Yongning sits in the irrigated strip of farmland between the Yellow River and the Helan Mountains, where the combination of desert sun, alkaline soil, and river water has created ideal conditions for growing wolfberries — known internationally as goji berries. Ningxia produces the most prized wolfberries in China, and the area around Yongning is one of the main growing regions.
In late summer, from August through September, the low hedgerow plants produce clusters of bright orange-red berries that are harvested by hand. The harvest period transforms the flat fields into a sea of colour and brings out the whole farming community for the picking — a vivid scene for anyone walking through the villages during this period. Outside harvest season the fields are less dramatic, but the landscape of irrigation channels, flat-roofed Hui farmhouses, and long views to the desert mountains gives a good picture of how the Yellow River has sustained life in this otherwise arid region for two millennia.
Cycling from Yinchuan through these villages on a quiet morning is a worthwhile half-day excursion. Local produce shops in Yongning town sell dried wolfberries at prices well below what you will find in Yinchuan's tourist markets.