Crop distribution

[PookieBear50]

Right now I have 57 plots, and I am running into difficulties deciding how to distribute the crops. I have a couple of questions to ask, but let me explain my current situation first.

I have 6 plots dedicated to wheat and 6 to corn, which seems to be enough for the moment, since both crops grow rather quickly. I have 6 also allotted to sugar cane, which also seems to be enough since it takes long enough to make sugar in the Windmill for the plants to grow back completely.

I have 10 for the flax, since it is used in four of the feed recipes as well as the fancy bait.

I have 1 extra plot that I use to round off the numbers when I end up with odd numbers of produce (odd numbers bother me, for some reason).

The other 28 plots end up getting rotated and switched out among the other crops. I almost always have potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach growing, since they are used most often, but sometimes if other crops drop too low I switch them out to grow more carrots, peppers, tea, peanuts, strawberries, and cotton.

I don't usually make cotton products since they take so long, but the Easter Event consumed all my wool for a while, so I ended up using the Studio to make yarn. And now that I have the Cafe, I am using up all the Tea almost as soon as it becomes available (haven't yet purchased coffee bushes, but I plan to do so soon).

First, as of right now, are there any more crops beyond the cotton and tea (which I think are the last two I unlocked)? Second, how do others distribute the crops so they don't run too low on any one crop?

Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions anyone can offer.

[queentina3]

I keep it simple, but then I don't have all the crops open to me yet either. :p

I have mine arranged in a set of 9, a perfect square, and then 5 blocks of them. See pic below.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b342/queentina3/TeamLava/01898683e855855467bb37bc046415ea7a136e6e54_00001_z psus6on2af.jpg

I try to have at least 30-35 of each crop stored, though wheat/sugar/flax/corn is sometimes higher - almost 40, and once I get anywhere between 20-28 of a crop, I'll plant more of it. I try to keep each block to it's own crop, but sometimes when I'm only a little low on a few things, then I'll use 3 strips of a block of 9 each for one crop - one strip peppers, one strip lettuce, one strip peanuts.

Since I only go into my game ever hour to two hours, by the time I log back in, most of my crops have finished and I can plant new ones. It is rare that I run so low I have to go to the paper or neighbors to get more, but it has happened sometimes. I misjudged the flax or peanuts and sold more than I should have. :o

[tigarlilyvol]

There is one more crop, vanilla bean not sure what level I think upper 50's level. You seem to be on track for your present usage. It depends on how many animals you have plus if you do train and plane deliveries. I have a set amount of wheat, corn, flax, and sugarcane usually in higher amounts. The I try for 3 each tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peppers. The rest is planted on supply and demand at the time. I try to keep a certain amount in silo and replant anything that is below this amount, everyone will have a differnt plan depending on their level and style of play.

[PookieBear50]

Thank you both for your feedback. Thanks to this last event, I've been regularly running out of wheat, what with needing to make Biscuits, then Flour for the Bread, along with all the Feed for the animals. Fortunately, it grows very quickly, so I've been able to keep up with demand. Flax is harder, and I've frequently run low and had to buy from the Marketplace, which is why I grow more Flax than other crops.

I do deliveries, both plane (regularly) and train (occasionally). My numbers fluctuate as I frequently end up using crops in the different recipes just to make space for the main ones (wheat, corn, flax, sugarcane).

What's the maximum number of plots we're able to get? I think I counted 60 on someone's farm, but I don't recall.

[tigarlilyvol]

Maximum plots 66

[puppynox]

What you plant and how much is very much going to depend on your playing style, the types of items you craft, etc.

I know my style of playing and what I generally need to have on hand for each crop for me to feel I have enough that I won't run out and/or will have enough if the train wants that crop. I have 63 plots, in 9 rows of 7 plots each. I almost always have 2-3 rows of flax and 2-3 rows of sugar cane going at all times, except if I have a ton and am going to be away from the game for hours. These are the two crops I fly through the most, other than corn and wheat, so I need a steady supply.

I make wheat and corn (and usually tomatoes and potatoes, too) only while I'm actively in the game and can therefore harvest them as soon as they are done. When I have enough, I plant something that takes longer. I would never dedicate a row for their exclusive use, as surely there would be wasted time when I step away from the game. Since I usually have flax going most of the time, I know I will have space free to make more wheat and corn at least every 30 minutes, so I just make sure I have enough to last until then. I pretty much just make a massive amount at once, then another whole bunch when I start to get low.

The other rows are used to catch up on any other crops that fall below my preferred amount I like to have on hand, or if I can tell I will fall below that level before the time it takes to make that crop.

Here's how much I like to have on hand at each and what I use the crops for most of the time:
Wheat--80 (feeds, dough bait, quiche, flour)
Corn--45 (feeds, dough bait, cornmeal)
Tomatoes--20 (quiche, sometimes salad)
Potatoes--20 (nothing, just on hand for plane and train)
Flax--50 (feeds, fancy bait, fabric flower)
Sugar cane--50-60 (sugar, brown sugar, simple syrup as needed)
Peppers--40 (nothing, just on hand for plane and train)
Carrots--40 (sometimes salad)
Spinach--40 (fish sandwich, sometimes salad)
Peanuts--40-50 (peanut butter, sometimes peanut brittle and chocolate banana)
Cotton--40 (yarn for overnight)
Vanilla--40 (vanilla ice cream)