Random Questions from Noob

[Patient]

Picked this game up a few days ago and I'm really digging it so far.
There's a few questions I had that I haven't been able to figure out, also some questions that are more subjective / based on your opinion:

1. For crops that don't yield seeds, do you leave them to grow longer to get more than one return on them, or is it a simple matter of leveling your farming skill if you want to get more than one back at harvest time?

2. When farming, is terrain fertility a thing (like certain spots are more fertile than others?) or any spot that allows you to plant has the same fertility as any other plant-able spot?

3. Opinion: So concrete walls are basically a direct upgrade to chicken wire fence if you have the skill and resources correct?
However depending on how you like to build your base, maybe being able to shoot through chicken wire is a pro and a con, because you could maybe forgo watchtowers altogether and shoot through the wire at approaching enemies. Plus watchtowers have a con in that they increase your presence level correct?
So for the veterans out there: do you still prefer concrete walls if you have the resources, or do any of you actually prefer chicken wire fence?

4. So far I haven't gotten to the point of making chicken wire or concrete but I just figured out that you can use a charcoal kiln to make concrete.
How do you make chicken wire? Do you mine iron and then smelt it at. . . the forge?

5. Shacks versus wood cabins: is one more space efficient than the other? And do community members prefer the wood cabin over the shack?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read or respond!

[Valcus]

1. Once they are ready to harvest, they are done. Yield depends on the skill of the planter, not the harvester.

2. I believe all spaces are equal.

3. Pillboxes are my personal favorite for defense, placed outside the fence with a single space opening in the fence allowing access to the pillbox. Pit traps are also excellent. With that combination, the fencing becomes less critical, and really comes down to preference. I used to use only chicken wire but my last couple of games I stuck with wood for a long time and eventually replaced with concrete. But it was a luxury, not a necessity. But I guess it also depends on if you are at war with other communities. Definitely concrete if you plan to defend against 20 well armed combatants.

4. Smelt iron into steel in the kiln.

5. I don’t believe there is a sleeping preference, as long as you have enough. Lack of spaces leads to desertion pretty quickly.

[Patient]

Awesome thank you that really helps!

[sf]

Just some addition.

3. I think watchtowers also offers better sight radius + cover, that chicken fence don't (but pillbox should offer cover bonus). And increased presence is not necessary undesirable as it attracts suppli... I mean action, for people who prefers it. Chicken fence exposes all your characters, but doesn't need any additional defensive building (e.g. watchtowers/pillbox). It is good for training against range-incapable infected. But against armed raiders/looters, concrete + pillbox/watchtowers offers you better control of who you want fighting the enemies, without exposing the rest, and you can always retreat those that are injured into safety.

Besides, sometimes the AI is stupid, and tries to shoot at enemies .... through a wooden barn for example. Pillboxes and watchtowers greatly reduces this.

4. Chicken fence is created at the forge, but you will need charcoal and steel which is produced at the kiln.

[Patient]

Very good point, and I'm now noticing that it is easier to make concrete than chicken wire anyways! . . .especially since I built my base before getting geo survey and it turns out the only rich resource I have for my new mine is stone lol