Thoughts from a "multi-farmer"...
I've been playing HD for almost a year, and it took about a month for me to want to try a baby farm, and that was it, I now have 4 farms -- yes, I know I'm lucky to have extra devices, and no, I'm not rich, over 5 years time I have 1 gift, 1 inherited, 1 purchased (thanks amazon payment plan) and 1 scored at a thrift store!...
I'd really like to hear from others who enjoy "multi-farming", as I call it...
I like being able to do for myself, my own support and trading... I started playing with a fb friend, after awhile she didn't like my laid-back attitude toward the Derby, so she left, and that's when I realized just how much energy and resources I had been putting into her farm... when I was able to put that into just my farms, what a wonderful farming world it became! BTW, she also thought I was silly to have more than one farm, but had no problem with how I always had the items she needed for various tasks :p...
I try to keep each farm doing some specific tasks, such as farm 2 that does everything cherries, trees, juice, jam and popsicles, and as I started each new farm I would shift the grinding out of the basics to that farm, and adjust the products upward on the others... after the first farm I knew what machines I wanted, what worked for me, so that I have the town only on the main farm, and the boat only on main and farm 2, and it's only used for very special events like holidays with prizes (I don't like the boat :))... farm 2 also does only honey, so the main farm can devote to beeswax (the candlemaker is there)...
I have the mine open on all farms, because mining is my favorite, but the jewelry maker is on farm 2, and the ingots produced on the other farms are sent there...
Fishing is open on each, the main is devoted to ducks and lobsters, farm 2 started out with only nets for fillets, but as I got enough to upgrade I have started doing some duck and lobster there as well, along with the nets, and farm 3 is taking over with the nets... because of the upgrade, I am now able to produce lobster soup as well as the pumpkin soup that farm 2 is used for... the feathers I send to the main farm for making pillows and hats...
I get a juicer and jam maker on each farm, farm 1 now does berry, tomato and orange juice, and blackberry, raspberry and strawberry jam, farm 2 does only cherry, farm 3 does apple juice and apple jam (soon to expand to raspberry), and the baby farm does carrot juice...
I have the ice cream maker on 3 farms, main does chocolate and strawberry, 2 does popsicles and 3 does vanilla and strawberry...
I have looms and sewing machines on farm 1 and 2, but only looms on the others, they provide fabric and wool items, farm 1 sews only pillows and blankets, farm 2 sews the basics...
I use Rose and Earnest on farm 1 and 2, I've liked them from the beginning, and consider them essential to keeping up with the everyday tasks so I can keep up with all the machines and areas... and for me, Tom is a given, I've had him "on retainer" from the beginning, those 3 are worth it, at least to me... (and once again, I'm not rich, I don't throw money at the game, but this is what I enjoy, so for special occasions I will tell the family to get a gift card so I can "do my farm" -- they roll their eyes, but that's ok, it's at least something they know I can and will use :D)
I have little need for the DD, except when I get behind in a crop, and I like to think my shop is a good one, I try to fill it with a mix of high-end and basic items, tho' it usually gets snapped up by one person, which I know is the way it is in the DD...
It's a juggling act at times, no doubt about it, and sometimes gets away from me, but it's fun and certainly keeps an old lady busy :)...
Ok, I've rambled enough :smirk:, if anyone's made it this far I thank you for listening and appreciate any feedback...