Organic Farming
- The Dev Team
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Organic farming is a way of using all natural systems and materials to operate your farm in as clean of a way as possible. This yields the benefit of being considered ‘Organically Grown’. This will allow you to generally yield higher market income for your crops, due to the extra work involved to maintain this status. It is worth noting that organic crops will also be essential for higher prosperity levels, and for organic products from food factories!
Organic Fertilizing/Weed Control
In order to remain in “Organic” status, weed control and fertilizing must both be done with organic materials.
Fertilization
Fertilization is made up of 3 components for the highest soil nutrients. N, P and K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium). Every crop used will use some soil nutrients, and must be replaced, this can be done with crop cycling, or fertilization.
Organic Fertilizers Available
Manure - N,P
Manure is attainable either from the exchange via other players, or through your own animal husbandry operations. Manure provides a 5% nitrogen boost and a 5% phosphorous boost per application. Raises pH by .25 per application when pH is below 7.5. Spread using manure spreader.
Green Sand - K
Green sand is attainable via the exchange from players who operate glauconite mines. Green sand provides a 15% potassium boost per application. A bonus of 5% is possible for application to sandy soil. Has no effect on pH level. Spread using lime spreader.
Hardwood Ash (Oak) - K
Hardwood ash is attainable via the exchange from players with lumbermills who have made hardwood ash from an appropriate lumber. Each application will yield a 15% bonus to potassium. Raises pH level by .5 per application when pH is below 7. Spread using lime spreader.
Almond Powder - K
Almond powder is attainable via the exchange from a player who has used a food factory to crush almonds. Each application will yield a 10% bonus to potassium. Will lower pH level by .5 when applied to pH levels of 6.5 or higher. Will raise pH level by .5 when applied to pH levels of 5.5 or lower.
Alfalfa Meal - N
Alfalfa meal is a good source of nitrogen. It is attainable via the exchange from any player who has processed alfalfa into alfalfa meal. It will raise nitrogen levels by 10% per application. Will raise pH level by .1 when applied to pH levels of 7 or lower.
Bone Meal - P
Bone meal is an excellent source of phosphorous. It can be obtained by butchery operations for farms with level 3 organic farming or higher as a bi-product, or purchased from the exchange from a player capable of such. Each application will raise phosphorous levels by 15%. If soil pH is below 5, it will raise pH by .2. If soil pH is above 5, it will lower pH by .2
Weed Control
As important as fertilization, weed control helps limit invasive weeds that reduce yields. Several methods of weed control are available based on the knowledge level of your farm.
Weed Control Methods
Row Crop Cultivation (Row Crops)
For crops considered row-crops (Check crop information page for details), this method can be used during the planted, and growing stages to reduce weed percentage by 25% per processing. No research required.
Mixed Planting & Mowing (Most Crops)
Used in conjunction with various vegetable crops, this method entails planting 25% of a field in cover crop that is mowed throughout the growth phases of the primary crop, thus providing fresh mulching over the crops as they grow. Organic farming level 3 required. Each ‘mowing’ will reduce weed percentage by 50%.
Mulching Hay/Straw (Most Crops)
This method is used to spread straw or hay over crops. Must be done during the ‘planted’ phase of a crop. Will suppress weed growth by 40% (straw), or 50% (hay). Straw will also give 1% to both N & K fertilization. Hay will provide 2% to both. Requires Organic Farming level 2.
Woodchips (Orchard/Regrowing Crops)
This method is done by spreading aged woodchips across crops during their ‘planted’ phase in each growth cycle. An application will reduce weed growth by 50% until next harvest.
Crop Residue (Cotton, Rice, More to come)
With a high enough organic farming knowledge level, you can retrieve and utilize certain crop residues. These reduce weed growth by 75% on non-perennial crops. Requires Organic Farming Level 5.