The integrated farm of Mr. Le Van Long's family in Nhan Dao village, Hoang Hoa commune.
On the vast pond, where ripples reflected the sunlight, Mr. Long was nimbly pulling in his net to harvest freshwater prawns. The busy demeanor of the farmer filled the space with vibrant energy. While gently picking up the large, healthy prawns and placing them into his net basket, Mr. Long recounted his family's arduous yet determined journey in establishing their business.
Born in the former Hoang Hai commune (now Hoang Tien commune), after struggling to make a living in many places, he and his wife finally "found their calling" in this land to start their dream of establishing a business. Their initial journey to start a business was not easy. Around 2008, intending to produce construction materials, his family bought land from households in Nhan Dao village to use as a production site. However, the plan fell through due to changes in the market and government regulations.
They thought they would have to stop there, but with their resourcefulness, the couple boldly changed their business model, becoming one of the pioneering households to establish a farm in this region. After buying land from households three times and leasing public land from the State, the family finally acquired a plot of nearly 5 hectares to build their farm. To facilitate production and supervision, the whole family moved to live on the farm in 2010.
"Many people told me I was reckless, going from a stable place to a deserted area to start a farm, but thinking back, if I hadn't started then, I wouldn't be able to do it now," Long recounted in a genuine, honest, yet determined voice typical of the coastal region.
Having enough land, the couple pooled all their savings to rent an excavator and dig seven ponds for aquaculture, covering a total surface area of 3.5 hectares. They also built pigpens, created an orchard for dragon fruit, and covered the embankments with coconut trees. Hard work pays off. Through perseverance and determination, that once-abandoned land has provided a stable income for the family.
What's special about this farming couple is their flexibility and willingness to adapt to market changes. Three years ago, recognizing a new trend, Mr. Long learned about and experimented with raising giant freshwater prawns on a 1-hectare plot. Seeing the economic benefits, he expanded the scale to 2 hectares in 2023. This species requires a long time to raise (6-8 months) but is well-suited to the local environment, easy to care for, and yields high productivity.
Mr. Long shared: “Each crop can yield 1.3 - 1.4 tons/hectare. After deducting expenses, with favorable weather, each shrimp crop can bring in a profit of over 200 million VND. This year, however, the continuous storms and floods have caused significant damage, and the yield is not as good as in previous years. But it's stormy weather, we have to accept it; many places are facing even greater difficulties than us.”
To overcome the losses, Mr. Long continued to invest in 70,000 whiteleg shrimp fry for farming in time for the Lunar New Year, while constantly seeking new opportunities. His family farm also switched from raising pigs as in previous years to raising goats. In 2025, he boldly invested over 400 million VND to build spacious and clean barns and bought 21 goats for experimental farming in enclosed pens. The dragon fruit orchard is also gradually being transformed. Under the orchard's canopy, he also raises nearly 60 bee colonies for honey, harvesting about 400 liters of honey annually, earning a profit of nearly 100 million VND.
For over 15 years, Mr. Long and Ms. Thuy have built and developed their farm, overcoming numerous hardships and difficulties to achieve the success they have today. They have always maintained the optimistic and resilient spirit of hardworking, diligent farmers who dare to change in order to prosper. Their story of economic success serves as a vivid testament that even in challenging areas, bountiful harvests can flourish if there is perseverance, determination, and the right direction.
Text and photos: Viet Huong
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/dam-thay-doi-nbsp-de-lam-giau-270760.htm
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