Yu Yuanda (center) works in his peach farm, Wuxi's Yangshan town. [Photo/wxrb.com]
Yu Yuanda, 74, is a peach farmer living in Wuxi's Yangshan town, famous for its Yangshan honey peach.
From a fire victim to a well-off peach farmer, Yu has rewritten his destiny through hard work and support from others.
Yu used to earn a modest living by growing crops and raising pigs and sheep. However, in 1978, a fire resulted in the loss of his house and all of his crops.
However, reform and opening-up policies provided Yu with a ray of hope. He decided to use two of his eight acres to begin planting peach trees. Working as a village agricultural technician, he also raised two old sows at home.
Though Yu was not well educated, he worked hard cultivating peaches and breeding livestock. His business began picking up after he started using pig manure to fertilize his peach trees.
After four years, Yu was earning an income of 6,800 yuan ($971), which not only allowed him to pay off his debts but also removed him from the village's list of poor households.
After that, Yu continued to expand his horizons, even growing strawberries in a greenhouse. He slept for less than five hours a day.
In 1995, Yu Yuanda was named the "Advanced Agricultural Producer of Wuxi County" and in 2002, he was named a "Model Worker of Wuxi City".
As Yu's story became more widely known, he began making efforts to pass on his skills to other local farmers. In his spare time, he compiled the book "Cultivation Techniques for the Yangshan Honey Peach" and gave it away for free.
Yu is always trying to help other farmers solve tricky problems related to cultivating and selling peaches.
He has helped villagers open stores on e-commerce platforms and introduced customers to other farmers.
"I hope all our villages can enjoy good harvests and get rich," said Yu.
Yangshan town is now known for its beautiful natural scenery and sweet honey peaches. Its developing rural tourism industry is also expected to improve the living standards of farmers there.
