I must be one of those weird ones. I don't pay the farmer to check after my crops for me. I do everything myself. I farm in Catherby, that way I can easily train something else while my crops are growing. Usually, I fish/cook swordies. I will get an entire inventory of swordies, cook them, deposit in bank, check on crops. Lather, rinse, repeat. It seems tedious, but it's a good way to 1)train multiple skills at once, 2) replenish my food for combat, 3) get a little bit more money in my bank (I sell all produce to the store next to the allotment).