Chapter 58

Li Han's video and the email certifying the organic lettuce gained incredible popularity in the YouTube blogging community in an unbelievably short time. In the video, a little girl, like an angel, is seen preparing the land, planting lettuce, watering, loosening the soil, leading a group of little squirrels to pull weeds, picking lettuce, washing and bundling it, and wearing a rabbit costume to dance cutely, promoting the lettuce. Despite being repeatedly rejected, she shows no sign of discouragement, persists without fear of fatigue or heat, and drives a small ox cart to promote the lettuce everywhere. These scenes instantly went viral, with sweat on her pouting face, the joy and hard work of harvesting, every detail, culminating in a big smile as she wipes her sweat at the end. The video, though not particularly polished, touched many people, and within a day, it received over 300,000 views.

Countless people left comments and clicked, and at the same time, the video, along with the application for organic certification, was sent to the official website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The U.S. organic certification is extremely stringent, especially the authoritative USDA certification, which is highly difficult and has high standards. Li Han hesitated several times, but after learning from his daughter Dudu that she had endured much hardship to sell the lettuce, even being used as a punching bag by other children, he finally decided to apply for organic certification. To attract the attention of the Department of Agriculture, he sought help from his friend Wei Li and others to boost the video's views on YouTube. Even Harley mobilized her classmates to help. In one day, the video achieved an astonishing 300,000 views, though Li Han did not know that the stubborn old man Glasserman also contributed to this success.

With 300,000 views, the discussion heated up, and more and more people began to pay attention to the three-and-a-half-year-old girl who loved growing vegetables. Li Han, as a father, wrote the application email and posted it on YouTube, a simple and heartfelt letter filled with a father's love for his daughter, detailing everything Duddu did to grow and sell the lettuce, the joy and pain, the growth of the lettuce, and all the details in between. He asked everyone to help share the post, and within a day, the blog post was forwarded thousands of times.

In three days, the views exceeded 1.5 million, and the entire internet rallied to support the adorable vegetable angel Pandora. As time passed, many farmers, supporters, and even some Hollywood stars and members of Congress began to pay attention. Finally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture responded to Li Han's application, considering it the first time a three-and-a-half-year-old child had applied for organic grower certification. The Department dispatched a small inspection team, which was already on its way.

Upon receiving the response, Li Han's heart, which had been on edge, finally relaxed. He had been closely monitoring the online dynamics, and when the views exceeded one million, he thought it might attract the attention of the Department of Agriculture. He did not expect them to send a team, which was quite surprising. When he returned home and shared the news, the whole family got busy, especially Duddu, who had to demonstrate the process of growing vegetables, every step of it. Li Han was very careful to avoid any mistakes, knowing that the USDA organic certification was extremely difficult and that the strict standards and high requirements of the authoritative U.S. organic certification organization were the foundation of the trust people had in organic vegetables.

On the day the inspection team arrived, Li Han's family got up early. His brother-in-law and father did not go horseback riding; instead, they all changed into work clothes like Duddu's, with the same tools, which Li Han had specially asked Kelly to help purchase. His mother and sister were busy preparing breakfast, while his brother-in-law and father were grinding coffee beans and brewing coffee. Baby and Duddu sat obediently on the sofa, and Li Han was teaching Duddu some planting techniques.

Duddu listened attentively to her father, carefully memorizing the instructions. Duddu had been very happy these days, as many people had bought her lettuce, though most were supporting her efforts to feed the rabbits, ducks, and chicks. Duddu was still very happy, and even the naughty children had started talking to her and invited her to eat tomatoes grown by their fathers, which were not as good as those grown by her father. "Xiao Han, Duddu is so young, don't tire her out. Duddu, Baby, come and have breakfast."

Mother called the two little ones while serving the food. The breakfast included sweet potato porridge, green pepper with dried fish, beef stew, egg and tomato, and salted duck eggs, all of which Duddu loved.

"Eat more, Duddu. Don't be nervous later. Our Duddu is the best." Sister put a piece of beef in Duddu's bowl, which was as large as her father's. Duddu was eating very happily.

"Uh-huh, Duddu is very capable." Duddu nodded her little head vigorously, while Baby pouted, upset that Mother did not put meat in her bowl. Baby could also grow vegetables and swung her little legs, refusing to do so. "Baby, come and eat some meat." Li Han put a piece of meat in his niece's bowl, which was also a large bowl. Although Baby could not finish so much, she wanted a large bowl like Duddu. Baby tried to use chopsticks but could not pick up the meat, showing her strong determination.

After breakfast, Duddu and Baby were not allowed to wash the dishes, which made the two little ones unhappy. After the dishes were cleared and the coffee was brewed, Li Han's family sat waiting for the arrival of the inspection team. Li Han's friends Wei Li, Kedi, Bill, Kelly, Mill, Bella, and Cynthia, as well as Duddu and Baby's classmates, all came. The farm was rarely so lively with so many people. Li Han had prepared beer and snacks to entertain everyone. "Han, Pandora has become a celebrity, the cutest little angel in Montana. Maybe Obama will send a beautiful little angel Pandora an invitation to plant delicious lettuce at the White House. What do you think, Han?" Wei Li said with a smile.

"Obama might prefer the White House lawn to a lettuce garden. Of course, if Obama is willing to pay Pandora enough, and if Pandora is willing, I don't think I have any reason to stop her." Li Han had no political affiliations, and Obama was just an unrelated person to him.

"Hey, the farmers in Montana won't agree to that." Bill winked and smiled. "Pandora is our cutest little angel in Montana."

"Pandora isn't anyone's Pandora, Han. What do you think?" Cynthia twisted her body and leaned close to Li Han, smiling. "Cynthia is right. Pandora has always been herself, not anyone else, Bill." Kelly nodded at Cynthia.

At 9:30 AM, two vehicles from the Department of Agriculture arrived, with four people, all white, speaking and acting somewhat seriously. They collected samples of soil, air, water, and various plant specimens within a 500-meter radius, as well as lettuce specimens. They also reviewed Duddu's vegetable planting video and the seeds and water used in the planting process, considering all factors, both direct and indirect. "Mr. Li, Miss Pandora needs to sign the documents. Please sign on her behalf. We will announce the results as soon as possible."

Duddu's vegetable planting case was an exception, and although it was an exception, the standards did not change. The planting of lettuce must not use chemically synthesized substances, fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, or genetically modified organisms. The soil used for planting lettuce must not have used chemically synthesized substances for more than three years and will be regularly re-inspected. The growth time of the lettuce has fixed comparisons with non-harmful and organic vegetables, and there are strict requirements for yield, which must be harvested at the specified time. After reviewing the standards, Li Han truly understood how difficult it was to obtain 100% organic certification and use the USDA logo. No wonder, in the entire Kemi Star, there were only two organic certified farms, and neither was 100% certified, with the highest being 80%, which did not allow the use of the USDA logo.

Li Han was quite worried about whether Duddu's lettuce could pass the organic certification, and the possibility of organic farm certification in the short term was not high. The organic grower certification for Duddu was also quite difficult, and Li Han discussed it with Wei Li, Kedi, Bill, and others.

Wei Li said, "Han, only YouTube can help us. More views and shares can expand our influence. Han, we need more video materials from you, which might help Pandora obtain organic grower certification."

Bill nodded in agreement with Wei Li's suggestion. "Han, Wei Li is right. YouTube has an influence you can't imagine, and of course, Facebook and others can also provide help to Pandora."

"Han, maybe I can help you," Cynthia said. Cynthia had a good friend who worked at Facebook and might be able to provide some assistance. With the help of a group of friends, Li Han simultaneously produced several videos, some of Duddu's information, and snippets of her life, such as feeding lambs, calves, Duddu and Xiao Millie, crabs, riding horses, riding bulls, ballet dancing, and boxing videos. Some of these videos were like campaign advertisements.