Getting Started? (Seasons)

[Chili Peanut]

Hi folks,
I've been playing FS17 for a few months now but I wish to get started on FS19.

What's the best way to get started with seasons? I'm playing the Oakfield map and seemingly only have £1,200,000 to spend, but that includes buying the fields so quite a tight budget!!

Are there any limitations with keeping cows a la FS17 where you have to feed them grass? Any mods?

Thanks folks

[VA gamer]

imo, the key to Seasons gameplay is do not overextend and accept that growing a farming empire takes time. Consider leasing equipment over buying - no sense paying $200k for a harvester that you use on two fields per game year. At game start, selling off some gear / buildings you don't plan to use soon can pump up your starting capital.

You can also grind mission contracts for the other farmers. Fertilization missions in particular seem to give good return for time invested. I tend to buy a dry fert spreader and do all the fertilizing missions I can find. If there are no fert missions available, saving and re-starting will often generate new missions. (I do so many fert missions that buying makes more sense than leasing).

Depending on the map, making silage from grass can be profitable. This largely depends on starting equipment and whether you can access the BGA to sell silage. Grass gives multiple harvests per year, so it can be better than some other crops starting out.

Lastly, it might be worth checking out Farmer Klein and some other youtubers who run Seasons. Players who have run multiple maps often have good tips gained from multiple play-throughs. Farmer Klein has a video focused on time management and finances in Seasons.

[VA gamer]

Starting out with cows in Seasons can be tough for newer players. Cows won't produce milk for most of your first year so you won't have income to cover investment / expenses.

Also, making silage is not instant, so you can't make TMR without buying bales. You can use grass for cows but it's better to use hay or TMR. Storing grass doesn't work for base Seasons, also.

Sheep are a simpler start since they eat grass / hay. Income from sheep is also different, in that they only produce wool seasonally rather than year-round.

[D3st]

Buy land close to the sawmill,plant tree all over your field then wait 4 years.While waiting you can do contract.You only need 1 tractor and the tree seeder.Once your tree are fully grow you will be rich enought to get going for w/e you like.

[Chili Peanut]

Thank you both for your input. It turns out I was selecting the wrong option to begin with, this time I started with £100,000 and some equipment. £100,000 isn't very much though.

I presume with cows it's not like 17 where grass is mandatory? Hay suits me much better, as you can store it and it doesn't rot.

[Bumvs]

I try to make the game harder in every way

[Rickenbacker]

Fertilizing missions are a goldmine in the sping. :)

[Fast]

this might be kinda different but i star seasons a little differently, (i play on a modded map so bare with me), i buy the farm area, and 3 small fields, i then buy 1 tractor, and then give myself exactly 1mill to start with. This i feel is the best way to play seasons. this allows you to lease equipment, buy more fields, or invest in animals, get a trailer, and truck some ploppable refill stations, etc . And begin your farm life. Starting with no real capital after buying land and basics equipment isnt super fun and doesnt really represent real life.

Buying into a farm requires some capital after your purchase and the bare bones ability to invest should you need too.
I Found that if you do start with the basic 1.2mill, its best to do contracts for your first year and plant a maxiumum of 2-3 fields if you can afford it. try to acquire hay, straw, silage bales asap and focus on contracts. for me personally avoiding contracts is the sole reason i give myself the start i do. It basically avoids that part, and allows you to begin your own farm.

[benediktkuepper]

Hi Chili,

there is a good channel on youtube. It*s german but the grafics and shown explanetion are very helpful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjRHgH3QAc4&list=PLsk1RmGdST4TUGiVsTwVgwNfD16Cj2ADy&index=12

[SeaDog]

With seasons you will get full price for your starting equipment. Sell it all, sell all land, take out max loan. You should only need a few hundred k to pay for leases. With the rest, buy the biggest single field you can. Plant whatever you want in it (personally I like cotton but you need the Midwest geo mod for that) and then do contracts while you are waiting to harvest. Having a big field seriously increases your profit over small fields. If you keep doing those contracts you should be able to afford to buy a harvester at harvest time. When you sell all that product you will be off to the races.

[Ferrus]

Originally posted by Chili Peanut:

Hi folks,
Any mods?

The variable spray usage mod comes in very hand for seasons. Fertiliser (either type) and herbicide can be money draining on Oakfield, the mod will allow you to choose how much you want to put down on your fields which will save time and money. i brought 8 totes of fert and herbicide and so far on my first year I've gone through 3 and a half fert and 1 and a half herbicide.