Shared farms flourish as tranquil retreats

More than a garden

For many urban dwellers, the appeal of a shared garden goes far beyond fresh produce. It offers daily rhythm, rewards, and a sense of connection to the earth and to oneself.

"Working in the garden lets you put down your phone and slow down," said Xu.

"The smell of soil, the simple repetition of digging, sowing, watering and weeding brings focus and relaxation. You find peace in the sweat and the harvest."

But not everyone has access to a real plot of land. For those who do not, "cyber farming" has become a popular alternative.

Cui, a senior at Shandong University who declined to give her full name, turns to farming simulation games to cope with the pressures of graduate school examinations, internships and job hunting.

"In a farm, although it's cyber, as long as you sow, water and weed, you are guaranteed a harvest. That certainty is deeply satisfying and helps ease anxiety," said Cui.

Yet beyond personal relief, shared gardens are also proving to have a profound social impact. In Tongji town, Pengzhou, Sichuan province, 42-year-old Fan Xiuyun has transformed a shared vegetable garden into an important provider for her community.

She runs 20 mu of shared plots, where donors pay 365 yuan a year to adopt a small section and receive monthly organic vegetable boxes in return.

Local seniors work the land to earn meal credits for a canteen. Surplus vegetables are sold for charity, with the proceeds going into a community fund that supports the canteen. People with disabilities have also been hired to take care of the vegetables.