H Hoedown 2016 Comp: Rounding Last Curve

Quite a few months have passed since last year's TOP 1000 competition. Again, although this TOP 1000 competition has been part of an annual event in the past, there is no guarantee that this type of TOP 1000 event will be scheduled this year.

Many farms have continued to prepare. Those who have continued preparation have felt boredom, frustration, experienced the doubts of success, changed strategies even if for only a short period, even abandoned thoughts of participating in such a competition, perhaps made new friends, watched as their farms have grown, certainly have new insight into the dynamics of the game, and many now understand that being competitive in such a competition is do able.

Please feel free to share your strategy changes, feelings and/or question as we go into the home stretch.

In brief I recommend that one move into the frame of mind that the event and competition is being held tomorrow whether it will actually be or not. And stay in that frame of mind until the event is announced if it ever is.

 

I decided a while ago, when my life got busy, that I would need to abandon it this year. The combination of not wanting to give up on events, and knowing I would need to empty nearly everything in my barn in order to participate also weighed heavily on this decision. However, this past year has been given me a solid foundation going into next year, where I should be able to make Top 1000 without putting me back at square one.

 

The decision to wait a while hopefully will work well for you. Surely we all wish you well in what you have decided to do. I do understand how simply the preparation does provide a good foundation. Those continuing on should probably not stop playing the game of "what if." With that said I'll explain what I choose to do.

I want to take a look at this farm. How well is it prepared to answer the following question:

• What if a specific crop is called for, do I have it and enough of it?
• Same question but with grains
• with vegetables
• with flowers
• with other

So if I need to purchase then I will use a market value to exchange ratio just as with tree fruit with the desire to make my ccs go further. A low rate will make my ccs go further. Generally with crops, the higher the EV of a given crop, the lower the market value to EV rate.

And if I need to grow, I'm certainly not going to grow something that take 17 hours or so when I can go something in 1/3 of the time and get that and more.

The chart below summarizes and one can include what they want in a spreadsheet. Spreadsheets are nice and take time to maintain and all that is needed can easily be done without it. However you do it, just stay hard on your farm for maybe a few more months.

There appears to be time to shift into desired areas if need be. The same information can be compiled for BAHA and used if you feel necessary. Of course I have my doubts such a call will be made but I cannot rule it out and will therefor be as prepared as I can to have a well rounded farm.

Good luck!


M Land = mainland

lvl	M Land Grains	ev		lvl	M land Veges	ev		lvl	M land Flwrs	ev		lvl	M land Other	ev
1	wheat	1.8		1	lettuce	1		3	sunflower	4.2		5	blackber	3
2	hay	3		1	carrots	2.5		15	orchid	10		12	strawber	12
3	oats	3.5		5	corn	4.7		24	cornflower	15		20	basil	12.8
4	sorghum	4.5		6	celery	5.2		25	violet	13.5		22	cranber	13
8	hops	3		7	potatoes	3		28	gerbera	14.5		28	gooseber	15.5
39	malt grn	29		9	cucumber	6		29	lilac	17		32	rosemary	21
43	crop circ	42		10	rhubarb	3		35	lily ot vally	25		35	pep mint	26
52	canola	58		11	fennel	9		36	tulip	27		42	watermel	39
60	crop sqr	87.5		13	soybean	9.5		41	peony	34		50	sage	15
75	org cot	130		18	tomatoes	12.5		50	lavender	15		53	blueber	60
79	barley	133		28	pea	16		57	lily	77		55	red pop	66
81	rye	138		30	bean	19		58	daffodil	85		63	haz nut	98
82	spelt	140		32	cabbage	23		66	rose	113		67	turk mel	113
				40	mushroom	30		74	iris	128		78	raspberry	131
				46	pumpkin	45		83	carnation	142		93	chamom	22
				47	radish	48		84	lady's bed	40		95	laurel	24
				51	aspara	45		86	snowdrop	48
				62	oyst mush	85		87	wint jas	60
				64	kohlrabi	100		88	denta	11.5
				65	onion	105		89	begonia	120
				67	sug beet	115		90	aubretia	63
				68	broccoli	117		91	oran tul	20
				69	garlic	120		92	lotus	21
				71	red cabba	122		94	msweet	23
				72	spinach	125		96	per butter	0
				76	artichoke	130
				80	leek	136
				85	caulifl	80

 

One thing that I cannot wrap my mind around is the prices of late. In the real world, in general, if you have a glut of product in the markets... the price generally falls. Here, the prices are inflated... compared to the past. Events cause price spikes because of personal shortages. But, the prices have not been coming back down for tree fruit. What is happening here Perfessor Broke?

I was on pretty good pace to compete in HH this year until RL and the hyper-inflation that dried up the markets for cheap fruit and HH products. I continue to accumulate but at a much slower pace.

 

I agree Banjo, even raising my buy rate...Above 50% Ev at times I still am finding it very hard to find those nice juicy buys. My CC balance is growing fast but the barn is growing very slowly now.

 

@Banjoman
As in RL we have several choices regarding anything we wish to purchase:

• Make the item ourselves which in this game we can do, or
• Purchase the item (the market price is based upon the available quantity for sale and the exiting demand), or
• Do without the item.

Why would any farmer in their right mind sell an item for the same price say they purchased it for a year ago AND know that today their purchasing power is less than a year ago? Sure we might find a desperation seller here and there but generally not.

This TOP 1000 event goes on year round whether all can see it or not. And there is a demand which is created by the chance of an upcoming event similar to that of the past.

Each competitor is either going to pay for what they want, produce it or forget it! Someone is buying the tree fruit (if that is what you want). If you raise your buy rate then you may have access to more because you are paying more and some are drawn into selling to you at a higher price and these same individuals may not have been willing to sell to you so low before.

So you may question supply and some don't wish to compete and will simply grow as much as they can as efficiently as they know how. With no ccs there is no need to go to market with the intent of purchasing.

With price inflation, prices rise. Again, without a doubt, one holding ccs to look at generally has less and less and less buying power as inflation continues.

You will adjust your habits in order to have any hope of being competitive and you can do it. This farm finished well a year and a half ago and at the end was using a buy rate of about 22.5%. A baby farm was sent last year finishing well and its buy rate was at 40%. Today the broke farm's rate is at 57%. An income flow is essential if purchasing.

I can see many are well aware of what is going on in the marketplace and how changes are affecting their goals and playing styles. If you wish to keep going then continue thinking your way through it and enjoy.

 

I don't have any plans on entering the HH, never felt the urge back in the old days either. I love events far too much anyway. BUT I do find your strategies very interesting, and even an event farmer like myself can pick up some good tips.

You guys are referring to a upper limit on buy, and for me it sounds (reads) like the limit is expressed in a CC/EV ratio, is this so ?

And Mr Farmer Broke - Can't see how inflation plays into farmemrama, other than the closer we are to HH, the HH-DIY farmers start to look towards the market to supplement their stock ? Events sure does play a role here too. And the seriousness of the FOCD amongst players. Also the number of players and their level ofc. Many newbies, more short time growth plants in the market, and overflow of chickens etc. I am aware of the demand and supply theory of economics. Is there an aspect I have missed out ?

 

There is no more efficient way of purchasing for donation than to use a buy rate which is determined by dividing the market price by the EV and to continuously use this rate. Each farmer determines their rate and begins by setting it as low as possible. Using that rate, a farmer will buy any and everything that they feel is eligible for donation as long as purchased at the set rate or below. Ones ccs go further and donation is made very efficiently.

If such a farmer is not able to get the quantity they want AND they have the ccs to continue purchasing then that farmer will naturally raise their buy rate a little. After a few weeks of doing this, that farmer knows where to look and does it very quickly and goes on about their business until they sign in again.

I have found no event that does not touch some item within the game. The effect may not be seen immediately as many effects are delayed. I'm not so quick to knock the short time growth crops and will definitely grow them. The reason is because I'll have a long term crop growing farm working for me. What takes me say 1.5 hours to grow I can buy what takes them 10 to even 17 hours to grow. Basic supply and demand make this possible.

I agree that some to buy year round for the HH. Some will buy for events of course and some will wildly purchase with little intent other than to invest or because they may like a particular item. (If one were to view their barn using EV then nearly all farmers will see how out-of-balance their barns really are. I see nothing wrong and each to their own. Being out-of-balance happens and is another aspect of this game few will ever consider. While 1,000 or 10,000 of every crop is fine, in terms of barn value using the same quantity one will see just how distorted this really is.)

If indeed you have an understanding of supply and demand pricing then I can only add that the Farmerama markets do not qualify as efficient markets.

Any and every farm is encouraged to work the basic event just as any other event. That basic event is only a qualifier and stock and ability to grow is taken as a given. That qualifying part is a joke; it's a nuisance and farmers play "what if" games with themselves for entertainment while preparing to compete.

Thanks for participating. Some preparing are real real quiet. They'll surface and some will even share their experiences in the future for those who will follow.

 

Broke, you have been a major inspiration and tutor for me preparing for this event. Thank you with all my heart!

I, like you play the “what if” game and I have to say that I really like it. Because of that my farm has grown in every area.
I have been prepping my farm for this event since last year’s HH. I have been broke so many times I cannot count and I have been sick and tired of it too. But it has also been a lot of fun watching my farm grow and making millions I never thought possible. So this year my farm has at times never had more ccs and at other times never less - I have taken it to zero again and again and still I do. I have very little ccs when I close the farm at night but in the morning I am ready to spend some again. This will continue till mid August and then I will save some ccs for last minute purchasing if I need do.

In the beginning I purchased tree fruit at 50% of EV, then lowered to 40% and just this week I raised to 50% again. I find absolutely no tree fruit from main land at that rate anymore but still I can find offers for baha fruit - usually the same 3-5 kind.
I see some baha fruit is really really high and I consider selling those fruits to buy more of the cheaper ones but I have not done it yet.

Most challenging and most fun part of the prep has for me been the never ending hunt for ccs to fund my spending. I have found some items to play on a regular basis and some only for specific times - and I have found myself having a preference for playing the more risky products.

What you have shown with the crops you can do with animals too - divide them into rare mainland, regular mainland and baha animals (I don’t believe in a call for rare baha animals at this time) and maybe there will be no need for this segregation of the animals at all. But I am prepared if. You can split the tree fruit into mainland and baha and you can even split artisan products if you like. I am not paying a lot of attention to them but I do have many many of the needed drop ups to make a whole lot of them if I have to. And I have considered tools, breeding animals and products too.

I have been very dedicated to this preparation and still I am. I know I have done all I possibly could and if I don’t make it I will cry in my sleep for the rest of the year.

I wish you all the best of luck and just keep going!

 

Thanks for the answer F_B, Agree on the all events affect the market one way or the other. Food for thought. (and yes I am making a spreadsheet)

 

Great to have charts and spreadsheets. Words of encouragement to those using: Neither farm I have sent that was successful ever made use of a spreadsheet. I know the advantages of them threw professional use, manipulation and evaluation. I choose not to use them thus far. If you are using them and maintaining them then you are so much the better. If one has not been using spreadsheets then please be assured that not all hope is lost. With or without them, one should operate their farms as efficiently as possible during the remaining time. Simply do it as best you can while enjoying what you are doing.

Products
Several game changes have lead to a somewhat steady climb in the prices of most products. Many have gathered parrot feathers as a donation item. Prices have been competitive with tree fruit rates and parrot feathers have been a good investment item also. (Of course we must always keep in mind that any item may not be allowed for donation purposes.)

If one is preparing the product area then at this time I strongly suggest reviewing holdings. BP must market the storage facility and this is assisting with fueling prices as well as my concern. The "what ifs" of concern:

• What if there is a call for products in general, is the farm prepared? (At this time, an adequate supply of parrot feathers will address this. EV is 1,864)
• What if there is a general call for BAHA products? (Again, parrot feather holdings will efficiently address this call.)
• What if there is a general call for main farm products? (When we began, eggs were best but are not an efficient donation item at this time for a general call. Depending on ones market prices, cow milk or honey have been good holdings. Milk EV is 465 and honey EV is 740.)
• What if there is a specific product item call? The call may be done by EV or specific quantity.(Holding a number of each products is the only way to address this type of call.)

Notice that all qualifying product items above have related trees available for efficient production. They are being used as these workshops are inefficient now and have been for a long long while. They are inefficient to use at this time but unlikely to be always inefficient!

Tired of preparing for an event which may never come?

 

eeeek farmer_broke are you implying that there may Not be a HH?? Perhaps with the change in ownership of our beloved Farmerama, they may eliminate this popular event????

 

Brookeham I don't think the change of the owners will have to do anything with the HH.

 

Hello Brookeham! I cannot say with absolute certainty that there will be a HH this year. Such an event has been an annual barn-burning event. Although similar statements have been made during the year, I have no reason whatsoever to assume that a similar event will not be held this year NOR do I have any information suggesting the event will be held this year.

To my knowledge, no person with any authority has made a statement to the public one way or the other regarding a HH TOP 1000 this year. Wondering whether the event will definitely take place will remain with anyone preparing for such an event until the faqs are released.

The "eeeek(s)" have not even begun for prepares just yet. Here are a couple:

• What do I do if my computer crashes during the event and I have not finished growing any junks required?
• What do I do if my internet connection is lost for a few days during the event?

There is no need to panic. Any farm properly preparing is much better off by now than it was before serious thought was given to such preparation.

 

farmer_broke - Well that is good news for those preparing for HH!

 

***** Tree fruit prices *****

The storage facilities' related quests are having their effect on tree fruit prices. That effect is rippling through to other items which are being gathered (e.g. parrot feathers).

Some will have this thought: I have not invested in BAHA trees in order to produce high EV tree fruit to this point. Should I?

comment: Without the use of buffs or fertilizer, one - two months can pass before the trees are considered paid-for (when comparing tree price to the market price of the related tree fruit produced). In considering this event only, one may be just as well off or better if one continues without the additional investment. The time before any benefit is received is quite long now. Also, each individuals farming practices are different. A word of encouragement: The mud_pie_man farm which finished at 14th last year did not have access to maple sap until a week or so before the event. Also, the highest BAHA tree it had access to was Papaya until the last month before the event.

For the sake of those actively acquiring tree fruit at this time: I hope that drill DOES NOT become available before the competition.

---------
Those who feel confident about their holdings for the competition:

1. Careful not to get overconfident. Continuing to shape a farm as if one is not prepared will give a little more flexibility than f one does not.
2. Beginning to invest in tree fruit which is NOT good for donation purposes should prove a decent risk. Simply set a limit and leave it in the barn for now. (A separate rate has worked well for this farm in the past.) Drawing a line when one changes rates will be beneficial.

tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick

 

Shhhh, Quiet Broke !!!
Someone might be actually listening, instead of waiting for a moment to comment and reply

 

Surely those preparing understand that being well prepared to compete in such a competition is do able. An event requiring growing would be beneficial at this time as it is like a trial run. Efficient growing is very important about now. A farm can indeed beat the EV of maple sap by growing a crop which may be donated.

Holdings of BAHA crops would make a farm a little more well rounded than with out them. Adequate holdings of crops in each category will do the same.

Very important to prepare the farm to complete the basic event as many will do this. CC holding will give some security but using them at the time of the event will be costly.

One harvest at a time gets you there. Enjoy!