Turf business thrives in village in E China's Jiangsu

Photo shows a turf planting base in Qianchang village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jiliang)

In early summer, the scent of fresh grass hangs in the air at turf planting bases in Qianchang village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. Villagers cut, roll, and load sheets of turf, rapidly stacking them into the trucks.

Due to its sandy soil, the village isn't well-suited for traditional farming. In the 1990s, locals turned to turf cultivation. What began with just 60 mu (4 hectares) of turf has grown to over 3,000 mu, forming the heart of a 20,000-mu turf industry in the area, with annual output value exceeding 100 million yuan (about $13.88 million).

In recent years, the village has moved beyond turf farming, shifting to a development model that blends agriculture with culture and tourism. At the Snail Art Camp, which opened in April, outdoor concerts, cultural heritage exhibitions, and fairs are held in rotation, attracting a steady stream of visitors and tourists.

Farmers load turfs onto a truck in Qianchang village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jiliang)

Villagers tend to the farmland after harvesting turfs in Qianchang village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jiliang)

Photo shows an aerial view of turf planting bases in Qianchang village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jiliang)

Photo shows an aerial view of turf planting bases in Qianchang village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jiliang)

Photo shows the Snail Art Camp in Qianchang village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jiliang)