Chapter 83

"Right now, we have received too many orders; we can't produce enough. You should consider expanding the business. Boss, you're making a lot of money now; you even bought a helicopter," Huang Siquing joked. He basically knew everything about the forest farm, and he was a bit proud of his boss's achievements.

"There's no need to expand the scale. We should continuously upgrade the quality of our products. The quality of our vegetables is already very good, but I believe there is still greater potential to be tapped," Qi Ping did not want to continue expanding the breeding scale, as there wasn't enough land; however, improving product quality was a way to earn more money.

Qi Ping led his group of subordinates on an inspection tour, especially focusing on the experimental site of the small ecological forest farm. Looking at the rows of solar-powered insect-killing lamps and the scattered pest-repelling plants, Qi Ping felt a sense of familiarity. He didn't know what pest control methods other farms used, but here, the combination was really effective.

"The biogas digester will be completed soon. I think you will soon have biogas stoves and lamps produced by your own forest farm. We hope to provide more electricity," Professor Bruce was very happy. The biogas generator had arrived, and this was a new ecological forest farm he had personally designed and built, one of the few he had directly supervised and constructed in his career.

Qi Ping gritted his teeth. Professor Bruce always came up with some strange ideas and then ran to Qi Ping. Each time, Qi Ping couldn't resist the temptation and quickly abandoned his stance because the things Professor Bruce talked about seemed really impressive, and without them, the forest farm would seem less perfect.

He always felt like he was being tricked, but each time, Qi Ping willingly paid the money. There might be a bit of Professor Bruce's personal interest involved, as he wasn't spending his own money and naturally wanted everything to develop in the most beautiful direction he could imagine. However, Qi Ping was also very clear that his forest farm had great potential, and as long as these investments weren't too absurd, they were all valuable.

Jingang was busy picking tomatoes. Now, it wasn't just him who liked tomatoes; even Little Bear Winnie, and recently Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai, who enjoyed going out to play games, liked these delicious tomatoes. As for Dongxi Nanbei, they only occasionally ate a little; they preferred cooked food.

Leading a group of subordinates with a show of power, seeing the good development of the forest farm made Qi Ping extremely proud. Now, he was clear that, apart from the need to continue purchasing top-grade jade, which might require a significant investment, other small expenses would not affect him. It was time to start making big money.

Qi Ping also received the jade he had pre-ordered. Although jade wasn't the most popular jewelry in the U.S., it didn't mean there was no jade. Qi Ping felt very good about it; the quality of the newly mined jade was acceptable, and since it wasn't needed as a focal point, it was more than enough.

Now, it seemed that the preparations were thoroughly completed, and Qi Ping had a plan in mind. There was no need for much preparation at Lake Muse; he could start setting up the array at any time. As for the mountain part, Qi Ping needed to contact the logging company.

"I need you to cut down all the trees in this 30-acre (180 mu) area. I need to completely transform this place and plant some fruit trees," Qi Ping was discussing with the logging company's owner. These were just ordinary fir trees, not particularly valuable.

"Wow! That's a big project," the logging company owner said, and it was indeed a big project. Generally, logging was selective, and they wouldn't cut down all the trees in an area at once. Since this young man wanted to plant new plants, it was a normal request.

"You might know that I have a very good forest farm, and this is just the beginning of our cooperation. You understand what I mean; it might seem challenging and difficult, but I believe you will accept this deal. My requirement is to increase speed and efficiency, and I hope to complete the logging before Thanksgiving," Qi Ping was painting a big picture. He believed his forest farm was very attractive.

Indeed, the scale of this forest farm was large, indicating that if a long-term partner could be found, it would be profitable. Since this young forest farm owner didn't plan to start a wood processing company, he needed a reliable partner. Terry thought this was a great business opportunity.

Qi Ping felt this was a very good deal. He needed to clear part of the mountain forest to better develop it. Planting some fruit trees as a trial was important for Qi Ping. This was no longer just a small-scale operation or to satisfy his own appetite; it was to make more money and accumulate wealth to further develop the forest farm.

Time was of the essence, especially for the mountain forest behind the house. The terrain here was relatively low, part of a small hill, making it easier to develop. However, clearing 180 acres of mountain forest was not a simple task, and Qi Ping needed to act quickly.

Thanksgiving is usually at the end of November, and there were nearly two months left to cut down the trees in this mountain forest. Mechanized logging could indeed improve efficiency, but developing the mountain forest wasn't just about cutting down trees and replanting. Some additional preparation was needed.

First, the trees needed to be cut down, and then the roots and other debris needed to be cleared. Then, the land needed to be plowed and loosened to help the young saplings grow. Irrigation equipment also needed to be installed, as a top-tier orchard couldn't just be left to chance.

Completing these tasks would take a long time. Clearly, if everything was done, it would already be the new year. For the San Diego area, where the seasons are not very distinct, the start of the new year was also a good time to plant fruit trees, as the temperature would not be too high, and the sun would not be too intense.

Qi Ping was actually very busy. His work schedule was already full. Despite often leading a group of subordinates on leisurely tours, this was just a facade; he was still working hard. This was a good thing; leisure and comfort, but also very fulfilling and goal-oriented, was the best lifestyle for Qi Ping.

Watching the interesting logging machines slowly enter the forest farm, Qi Ping found it very interesting. They were somewhat like excavators, with cabs, arms, and saw blades that looked like robotic arms. The logging process involved grabbing the tree trunk, cutting it, and then trimming it to produce a neat and complete log.

Xu Hao found this very interesting; it reminded him of the fun he had watching excavators work as a child. Now, not just Qi Ping, but Dongxi Nanbei and Jingang were also following Qi Ping to watch the show. Watching these large machines cut down trees was indeed very interesting.

"Hey, don't try to get rid of me! I know your helicopter will arrive today, and I want to see it. Maybe I can even ride in it!" Joshua came with high expectations. He had never ridden in a helicopter, not even a commercial flight. Although the U.S. aviation industry was well-developed, not everyone had the opportunity to enjoy it.

"Today? No, not today. After the helicopter arrives, it still needs to be adjusted and tested, and I need to familiarize myself with it," Qi Ping shook his head. It was unrealistic to go for a helicopter ride right now. "Tomorrow, if everything goes well, I'll take you for a tour of the beautiful forest farm. But you're second in line, after Kate."