A group of close friends left the town to go home, rented 1,000 m2 of land to open a farm

Liu Lurui’s group of 6 friends left Beijing for the suburbs, rented a large plot of land, built a farm to enjoy a new life together.
In 2019, Liu Lurui quit a high-ranking position in a state agency, invited her close friends to leave the city together, moving to the suburbs of Beijing (China) to start a business together.

By page 163 , a group of 6 friends with 4 dogs, rented a land of 1,000 m2 for 20 years and renovated it into a dream farm where they lived together and developed business projects. The farm is located in the middle of the village, there are not many houses around. A group of 6 friends quit their high-paying jobs in the city to move to the suburbs to settle down. The house that had been built for many years was also rented by them. The main building is made up of thick slabs. The space is accentuated by the arches and the swimming pool in front. From a distance, the building looks like a mysterious mansion. The group of friends redesigned the interior, divided the space to accommodate many people, have a common place and an entertainment area. There is a fireplace in the house, perfect for evenings with wine and conversation. Outside is a large lawn, can set up a camping tent. The group of friends also planted a garden with fruits, flowers and vegetables. They cook with their own grown foods. The rest of the waste is returned to the land to make organic, environmentally friendly fertilizers. The interior of the house was conceived and implemented by a group of 6 people. In the garden are all kinds of fruits and vegetables grown according to organic methods, most are apples. In the harvest season, they will post to sell online and quickly sell out. Liu Lurui is the one who comes up with ideas and “draws” friends who “leave the city to go to the countryside”. This is not a temporary intention, but a dream she has cherished for many years. Previously, Liu studied environmental arts at Tianjin University. In the final year, she studied at Politecnico di Torino (Italy) as an exchange student. A group of friends hoeing the ground, planting trees, enjoying a different life. Once, she and her friends happened to be driving to Southern Italy, she was attracted by a very unspoiled farm, with a house built of volcanic stone, in front of the yard with olive and lemon trees. She feels their life is simple but also very lyrical. At that time, because of lack of funds, she and her friends decided to stay on the farm and ask to prune branches to earn money. In the middle of the farm there is a swimming pool, when tired, some people often jump into it to bathe. Liu said that in the first half of his life, it was the happiest period of his life. After returning home, Liu joined the China Institute of Architectural Design and Research. At the busiest time, she was only at home for 2-3 days a month. She had some health problems and had a mental breakdown. Outside of work, she has no time to enjoy life. Liu was happy when he left the city and returned to his hometown. By 2019, Liu had asked 5 of his friends to start a business in the suburbs of Beijing. In April 2020, their HOBO farm was completed. Liu is married and has a small child. Her husband is a technician, because of his busy work in Beijing, he only visits his wife on weekends. During the day they often set up tents, spread carpets, drink red wine and listen to music together. Now, people get to experience the lifestyle they once dreamed of. Before that, 6 people had different jobs. Some are single, some are in the midst of a career crisis. When they returned to the farm together, they found new happiness in life. Currently, the group of friends has many different sources of income such as working online, selling agricultural products from the farm and renting rooms. Sun Dong, a team member, is a graphic designer. She made a great contribution to the design and construction of many items of the farm. Sun loves to interact with the locals. Now, every time she drives into the village, the villagers will greet her with a smile.