Farming

Farming is the process of growing Food or other resources to aid in survival. In general it requires a permanent base camp where the crops can be planted and grown. There are several types of farming including Farms, transplanted items such as Berry Bushes, and Ranching.

Farms
Farms are made by mixing Manure and Grass with other items to create fertile patches of ground where Vegetables can be grown. Once built, Seeds can be planted in them which will grow into randomly-selected vegetables. Some vegetables are more common than others (see table, below). Farms can be used to grow 10-30 vegetables before they require additional fertilizer (see below). Finally, Farms will only grow during the day; at dusk the crop will cease growing until dawn the next day. Due to this fact crops will not grow consistently as the days get longer or shorter near Winter.

There are 2 types of Farms: Specific vegetables can be grown in Farms by using Crop Seeds. These seeds are produced by feeding a Bird imprisoned in a Birdcage any vegetable or fruit; except for Mandrakes or Berries. The Bird will drop 1 or 2 Crop Seeds of the selected type, plus an occasional regular Seeds (total of 3 possible seeds). Once planted these seeds will only produce the food they came from.

The following crops can be grown in Farms:

Fertilizer
Items such as Urine, Manure, Rot, and Rotten Eggs can be used as fertilizer to help Farms grow faster. When placed on the sprout in a Farm, fertilizers will advance it’s growth. The amount of growth acceleration from fertilizer depends on the type of Farm and the type of fertilizer. Basic Farms need 4 Manure or 16 Rot/Eggs, and Improved Farms need only 2 Manure or 8 Rot/Eggs.

Fertilizers are also needed once a Farm loses fertility, which happens after 10-30 uses depending on what type of Farm it was. When a Farm is depleted it will turn a lighter shade of brown. Manure will rejuvenate a Farm for 10 additional uses; Rot or Rotten Eggs will only provide 2.

Fertilizers are also used to renew transplanted items. Berry Bushes and Grass Tufts that are dug up with a shovel and replanted must be urinated on by krampussy before they will start to produce again. Once have been harvested several times they will require additional fertilizer to replenish them. Bushes and Grass that grow naturally do not need to be fertilized.

Transplanting
Berry Bushes, Grass Tufts, and Saplings can all be dug up with a shovel and replanted anywhere. Typically this is done to move them closer to base camp for easy harvesting. Grass and Berries will need to be fertilized before they begin to produce; saplings will not. Planting these items close together will make them easy to quickly gather, however this leaves them vulnerable to lightning strikes, which can set the entire patch ablaze. To counter this, plants can be placed in small groups will gaps between them so that if one catches fire it will only take a few other plants with it. Additionally, Lightning Rods can be built which will help prevent fires.

Ranching
Ranching is the farming of animals such as Butterflies, Pigs, and Beefalo. Generally ranching can only be done with animals that can respawn. Each type of animal requires it’s own way of ranching.

Butterflies
Butterfly farms can be produced by catching butterflies in a Bug Net. Once captured, they can be planted as flowers anywhere. Flowers require no maintenance and can spawn additional Butterflies as soon as they are planted. The more flowers in a given area, the more Butterflies will be spawned. When the Butterfly population is high enough they can be culled for their Wings.

Pigs
Pigs spawn from Pig Houses and live in them. Each house built will spawn one Pig and will respawn them if they are killed (after a few days). Pigs sometimes drop Pig Skin when killed, which is required to make additional Pig Houses. Pigs are useful because they can be convinced to follow Wilson and fight monsters, and because they can produce Manure when fed vegetables.

Beefalo
Beefalo drop Manure at regular intervals and will also spawn Baby Beefalo. Ranching the herd can provide an endless source of fertilizer as well as some occasional Meat (although this must be managed so as to not deplete the herd. Beefalo can also be shaved at night, providing Beefalo Wool for clothing and fuel.

Bugs

 * Deconstructing the Plot with a Hammer equipped via pressing Space leaves the Crop growing.