I have a wildlife zoo

Not far from the side of the zoo office building, on a small hill, there was a lush copse of trees.

At the foot of the hill, a bluestone path flanked by purple morning glories and yellow chrysanthemums meandered into the mountains, obscured by the green brush of the woods. A brown-yellow log-style building stood on the hillside, imparting a sense of seclusion from the world's bustle.

As fragrant breezes wafted through, spreading the scent of flowers, Sunshine was warm and comfortable, everything appearing so peaceful and beautiful.

In the side yard of the small villa, Fang Ye stood by a large wooden box with a meter-long side, picking up a burlap sack and pouring dry branches and fallen leaves into it.

He was currently engaged in making compost!

In simple terms, this meant allowing organic matter to decompose into fertile humus, rich in nutrients and microorganisms.

Composting was not an overnight task, and starting now to prepare for farming was a bit late; he planned to use the compost after it was ready in the spring.

Although there was spiritual soil, its quantity was too small to be used exclusively.

Moreover, in his plans, an agricultural animal exhibition area would be built behind the zoo. The current process of farming was also a process of learning and contemplation, personally understanding the changes that occur during farming. This would later make designing the field exhibition area more intuitive.

The farming Fang Ye intended to carry out was not the conventional method, but a healthier and more eco-friendly approach to agriculture, which could be termed, organic farming, eco-friendly agriculture, or permaculture!

No chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides would be used, nor would plastic film be employed in greenhouses.

If conventional farming was about feeding crops, organic agriculture was about feeding the soil.

The soil itself has a very complex ecosystem, providing a favorable environment for a variety of beneficial organisms including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes. These life forms would then establish a mutually beneficial relationship with plants. Continue your journey on empire

Microorganisms could not only supply nutrients to plants but also enhance the plants' ability to resist diseases and pests.

Healthy soil could attract beneficial insects like earthworms and arthropods to settle in the vegetable garden. Their digestion and breakdown of organic matter would then serve as food for the microorganisms.

Earthworms and arthropods, in turn, were a source of protein for birds, which could be attracted to the vegetable garden. Although the birds might eat a small portion of the crops, they would also eat pests, and overall, the benefits outweighed the disadvantages!

When the focus was on feeding the soil instead of the plants, over time, a complete ecosystem would be built to aid in the healthy growth of plants and enrich their nutritional value.

This way, the planted soil would have better permeability, conserving water and rendering the plants more resilient in dry weather.

Without the use of pesticides and insecticides, the vegetables grown are safe and healthy; they could be eaten directly without the need to wash.

In practice, there are many details to consider, such as using straw, fallen leaves, and newspapers to cover the soil, not only to retain moisture and reduce the frequency of watering but also to decrease weed growth. Decomposed straw and paper would then be utilized by soil microorganisms.

Different crops could be used in crop rotation on the land, since the root systems of different crops vary in depth and absorption of nutrients. Rotation contributes to the soil's permeability and the reuse of nutrients, allowing the land to rest and recuperate.

Moreover, crops like tomatoes and potatoes are sensitive to pathogens; continuous cultivation in the same spot makes them prone to disease. Rotation planting reduces the possibility of pathogens.

After Fang Ye poured the branches and leaves into the large wooden box, he also added a bag of kitchen waste, such as eggshells, chopped banana peels, and coffee grounds, all sourced from the canteen.

Lan Li brought over a small stool to sit nearby, cradling a calico cat in her arms and stroking it, as today was her day off.

The cat lay in her arms, tail gently sweeping back and forth over her smooth arm, eyes narrowed in contentment, purring loudly.

It was the very same one that Fang Ye had previously fed at the dormitory area.

It usually roamed unpredictably around the zoo, but today it had come to the little villa.

Teasing the cat, Lan Li couldn't help but ask, "Director, why don't we adopt it?"

Fang Ye laughed, "Sure, we can add a little liveliness to the house. But if we're going to adopt it, we'll have to neuter it."

Vaccinations and such had been administered a while ago when they caught it. Otherwise, they wouldn't have allowed it to roam freely since stray cats carry the risk of spreading feline distemper.

The stray cats seen in the zoo were mostly vaccinated and sterilized. Fang Ye had not neutered this one because there were no other stray cats in the zoo; otherwise, too many stray cats could be troublesome.

Cats are adorable, but they catch not only mice but also birds and raid nests.

Hunting isn't just for filling the belly—when well-fed, they have more energy to play with their prey.

A few stray cats were manageable, but any more could certainly affect the bird population in the zoo.

The calico cat in Lan Li's arms, for some reason, suddenly felt a chill in its lower regions and instinctively tightened around its testicles, cautiously lifting its head.

After tossing kitchen waste into a large wooden box, Fang Ye stirred it with a stick, then dumped in some shredded useless documents. He then grabbed a sack and poured a heap of animal feces into it—such things were easily obtainable in the zoo.

Curious, Lan Li asked, "Director, can paper be composted too?"

"Of course! Clothes can be composted as well, just tear them up. It's a bit like a witch's cauldron, you can throw all sorts of strange things in."

Though the feces emitted a pungent smell, it didn't dampen Fang Ye's enthusiasm.

As he mixed, he began to explain, "For composting, you need green material and brown material. Green material, such as plant stems, provides nitrogen and has high moisture, while brown material, like leaves, provides carbon and has less moisture.

This method of using a bit of everything is best. If you only use one or two materials, the compost may lack certain nutrients, but a variety of materials ensures a more abundant supply of trace nutrients and natural balance.

The feces I'm using are from ring-tailed lemurs and macaques; it's what they excrete after eating fruits and vegetables, so it's definitely nutritious.

The size of this compost bin is also carefully considered—if the sides are too small or too narrow, it can't maintain the temperature generated during composting. A large compost pile benefits from the heat for microbial activity, hastening the breakdown of organic matter."

"So, how long does it need to compost?"

"About half a year. This method is slower, but it's convenient."

After adding the materials, Fang Ye covered them with a layer of cardboard to reduce the penetration of rainwater during rainy days and to prevent the compost from getting too wet.

Then, taking off his shoes, he climbed onto the compost bin, stepping up and down to compact it.