Radar soldiers sow green seeds on the white sand of Hue

In addition to growing vegetables, officers and soldiers also raise livestock and poultry to improve their meals.

Hardship and harshness from earth and sky

Radar station 3511 is stationed right next to the sea, on white sand - formerly an abandoned shrimp pond of the people. The land here is seriously saline, barren, almost impossible to cultivate. In addition to the lack of good soil, water resources - a vital factor for increasing production - have also become a difficult problem because the water is heavily saline.

“In the early days, farming and raising livestock was a real challenge. Plants had just taken root and died, and livestock were exhausted due to the heat and high humidity. We felt heartbroken. But that did not dampen our spirits. On the contrary, our determination to grow trees and raise livestock was even stronger,” shared Captain Nguyen Gia Le, a professional soldier.

The Party Committee and commanders of Radar Station 3511 determined: "To increase production efficiency, we must turn barren sandy soil into fertile soil right on this harsh land. Both creative and practical measures are being implemented vigorously" - Captain Ha Van Thang, Head of Station 3511 said.

The station actively drilled deep wells and built a rainwater storage system to ensure clean water. Sandy soil was improved with loam, organic fertilizer, coconut fiber, rice husk ash, etc. Windbreaks such as casuarina, acacia, banana, etc. were planted around to reduce the impact from the sea.

Captain Nguyen Dinh Danh said: To have a pond of water spinach like now, we had to dig the ground, build the banks, transport each truckload of mud, and improve the soil for a whole month before we could plant. The officers and soldiers also went to the people's fields to ask for humus, went into the lagoon to cut trees to make green manure, composted with lime powder, collected baskets of rotten manure, handfuls of coconut fiber...

For crops, the station selects short-term, salt- and heat-resistant vegetable varieties. For livestock, priority is given to varieties suitable for harsh conditions, improved barns, and systematic disease prevention. The station effectively promotes the model of “military - people with one will”, actively learning production experience from local people. “It is the people who show us how to select varieties, how to take care of vegetables, how to raise chickens and ducks in the rainy and dry seasons… Thanks to that, efficiency has increased significantly,” - Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Political Commissar of the station, shared.

Proactive adaptation

Up to now, Radar Station 3511 has built a green, clean and efficient farming and livestock area right in the middle of the white sand coastal area. The vegetable garden is lush all year round with a variety of leafy vegetables and spices. Pigs, chickens and ducks grow healthily, providing a source of fresh, clean food, contributing to improving the quality of meals and ensuring the lives of soldiers.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Political Commissar of the Station, every year, the unit proactively meets about 70% of the local food demand, exceeding the assigned target by 30 to 40%. But the greatest value does not lie in the numbers. It is the spirit of proactively overcoming difficulties, the will to never retreat, and the hands of soldiers who know how to turn barren land into a cool vegetable garden - a place once considered "uncultivable".

On the sandy soil that seemed to be only for salt and wind, the vegetable beds still thrived and the livestock still thrived. This was a vivid demonstration of the creativity, perseverance and determination of the officers and soldiers of Radar Station 3511 to master their circumstances. Raising crops on land that “no one else could grow”, and raising soldiers in a harsh climate, was not only a logistical task, but also a great lesson in flexible thinking, perseverance and responsibility for the unit.

Each growing vegetable bed and each growing livestock not only contributes to improving the soldiers' lives, but also creates a competitive atmosphere, fosters a sense of work ethic, a spirit of thrift, and solidarity throughout the unit. That is the important foundation for the station to always be ready to complete all assigned tasks, from combat readiness to building a regular order.

Article and photos: DINH HUONG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/an-ninh-quoc-phong/bo-doi-ra-da-gioi-mam-xanh-tren-cat-trang-xu-hue-153976.html