The old soldier and his journey to reforest the difficult land.

Born in 1964, Chu Van Xuan grew up during the war years, enduring countless hardships. At the age of 19, in 1983, he enlisted in the army, assigned to an engineering unit within the Air Defense and Air Force Command. In his early days in the military, he and his unit were tasked with constructing trenches, fortifications, and defensive positions along the northern border during a time of great difficulty. Later, he continued south, participating in the construction of strategic defense systems and battle positions. These crucial national defense projects not only contributed to maintaining peace for the country but also forged in him the character of an engineering soldier – persistent, meticulous, quiet, yet steadfast.

After more than 30 years in the military, holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he returned to his hometown in 2016. Those years of "cutting mountains, building roads, digging tunnels, and constructing fortifications" had instilled in him a spirit of readiness for difficult tasks. Back home, he embarked on a new "battle," revitalizing his rural garden and spreading the spirit of beautifying his village through concrete, practical actions every day.

During his time in the army, his unit was stationed in the famous Dien pomelo growing region of Bac Tu Liem district (formerly), Hanoi. In the flowering season, the gentle fragrance of the pomelos wafted on the wind; when the fruit ripened, the pomelos were golden yellow, juicy, and sweetly refreshing, leaving a lasting impression on Mr. Xuan. But what troubled him even more was how the local people were making a living from their own orchards. "I have plenty of land and a good climate in my hometown, why not give it a try?" he thought. And so, in 2008, during a leave of absence, he brought back a few Dien pomelo saplings. No one knew that this decision would later transform a significant part of the local economy.

Initially, he only planted a few trees as a trial, learning as he went, researching techniques from books and newspapers. He followed the instructions given by the local people in the area where his unit was stationed. Finally, the trees rewarded his efforts; the grapefruit trees took root, sprouted green shoots, and then flowered and bore fruit. After four years of care, in 2012, the first Diễn grapefruit trees bore fruit. He even carefully brought them to Hanoi to compare them with the original Diễn grapefruit trees, and no one could tell they were grown in Nghe An.

Building on that success, he boldly cleared two plots of his family's mixed orchard and planted 40 Diễn pomelo trees. In the first harvest season, the ripe, golden pomelos sold well, their delicious flavor leaving a lasting impression on everyone who tasted them. Villagers became curious and asked him for advice on buying seedlings to plant. Today, his family's 40 Diễn pomelo trees yield 2,500-3,000 fruits annually, generating an income of approximately 50 million VND.

More importantly, following the example of his family's Dien pomelo orchard, six other households in the village also followed suit. And in the former Lang Son commune, two cooperatives for growing Dien pomelos were established, with over 40 households participating in planting on an area of ​​nearly 5 hectares.

What's special about Mr. Xuan's model of transforming his mixed-crop orchard is the harmonious combination of planting trees and beekeeping. Under the green grapefruit trees, he places beehives. The bees collect nectar from the grapefruit blossoms, helping the trees to pollinate better and produce more beautiful fruit. Thanks to this, in addition to grapefruit, he earns an extra 15-20 million VND each year from pure honey.

Starting with just a few grapefruit saplings as a trial, and with the discipline, responsible lifestyle of a soldier, and a passionate heart for the community, he completely transformed his garden, turning a plot of land that once only had a few banana trees into a productive economic garden. More importantly, he instilled confidence in sustainable agricultural production, bringing modern garden-based economic thinking to rural areas.