Mother Gaia: An In-Depth Manual to Farming

[Zaaps1]

Awesome! Any help would be greatly appreciated! I will certainly need it :

 

 

 

If you don't mind, can you explain to me what Google docs is and how it works? I don't really know it well.

 

 

 

Definately will add though :thumbsup:

[FinsToTheLeft]

I'm confused as to why one wouldn't supercompost fruit trees. Wouldn't it help prevent disease, making it worthwhile? (edit2: given that I'm farming palms without protecting b/c the cost of 15 papayas is over the 10%)

 

 

 

Remember that there are three things that supercompost does:

 

 

 

Grow faster

 

Greater yield

 

Less disease

 

 

 

Now most people only do 1 fruit tree run per day. Since fruit trees all grow in ~15 hours, you don't need them to grow faster. Even if they did, it wouldn't help you since you'd still only do 1 fruit tree run per day. Therefore, most people do not need them to grow faster (now, if you do more than 1 fruit tree run per day, that's a different story).

 

 

 

All fruit trees has a set yield. The only way to increase a fruit tree's yield is by using a familiar (Giant Ent). Therefore, you do not need supercompost to increase their yield, since you can't.

 

 

 

If you are paying to protect the trees, you do not need to worry about disease, since the farmers will cure them. However, if you do not pay to protect trees, you SHOULD supercompost them. Since you are not paying to protect your Papayas, you should supercompost your trees.

 

 

 

Great guide; Fins

 

 

 

Edit: I think the hide titles could be more descriptive and organized better. For example, 'how to train' as you state is more 'what to grow,' so why not name it as such? On organization, the first hide tag seems especially long and ought to be split because the two parts are vastly different: I say have one part for basics (e.g. what is a rake and the order of operations for a patch) and another for items, skills etc. required.

 

 

 

Makes sense. I'll do that, thanks.

 

 

 

I also think something that would aid your guide is for you to create a GoogleDocs/Excel chart that automatically updates that'll tell farmers the gp/xp ratio. The Wikipage you link to is alright, but it has alot of irrelevant information and doesn't have herbs listed. Now that I think about it though, the wikipage can be viewed by anyone, not just google account owners, so perhaps I'm wrong here.

 

 

 

Good idea, but I have no idea how to do that :-#

 

 

 

You never seem to mention dwarf weeds (maybe I overlooked it though). Some people grow them because they have double the experience that snapdragons give. I personally wouldn't grow them, but I know other guides recommend doing so, so give a reason as to why snaps/ranarrs, etc. would be better.

 

 

 

Dwarf weed is not worth growing. Assuming you break even, you'd get ~3k more xp per run than snaps. However, you are paying 100k for that 3k xp. That means you are paying 33.3gp/xp, which is huge. Comparably, prayer with dbones is only about 14gp/xp and magic trees are only 15gp/xp. So by planting dwarf weed, you are farming extremely inefficiently.

 

 

 

This distracts from your focus, but I don't think it'd be bad to mention adding in daily RS chores to a long farming run (even if you only mention it in an FAQ or whatever, in the main guide it'd obviously distract). Varrock teleport takes you right next to battlestaves, herb runs end at Catherby, and you can use the Seers' Headband in conjunction with Catherby/Camelot teleports.

 

 

 

Good idea. It slows down the run somewhat, and it takes up inventory space you can't spare with my setup. Although you could bank in the middle of the run to make room. That just takes too much time. I prefer to just take care of all those chores after. It works out much quicker this way.

 

 

 

Finally, I would recommend having a 'quick refer' list of what order to farm trees and such in. If I was a farmer used to doing a different route, I'd have to continually refer back to your guide and scroll through images and such when all I really need to know is 'falador teleport, varrock teleport, lumbridge teleport, elf crystal, duelling ring to MA, etc.' This is just something I like to have, not sure how others would like to have this written after the more in-depth farming run you have already.

 

 

 

A compact outline? Sounds good, where should I put that though? Right after the longer one?

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and I really like the MA duelling ring use, nice work on that.

 

 

 

Thanks, it came to me when I read the MA newspost. I was pretty happy. Before you had to go from the Varrock tree to the GE spirit tree. You'd also have to carry a magic log too in order to balloon back to the Grand Tree after you ballooned to Taverly. MA teleport was a huge help for farming.

 

 

 

Thanks for your post. Will update with everything you suggested when you reply to question on the outline.

 

 

 

--Ftrees--missed that part! Thanks!

 

 

 

--Great explanation on dwarf weed, that'll fit perfectly in with the guide.

 

 

 

--I'll agree to disagree with you on the dailys incorporated into farming. I keep supercompost in the leprechaun and plenty in the bank, so I use only 5-6 from the Leprechaun per run. Thus, I haven't had any inv space problems. However, I can see where the problem would arise if one wasn't using the leprechaun, so I understand why it might not work out.

 

 

 

--I would put the 'compact outline' probably right after the main one.

 

 

 

--edit: following post takes care of the GoogleDocs request.

[Zaaps1]

Will edit in outline and dweed in FAQ.

 

 

 

If you use a Lep to store your supercompost, you would be slowing down your runs. Plus, it makes the runs a lot more confusing than they need to be, and you still can't fit in all of the chores in 1 tree/fruit tree run. That is why I do them separate (it's also why the tree/herb/bush runs are separate): it's less confusing and it's faster.

 

 

 

I will, however, make a note of it, thanks!

[3PointMan]

heh you owe me zaaps. That's 2 of your guides I sent in for AoW :

[Wachtwoord]

Just wondering, is there any particular reason why you asked?

 

Because writing up tips you've heard somewhere else and put it in a guide is something everybody can do, but inventing a whole new method is a lot harder.

 

 

 

Another reason I asked was because I've read/seen a lot of different tree routes, but this one was new to me.

[Zaaps1]

Ok, gotcha.

 

 

 

And yeah, thanks 3pm :

[JoeDaStudd]

Definitely worth taking Giant Ent on bush, fruit tree and cacti runs.

 

You get ~1.5x more fruit.

 

For me if adds a nice chunk of gp to a run.

 

5 x 3 extra coconuts (~19k), 4 x 2 extra poison ivy berries (~9k) and 1 extra spine (~4k) totals at ~32k extra per standard run. Which isn't bad at all considering the pouch is only 2k.

[Zaaps1]

Definitely worth taking Giant Ent on bush, fruit tree and cacti runs.

 

You get ~1.5x more fruit.

 

For me if adds a nice chunk of gp to a run.

 

5 x 3 extra coconuts (~19k), 4 x 2 extra poison ivy berries (~9k) and 1 extra spine (~4k) totals at ~32k extra per standard run. Which isn't bad at all considering the pouch is only 2k.

 

 

 

Will add thanks :thumbup:

[Kaphias]

Awesome! Any help would be greatly appreciated! I will certainly need it :

 

 

 

If you don't mind, can you explain to me what Google docs is and how it works? I don't really know it well.

 

 

 

Definately will add though :thumbsup:

 

A couple great guides on Google Docs:

 

viewtopic.php?f=180&t=782319

 

viewtopic.php?t=745411

 

 

 

Feel free to PM me with any additional questions. :)

[FinsToTheLeft]

Definitely worth taking Giant Ent on bush, fruit tree and cacti runs.

 

You get ~1.5x more fruit.

 

For me if adds a nice chunk of gp to a run.

 

5 x 3 extra coconuts (~19k), 4 x 2 extra poison ivy berries (~9k) and 1 extra spine (~4k) totals at ~32k extra per standard run. Which isn't bad at all considering the pouch is only 2k.

 

 

 

Will add thanks :thumbup:

 

 

 

There's one small change that using a giant ent requires. Because you can't take it on balloons, you must balloon to taverley as your last step (or else not get the full use of your ent familiar).

 

 

 

So here's what I do:

 

 

 

 

 

1. Tele to Varrock

 

2. Tele to Lumbridge

 

3. Tele to Falador

 

4. Tele to Camelot/Catherby

 

5. Duelling Ring to MA and Spirit Tree to Gnome Village

 

6. Duelling Ring to MA and Spirit Tree to Brimhaven, then run south to Calquat

 

7. Tiny Elf Crystal to Lleyta

 

8. Duelling Ring to MA and Spirit Tree to Gnome Stronghold

 

9. Dismiss Ent and balloon to Taverly

 

 

 

 

 

(simply move the duelling ring to MA and balloon to taverley steps to the bottom)

 

 

 

And the giant ent works great, I'd definitely recommend. Now if only there was a familiar to increase herb yields...

[Zaaps1]

Awesome, thanks! Will add.

[Troacctid]

I use the fruit bat as sort of an all-purpose familiar. Typically the value of the items it forages is about 12k gp for 45 minutes. That's nothing special, but it doesn't slow you down at all except to stop you using balloons, so it's one of those things that you just might as well have. It's particularly useful for somebody like me who only does herb runs, which means no balloons where I'd need to dismiss it, and no berries or fruit where an ent would be more profitable.

 

 

 

I put my spirit tree on Etceteria because it's more convenient access than a fairy ring--I don't need to remember to bring a lunar staff and a hatchet when I got to top off my approval rating, because I'm not using fairy rings and I can just grab a rake from the leprechaun to help the farmer, or hop over the dock and help the fisherman with barehand fishing. Plus, I get to stop at the poison ivy bush. I agree that Brimhaven is better if you continue to farm trees, but unless you're going for 99, I see no real reason to keep going for fast xp once you've already planted your spirit tree.

 

 

 

For the low-level farmers, you can skip a fair amount of training just by doing quests. Fairy Tale Part 1 has no farming requirement, and the xp reward takes you to at least 18 farming, which means you can go straight to planting oaks. Forgettable Tale of a Drunken Dwarf's xp reward can take you from 18 to 25 farming. Garden of Tranquillity will easily carry you from 25 to 30 farming from its xp reward. Then you can do My Arm's Big Adventure and Enlightened Journey to go to 30-something. The fact that all of these quests (except Forgettable Tale) are ones that you would have already wanted to do for various farming-related reasons (well, for Garden of Tranquillity, it's more for fishing, so you can do Swan Song and catch monkfish) means that you've effectively skipped those levels with no training at all.

 

 

 

Nice guide.

[Zaaps1]

Thanks for the reply. Will add note on quests.

 

 

 

Fruit bat is more of a conditional familiar. Certainly you could use it, but what for? Will the 5 minutes it's out during an herb run make a difference? Most likely not, unless you plan to use it before/after, in which case you already will have used it. To make myself clear, while it is useful, it isn't useful enough for the short time you farm.

 

 

 

Visits to MTK typically occur on a weekly basis for most players. Other than that, you rarely visit the island at all. However, Brimhaven is a pretty high-traffic area. The tree is very useful for Slayer, Distractions and Diversions, Agility, and many other things. Overall, Brimhaven is the most useful. You could say that the Etceteria tree helps you more, but the 30 seconds you save once per week isn't worth giving up such a useful tree in Brimhaven.

[nerdboyxxx]

excellent guide dude :thumbsup: I'll definitely be using it on my own journey to 99 farming (which happens to be my favourite skill :). I'll be starting in the next month or two, once I finish 99 woodcutting. Then I can buy seeds and stuff in bulk :P I'll post some of my times when I get started.

[Zaaps1]

Great! I look forward to seeing them :

[MisterMcBoring]

I love you, this guide is truly awesome. Told me everything I need to know to do farming, and your layout is very pleasing to the eyes. :thumbsup:

[Zaaps1]

Thank you! :thumbsup:

[sheep455_is_the_best]

"5. Duelling Ring to Mobilizing Armies, then take the Spirit Tree to Tree Gnome Village, exit the Village and have Elkoy lead you through the maxe"

[Zaaps1]

"5. Duelling Ring to Mobilizing Armies, then take the Spirit Tree to Tree Gnome Village, exit the Village and have Elkoy lead you through the maxe"

 

 

 

I'll get on that, thanks

[warrior5024]

Congratulations on AoW! This is a very detailed, well-planned guide, and it is much appreciated. I am very on-and-off with farming, but I do enjoy the skill.

 

 

 

Now, I've been doing more herb runs lately and I practically live on Lunar's since 96 Magic. buy/sell Supercompost for around 800 gp each on the Grand Exchange, but to cast the Spell, it costs around 1.1k. It doesn't seem logical or economical to use that spell, and it isn't as though supercompost is difficult to make.

 

 

 

If I could profit by using the spell and selling compost, I would use it, but you lose more than you gain.

[Zaaps1]

Congratulations on AoW! This is a very detailed, well-planned guide, and it is much appreciated. I am very on-and-off with farming, but I do enjoy the skill.

 

 

 

Now, I've been doing more herb runs lately and I practically live on Lunar's since 96 Magic. buy/sell Supercompost for around 800 gp each on the Grand Exchange, but to cast the Spell, it costs around 1.1k. It doesn't seem logical or economical to use that spell, and it isn't as though supercompost is difficult to make.

 

 

 

If I could profit by using the spell and selling compost, I would use it, but you lose more than you gain.

 

 

 

Remember you also get magic xp, which is what makes the spell really worth it. You're paying 300gp for 87 magic xp, meaning 3.4 gp/xp, which is very good considering that it is magic.

[A_Mace]

Thanks! Great guide. This got me back to farming.

 

But I think I found a small mistake.

 

 

 

Compost is extremely useful. EVERY patch (with few exceptions) should be treated with supercompost. Here's what it does:

 

 

 

-Makes the patch grow faster

 

-Helps prevent disease

 

-Yield better harvests (if possible)

 

 

 

Supercompost does the same thing as regular compost, except better.

 

 

 

Does really everything need to be treated with SUPERcompost? Don't you mean regular compost there?

[Zaaps1]

Thanks! Great guide. This got me back to farming.

 

But I think I found a small mistake.

 

 

 

Compost is extremely useful. EVERY patch (with few exceptions) should be treated with supercompost. Here's what it does:

 

 

 

-Makes the patch grow faster

 

-Helps prevent disease

 

-Yield better harvests (if possible)

 

 

 

Supercompost does the same thing as regular compost, except better.

 

 

 

Does really everything need to be treated with SUPERcompost? Don't you mean regular compost there?

 

 

 

As I mentioned, some patches should not be given compost at all. The patches other than those should be given some form of compost. Since Supercompost is superior in every way to regular compost, regular compost is not worth using.

[A_Mace]

Thanks! Great guide. This got me back to farming.

 

But I think I found a small mistake.

 

 

 

Compost is extremely useful. EVERY patch (with few exceptions) should be treated with supercompost. Here's what it does:

 

 

 

-Makes the patch grow faster

 

-Helps prevent disease

 

-Yield better harvests (if possible)

 

 

 

Supercompost does the same thing as regular compost, except better.

 

 

 

Does really everything need to be treated with SUPERcompost? Don't you mean regular compost there?

 

 

 

As I mentioned, some patches should not be given compost at all. The patches other than those should be given some form of compost. Since Supercompost is superior in every way to regular compost, regular compost is not worth using.

 

Hmm. I see. OK thanks. :)

[Wachtwoord]

I dunno if you kept the changes in a notepad, but if not, you should remove the trollheim tab again. :P