-jin dried treats that sell out weekly.

This year, Wang plans to process 50 tons of secondary-grade fruit while expanding into juices and ciders. He’s not alone: Fan Baoqian’s packaging plant produces 1 million crates annually for regional apple transport, while Ma Keji’s Xinyang Fruit Bag Factory addresses another niche, manufacturing 100 million protective covers per year.

Wufanghe mirrors Jingning’s broader success: 32 businesses in Lidian Town now form an integrated ecosystem from cultivation to e-commerce logistics. As more youth return, they blend innovation with tradition—proving rural China’s fields remain fertile ground for dreams.

[Journalist’s Note] The countryside is a land of promise. Once, Gansu’s youth fled to cities; today, improved infrastructure and policy support draw them back. Like Wang, these returnees bring skills and vision, forging a two-way bond between people and homeland—the true engine of rural revitalization.