Hauling fertilizer to the fields and digging storage pits are forms of aerobic exercise for him, comparable to playing ball games or swimming. "I never thought about quitting, because I truly love it," he said.

Physical labor in the fields is also restorative for the 61-year-old researcher whose weekdays are dominated by mental work. "It reflects the idea of being 'half farmer, half X' — keeping your profession while grounding your life in the soil," he added.

Strengthening ties

Beyond the pleasure of hobby farming itself, weekend farmers say shared gardens also provide a setting that strengthens parent-child relationships and family bonds.

Growing up with regular exposure to vegetable gardens, Dai said her son has developed a vocabulary and practical knowledge that many of his classmates lack. When his school curriculum covered traditional Chinese medicine, he surprised his teacher by identifying herbs growing in his father's rented plot.

To teach him the value of labor, the family devised a system of "virtual wages". The boy earns credits for watering plants or carrying tools, which he can then exchange for toys. "He is extroverted, but the farm has taught him patience. He's learned that you can't rush a plant — you have to wait," Dai said. She added that working together in the garden has also encouraged their son to take a more active role in family life.

Hu has observed similar changes in Nanyuan village. "Our connection to the land is in our genes. Children are often even happier than their parents to come here and spend hours digging in the dirt," he said. The project has organized activities such as radish-pulling events and cucumber-harvesting races to engage young participants.

One of Hu's neighbors in the garden and her retired siblings gather at the plots every weekend — not only to farm, but also to reconnect as a family. "We rarely see each other on weekdays," said the neighbor, surnamed Gao. "The garden gives us a place to reunite."

Innovation is essential

As the trend gains momentum, the market is evolving, with a variety of business models emerging. Not everyone is willing to endure the backbreaking labor undertaken by families like Dai's and Hu's, particularly younger people born and raised in megacities.

Shared commercial gardens now offer tiered services tailored to busy but aspiring weekend farmers. In the suburbs of Beijing, a 33-square-meter plot can be rented for 2,980 yuan a year under a self-managed model. A half-trusteeship option, which includes watering and weeding while tenants handle the harvest themselves, costs 4,980 yuan annually. For nearly 6,000 yuan per year, full trusteeship allows the farm to manage the entire process and deliver vegetables directly to the tenant's doorstep.

Beijing resident Fan Fan said she chose the fully managed option at a shared vegetable garden in Chaoyang district, as her demanding work schedule leaves her little time even for grocery shopping. With high expectations for food quality and a preference for green, organic and healthy produce, she rents a plot and receives regular vegetable deliveries from the farm. "I hope to try a hands-on model and grow my own food after I retire," she said.

In the short term, the experiential nature of shared gardens aligns well with consumer trends toward health, sustainability and personalized experiences, generating strong market demand, said financial commentator Zhang Xuefeng.

Despite their popularity, some industry insiders caution that the life cycle of certain shared gardens may be limited to just three years, as farming is far from simple. Once a fully managed model is adopted, they warn, it can easily become a disguised form of buying vegetables at premium prices.

"In the long run, sustainability depends on factors such as service quality, user experience and adaptability to market changes," Zhang told China City News. Relying on a single planting service is unlikely to be viable over time, he added, making continuous innovation essential for farms to survive and grow.

To diversify offerings, many shared farms have begun integrating hobby farming with cultural and educational activities. Shanghai's Yichi Garden, for example, designs courses themed around the 24 solar terms, allowing children to learn about traditional Chinese culture through hands-on agricultural experiences. The approach not only enriches the visitor experience but also generates additional income for the farm.

zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn