Post by Jord on Jul 30, 2012 16:36:09 GMT
------------------------------------
## A Guide to Farming ##
## By Jord. ##
------------------------------------
## What is Farming?
----------------------
Farming is one of the most important roles one could undertake in the world of Salem. From the production of better quality foods to the luxurious types of Cotton, it will always be a task that is in high demand by both yourself and others wanting to progress their characters further.
So what can I grow from farming you ask? Well there are 4 types of crop that you can currently grow each with a system of quality that determines the output of that crop, the quality of the crop is divided into groups called 'tiers'. Increasing the quality or 'tier' of a crop's output is done using specific fertilisers. All unmodified crops by default give tier 1 output, the standard quality crop. Tier 1 being the lowest possible type of output.
Here are the 4 types of crop with examples of how they're used the the crafting world of Salem.
Cotton
---------
Cotton is produced in its raw form and must first be cleaned by crafting 'Clean Cotton' which produces Cotton as well as seeds for replanting.
Clean Cotton can then be weaved into Cotton cloth by using a Loom. Crafting a piece of Cotton cloth will require x10 clean Cotton.
Cotton cloth is then used in the crafting of clothing and other Cotton goods such as planter’s pouches and dry goods bags. The tier of the cotton will determine what you can craft with it. Some crafts require a higher quality or tier of crop output.
Cabbage
----------
Cabbage is produced in its complete form and must be split first to obtain the leaves of Cabbage. Each Cabbage will give up to 6 leaves, the type of leaf given will be determined by the tier of the crop's output.
Leaves of Cabbage can then be used in the crafting of foods such as Cabbage Rolls (Meat & Game food) or Cabbage Cakes (Pies & Pastries)
Cereal
---------
Cereal is produced in the form of Ears which can then either be milled into flour using a Windmill or used in a craft 'Thresh Cereals' to make into seeds for replanting.
Flour is the basis for all types of Pies & Pastries in Salem and depending on the tier of the crop's output you can get different types of flour which are necessary for crafting better foods.
Flour can be used in conjunction with buckets of water and other ingredients to craft foods such as pie cases, cabbage cakes, rye bread and many more. Pie cases are required in order to make Pumpkin pies for example and must be done so by using a baking table.
Pumpkin
----------
Pumpking much like cabbage is produced in its complete form which then can be sliced or eaten. Slicing the pumpkin with give you pumpkin flesh and seeds for replanting.
Pumpkin flesh is a highly sought after ingredient for crafting great gluttony foods such as Pumpkin Pies and Aztec Abattoir. (Meat & Game)
Unlike the other types of crop there a multiple growth types of pumpkin that present themselves in stages. There are 3 growth stages of pumpkin from stage 1 to stage 3 where the pumpkins have been left to mature the longest. At each stage you have the option of harvesting the pumpkins but if left they will continue to grow and evolve into a larger sized pumpkin of a different type. The benefit of leaving the pumpkins to mature is that you will receive a greater number of pumpkin flesh and seeds from the type of pumpkin harvested when sliced.
## So what skills do I need?
-------------------------------
To be a farmer in Salem or be it a good farmer you will need to train for the following skills:
> Survival Skills
> Self-Defence
> Colonial Tradesmanship
> Settling
> Agriculture
> Cabbage Growing
> Cotton Planting
> Three-field System
> Foraging
> Lore of the Lumberwoods
> Hiking
> Exploration
> Flowers & Berries
> Gardening
> Pumpkin Planting
Also your level in the proficiency 'Stocks & Cultivars' will greatly increase the amount of plenty added by chance when planting seeds in a tilled field.
## My very first field
-------------------------
The first thing you will need to do is acquire seeds. You can buy these seeds from the vendors at Boston but they are pretty expensive, even for a older player. You are better off looking to trade with a fellow farmer to get a better value for your silver. If you only have the basic Agriculturing skill then I recommend you get Cereal seeds.
Tilling a Field
------------------
Tilling a field is your first step toward becoming a great farmer in the world of Salem. To till a field you must select the 'Till Field' command from the crafting menu.
The actual placement of a field can seem rather complicated at first but with practice you soon become familiar with the process in no time at all.
The size of a field is 4x4, (That's 4 squares or tiles wide and the same for height). The field's center tile is indicated by the following example:
| | | | |
-------------------------
| | X | | |
-------------------------
| | | | |
-------------------------
| | | | |
So when tilling a field before clicking on the tile/square remember where the field will actually be placed. Once you have tilled a field you can take at look at it stats by right-clicking on it. The 4 stats are as follows:
Upkeep: The amount of Humus needed to prepare the field and the amount of seeds required for planting. Default: 100%
Plenty: The amount that the crop will produce. The higher the plenty the more plentiful the output will be. Default: 100% + (0 - Your Stocks & Cultivars proficiency level, when planting seeds)
Speed: The speed at which the crop grows. A Cotton crop will take 4 days to grow by default. Default: 100%
Influence: The amount of influence that the crop once harvested will give to the respective meter. Default 100% (+5)
Compost
----------
Before you can plant seeds into your recently tilled field you must prepare it first with Humus. Humus is created from a Compost which is is built from the construction menu. Once you have built a Compost you must feed it with compostable items before it begins producing Humus. Almost every type of forageable item or meat can be used to feed the Compost. Take note, some items are better at composting than others. For example Autumn Grass will grant 2 points to the Compost's meter whereas Seaweed will give 6. As long as the Compost meter isn't empty it will produce Humus at a rate of approximately 1 every hour.
## Planting
--------------
The amount of Humus needed to prepare a field for planting is determined by its upkeep. At 100% upkeep (by default) it will require 5 Humus before seeds can be planted. At 50% (The lowest you can go using fertilisers) fields will require only 2 Humus for preparation. You add the Humus to the field by holding it (left-clicking) and then right-clicking on the field.
After you have prepared the field with Humus you can then plant the seeds. The amount of seeds required in order to plant a field is also determined by the field's upkeep. At 100% upkeep (by default) planting cotton will require 50 seeds.
Seeds & Upkeep
-----------------
100% Upkeep - Seeds
Cotton = 50
Pumpking = 50
Cereal = 50
Cabbage = 15
For example a field with its upkeep reduced to 50% by using fertilisers will only require 25 cotton seeds and 2 Humus on its next plant.
Crop Growth Time
-------------------
These are the crop growth times by default @ 100% Speed.
Cabbage = 3 Days
Cereals = 3 Days
Cotton = 4 Days
Pumpkin = 4 Days (Growth Stage 1, +1 Day for every subsequent Growth Stage. To a maximum of 6 days in total.)
## Fertilisers
-----------------
Fertilisers are specific items that can be added to a field once the seeds have been planted and affect its properties. The are different types of fertiliser each with their added bonuses and sometimes penalties. With each additional fertiliser added to a field the actual result become less and less effective than the first because of diminishing returns.
For more detailed information on fertilisers and their values read this chart here: bit.ly/MNYbfU
Fertiliser Types
-------------------
Hay: +Influence
Wood Chippings: -Upkeep
Lime: +Plenty
Humus: +Plenty, +Influence
Coal: +Speed
Clay: -Speed, +Influence
Dross: -Plenty, +Speed
Crown Manure: +Plenty, +Speed, +Influence
## Crop Influence, Tiers & Harvesting
-----------------------------------------
Each field will have 4 bars/meters that are representative of a field's influence output.
Each harvesting cycle will deplete 5 points (Unmodified) from each bar/meter that the crop consumes and fills 5 points (modified by the fields influence property) into its respective meter. For example a field harvested with a property of 200% influence with fill 10 points into its respective bar/meter.
Crop Bars/Meters
-------------------
Crop influence.
Gives to < Takes from
1 [Red] Cabbage < 3,4
2 [Green] Cereal < 4,1
3 [Blue] Cotton < 1,2
4 [Pink] Pumpkin < 2,3
Tiers
--------
The crop's harvest tier output is determined by the sum of the two bars/meters it consumes.
Summary:
0 - 50 = Tier 1
50 - 100 = Tier 1 & Tier 2a
100 - 150 = Tier 2a & Tier 2b
150 - 200 = Tier 3
Crop Type | Teir 1
------------------|----------------------------
Cotton | Yellow-Stained Cotton
Cereal | Ear of Oats
Cabbage | Colewort
Pumpkin | (See below)
Crop Type | Tier 2a | Tier 2b
------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------
Cotton | Indian Cotton | Egyptian Cotton
Cereal | Ear of Rye | Ear of Barly
Cabbage | Green Cabbage | White Cabbage
Pumpkin | (See below) | (See below)
Crop Type | Teir 3
------------------|-----------------------------
Cotton | Sea Island Cotton
Cereal | Ear of Wheat
Cabbage | Red Cabbage
Pumpkin | (See below)
Pumpkin Tiers
----------------
Pumpkins tiers vary depending on the Growth Stage at which they are harvested.
Growth Stage | Tier 1 | Tier 2a | Tier 2b | Tier 3
------------------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------|-------------------
1 | Baby Bear | Small Sugar | Sugar Treat | Spooktacular
2 | Autumn Gold | Bushkin | Harvest Moon | Jack-o-Lantern
3 | Aspen | Big Autumn | Connecticut Field | Ghost Rider
Harvesting
-------------
For the first time after every growth stage you can check whether it is ready for harvest by right-clicking on the field, if the option 'Harvest' is displayed then you can harvest your crop. After many harvests you will notice visually the final growth stage of a crop without the need to keep checking.
When you harvest a crop all of its properties with the exception of upkeep resets to 100%. Upkeep on the other hand increases by 5% when you next plant seeds. So for example if the upkeep were lowered to 50% before the crop harvest, after it the upkeep will be at 50% ready for the Humus preparation and planting. After planting the fields upkeep will then increase to 55%.
Rough estimates of crop output
---------------------------------
Based on 100% Plenty:
Cotton - 4 Raw Cottons (10 Cotton = 1 Cotton Cloth)
Cereal - 3 Ears
Cabbage - 4 Cabbages
Pumpkin - 4 Pumpkins
## Personal Study
--------------------
When increasing the amount of fields on your farm I find it best to first plant the most abundant seeds you have in the newly tilled fields. Im my case this is usually cotton but this maybe different in yours. Then concentrate on getting the upkeep to the lowest possible value. (50%)
5 Woodblocks (10 Wood Chippings) when used as a fertiliser on the recently planted field will bring the upkeep down from 100% to 50%. (Skill: Three-field System)
This will increase your overall efficiency and the amount of fields of the same crop type that you can plant simultaneously.
Influence Crops
-------------------
The main objective here is to increase the influence as high as possible of the crops which feed the bars/meters of the crop you are trying to get the best possible output from i.e. Tier 3 Cotton.
This is achieved by rotating two crops until you get the bars/meters full enough for the desired crop output. For example if I'm aiming to produce a tier 3 cotton crop I would rotate crops of Cabbage and Cereal with as much influence fertiliser added to them as possible until I reach a sum of at least 150 from both bars/meters of which cotton consumes.
5 Hay on each field will raise its influence to 311% with the skill Three-field System.
After then add any Wood Chippings required to bring the upkeep down to as low as possible.
For more detailed information on fertilisers and their values read this chart here: bit.ly/MNYbfU
Bumper Crops
---------------
The main objective here is to increase the plenty of your desired crop. For example I've been rotating Cabbage and Cereal for a while now and the sum of the two bars/meters is enough to grant me a tier 3 crop. I want to get as much possible out out this crop so I fertilise it with as much Lime as I can to increase the fields plenty.
10 Lime will bring a fields plenty to a minimum of 300% with the skill Three-field System.
Also don't forget about increasing your level in the Stocks & Cultivars proficiency. The greater the level the bigger the plenty bonus when planting seeds. For example my Stocks & cultivars level is at 55 so when I plant seeds there is a chance of increased plenty between 0 - 55 being added to that field.
For more detailed information on fertilisers and their values read this chart here: bit.ly/MNYbfU
Crop Rotation
---------------
Bumper Crop | Influence Crops
---------------------------------------------
Cotton: | Cabbage & Cereal
Cabbage: | Pumpkin & Cotton
Cereal: | Cabbage & Pumpkin
Pumpkin: | Cotton & Cereal
## Sources
-------------
Salem Wiki - www.salemwiki.info
Salem Paradox Forums - forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?590-Salem
Agrculture & Fertilisers - bit.ly/MNYbfU
## A Guide to Farming ##
## By Jord. ##
------------------------------------
## What is Farming?
----------------------
Farming is one of the most important roles one could undertake in the world of Salem. From the production of better quality foods to the luxurious types of Cotton, it will always be a task that is in high demand by both yourself and others wanting to progress their characters further.
So what can I grow from farming you ask? Well there are 4 types of crop that you can currently grow each with a system of quality that determines the output of that crop, the quality of the crop is divided into groups called 'tiers'. Increasing the quality or 'tier' of a crop's output is done using specific fertilisers. All unmodified crops by default give tier 1 output, the standard quality crop. Tier 1 being the lowest possible type of output.
Here are the 4 types of crop with examples of how they're used the the crafting world of Salem.
Cotton
---------
Cotton is produced in its raw form and must first be cleaned by crafting 'Clean Cotton' which produces Cotton as well as seeds for replanting.
Clean Cotton can then be weaved into Cotton cloth by using a Loom. Crafting a piece of Cotton cloth will require x10 clean Cotton.
Cotton cloth is then used in the crafting of clothing and other Cotton goods such as planter’s pouches and dry goods bags. The tier of the cotton will determine what you can craft with it. Some crafts require a higher quality or tier of crop output.
Cabbage
----------
Cabbage is produced in its complete form and must be split first to obtain the leaves of Cabbage. Each Cabbage will give up to 6 leaves, the type of leaf given will be determined by the tier of the crop's output.
Leaves of Cabbage can then be used in the crafting of foods such as Cabbage Rolls (Meat & Game food) or Cabbage Cakes (Pies & Pastries)
Cereal
---------
Cereal is produced in the form of Ears which can then either be milled into flour using a Windmill or used in a craft 'Thresh Cereals' to make into seeds for replanting.
Flour is the basis for all types of Pies & Pastries in Salem and depending on the tier of the crop's output you can get different types of flour which are necessary for crafting better foods.
Flour can be used in conjunction with buckets of water and other ingredients to craft foods such as pie cases, cabbage cakes, rye bread and many more. Pie cases are required in order to make Pumpkin pies for example and must be done so by using a baking table.
Pumpkin
----------
Pumpking much like cabbage is produced in its complete form which then can be sliced or eaten. Slicing the pumpkin with give you pumpkin flesh and seeds for replanting.
Pumpkin flesh is a highly sought after ingredient for crafting great gluttony foods such as Pumpkin Pies and Aztec Abattoir. (Meat & Game)
Unlike the other types of crop there a multiple growth types of pumpkin that present themselves in stages. There are 3 growth stages of pumpkin from stage 1 to stage 3 where the pumpkins have been left to mature the longest. At each stage you have the option of harvesting the pumpkins but if left they will continue to grow and evolve into a larger sized pumpkin of a different type. The benefit of leaving the pumpkins to mature is that you will receive a greater number of pumpkin flesh and seeds from the type of pumpkin harvested when sliced.
## So what skills do I need?
-------------------------------
To be a farmer in Salem or be it a good farmer you will need to train for the following skills:
> Survival Skills
> Self-Defence
> Colonial Tradesmanship
> Settling
> Agriculture
> Cabbage Growing
> Cotton Planting
> Three-field System
> Foraging
> Lore of the Lumberwoods
> Hiking
> Exploration
> Flowers & Berries
> Gardening
> Pumpkin Planting
Also your level in the proficiency 'Stocks & Cultivars' will greatly increase the amount of plenty added by chance when planting seeds in a tilled field.
## My very first field
-------------------------
The first thing you will need to do is acquire seeds. You can buy these seeds from the vendors at Boston but they are pretty expensive, even for a older player. You are better off looking to trade with a fellow farmer to get a better value for your silver. If you only have the basic Agriculturing skill then I recommend you get Cereal seeds.
Tilling a Field
------------------
Tilling a field is your first step toward becoming a great farmer in the world of Salem. To till a field you must select the 'Till Field' command from the crafting menu.
The actual placement of a field can seem rather complicated at first but with practice you soon become familiar with the process in no time at all.
The size of a field is 4x4, (That's 4 squares or tiles wide and the same for height). The field's center tile is indicated by the following example:
| | | | |
-------------------------
| | X | | |
-------------------------
| | | | |
-------------------------
| | | | |
So when tilling a field before clicking on the tile/square remember where the field will actually be placed. Once you have tilled a field you can take at look at it stats by right-clicking on it. The 4 stats are as follows:
Upkeep: The amount of Humus needed to prepare the field and the amount of seeds required for planting. Default: 100%
Plenty: The amount that the crop will produce. The higher the plenty the more plentiful the output will be. Default: 100% + (0 - Your Stocks & Cultivars proficiency level, when planting seeds)
Speed: The speed at which the crop grows. A Cotton crop will take 4 days to grow by default. Default: 100%
Influence: The amount of influence that the crop once harvested will give to the respective meter. Default 100% (+5)
Compost
----------
Before you can plant seeds into your recently tilled field you must prepare it first with Humus. Humus is created from a Compost which is is built from the construction menu. Once you have built a Compost you must feed it with compostable items before it begins producing Humus. Almost every type of forageable item or meat can be used to feed the Compost. Take note, some items are better at composting than others. For example Autumn Grass will grant 2 points to the Compost's meter whereas Seaweed will give 6. As long as the Compost meter isn't empty it will produce Humus at a rate of approximately 1 every hour.
## Planting
--------------
The amount of Humus needed to prepare a field for planting is determined by its upkeep. At 100% upkeep (by default) it will require 5 Humus before seeds can be planted. At 50% (The lowest you can go using fertilisers) fields will require only 2 Humus for preparation. You add the Humus to the field by holding it (left-clicking) and then right-clicking on the field.
After you have prepared the field with Humus you can then plant the seeds. The amount of seeds required in order to plant a field is also determined by the field's upkeep. At 100% upkeep (by default) planting cotton will require 50 seeds.
Seeds & Upkeep
-----------------
100% Upkeep - Seeds
Cotton = 50
Pumpking = 50
Cereal = 50
Cabbage = 15
For example a field with its upkeep reduced to 50% by using fertilisers will only require 25 cotton seeds and 2 Humus on its next plant.
Crop Growth Time
-------------------
These are the crop growth times by default @ 100% Speed.
Cabbage = 3 Days
Cereals = 3 Days
Cotton = 4 Days
Pumpkin = 4 Days (Growth Stage 1, +1 Day for every subsequent Growth Stage. To a maximum of 6 days in total.)
## Fertilisers
-----------------
Fertilisers are specific items that can be added to a field once the seeds have been planted and affect its properties. The are different types of fertiliser each with their added bonuses and sometimes penalties. With each additional fertiliser added to a field the actual result become less and less effective than the first because of diminishing returns.
For more detailed information on fertilisers and their values read this chart here: bit.ly/MNYbfU
Fertiliser Types
-------------------
Hay: +Influence
Wood Chippings: -Upkeep
Lime: +Plenty
Humus: +Plenty, +Influence
Coal: +Speed
Clay: -Speed, +Influence
Dross: -Plenty, +Speed
Crown Manure: +Plenty, +Speed, +Influence
## Crop Influence, Tiers & Harvesting
-----------------------------------------
Each field will have 4 bars/meters that are representative of a field's influence output.
Each harvesting cycle will deplete 5 points (Unmodified) from each bar/meter that the crop consumes and fills 5 points (modified by the fields influence property) into its respective meter. For example a field harvested with a property of 200% influence with fill 10 points into its respective bar/meter.
Crop Bars/Meters
-------------------
Crop influence.
Gives to < Takes from
1 [Red] Cabbage < 3,4
2 [Green] Cereal < 4,1
3 [Blue] Cotton < 1,2
4 [Pink] Pumpkin < 2,3
Tiers
--------
The crop's harvest tier output is determined by the sum of the two bars/meters it consumes.
Summary:
0 - 50 = Tier 1
50 - 100 = Tier 1 & Tier 2a
100 - 150 = Tier 2a & Tier 2b
150 - 200 = Tier 3
Crop Type | Teir 1
------------------|----------------------------
Cotton | Yellow-Stained Cotton
Cereal | Ear of Oats
Cabbage | Colewort
Pumpkin | (See below)
Crop Type | Tier 2a | Tier 2b
------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------
Cotton | Indian Cotton | Egyptian Cotton
Cereal | Ear of Rye | Ear of Barly
Cabbage | Green Cabbage | White Cabbage
Pumpkin | (See below) | (See below)
Crop Type | Teir 3
------------------|-----------------------------
Cotton | Sea Island Cotton
Cereal | Ear of Wheat
Cabbage | Red Cabbage
Pumpkin | (See below)
Pumpkin Tiers
----------------
Pumpkins tiers vary depending on the Growth Stage at which they are harvested.
Growth Stage | Tier 1 | Tier 2a | Tier 2b | Tier 3
------------------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------|-------------------
1 | Baby Bear | Small Sugar | Sugar Treat | Spooktacular
2 | Autumn Gold | Bushkin | Harvest Moon | Jack-o-Lantern
3 | Aspen | Big Autumn | Connecticut Field | Ghost Rider
Harvesting
-------------
For the first time after every growth stage you can check whether it is ready for harvest by right-clicking on the field, if the option 'Harvest' is displayed then you can harvest your crop. After many harvests you will notice visually the final growth stage of a crop without the need to keep checking.
When you harvest a crop all of its properties with the exception of upkeep resets to 100%. Upkeep on the other hand increases by 5% when you next plant seeds. So for example if the upkeep were lowered to 50% before the crop harvest, after it the upkeep will be at 50% ready for the Humus preparation and planting. After planting the fields upkeep will then increase to 55%.
Rough estimates of crop output
---------------------------------
Based on 100% Plenty:
Cotton - 4 Raw Cottons (10 Cotton = 1 Cotton Cloth)
Cereal - 3 Ears
Cabbage - 4 Cabbages
Pumpkin - 4 Pumpkins
## Personal Study
--------------------
When increasing the amount of fields on your farm I find it best to first plant the most abundant seeds you have in the newly tilled fields. Im my case this is usually cotton but this maybe different in yours. Then concentrate on getting the upkeep to the lowest possible value. (50%)
5 Woodblocks (10 Wood Chippings) when used as a fertiliser on the recently planted field will bring the upkeep down from 100% to 50%. (Skill: Three-field System)
This will increase your overall efficiency and the amount of fields of the same crop type that you can plant simultaneously.
Influence Crops
-------------------
The main objective here is to increase the influence as high as possible of the crops which feed the bars/meters of the crop you are trying to get the best possible output from i.e. Tier 3 Cotton.
This is achieved by rotating two crops until you get the bars/meters full enough for the desired crop output. For example if I'm aiming to produce a tier 3 cotton crop I would rotate crops of Cabbage and Cereal with as much influence fertiliser added to them as possible until I reach a sum of at least 150 from both bars/meters of which cotton consumes.
5 Hay on each field will raise its influence to 311% with the skill Three-field System.
After then add any Wood Chippings required to bring the upkeep down to as low as possible.
For more detailed information on fertilisers and their values read this chart here: bit.ly/MNYbfU
Bumper Crops
---------------
The main objective here is to increase the plenty of your desired crop. For example I've been rotating Cabbage and Cereal for a while now and the sum of the two bars/meters is enough to grant me a tier 3 crop. I want to get as much possible out out this crop so I fertilise it with as much Lime as I can to increase the fields plenty.
10 Lime will bring a fields plenty to a minimum of 300% with the skill Three-field System.
Also don't forget about increasing your level in the Stocks & Cultivars proficiency. The greater the level the bigger the plenty bonus when planting seeds. For example my Stocks & cultivars level is at 55 so when I plant seeds there is a chance of increased plenty between 0 - 55 being added to that field.
For more detailed information on fertilisers and their values read this chart here: bit.ly/MNYbfU
Crop Rotation
---------------
Bumper Crop | Influence Crops
---------------------------------------------
Cotton: | Cabbage & Cereal
Cabbage: | Pumpkin & Cotton
Cereal: | Cabbage & Pumpkin
Pumpkin: | Cotton & Cereal
## Sources
-------------
Salem Wiki - www.salemwiki.info
Salem Paradox Forums - forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?590-Salem
Agrculture & Fertilisers - bit.ly/MNYbfU