Wild life enthusiasts

The farmhouse is simple and opens onto a vegetable patch. Further afield lies a vast stretch of cropland and a pasture. An orchard adjoins the back of the house and extends its way to a mountain slope that is 200 meters above sea level. Everything else within sight is complete wilderness.

"To be frank, doing farm work is a bit of a pain," Zhang says.

Although they know about plants and animals, they still spent the first two years feeling their way around the field and developing their agricultural skills.

"Sometimes, it seemed that we were in over our head, and it was more difficult than going to work in the city," she says.

"There is lots of stooping and squatting, which takes its toll on the lumbar region of the back and the knees."

They have to drive a kilometer to switch on the motor-pumped well to get the water transferred to an old-fashioned cistern.

However, the antiquated pipeline breaks occasionally, so they started to collect rainwater in two big pots. One is used to water the plants, while the other is sterilized and filtered to feed the chickens and other animals.

The tight water resources also encouraged the couple to design and build an ecological toilet.

"It is odor-free and invites no flies," Zhang says.

The human waste is mixed with wood chips for fermentation into compost, which then is used as fertilizer for the orchard.

"It is very friendly to the soil, and helps with healthy growth of the fruit trees," Zhang says.