Editing 40d:Farm plot

{{quality|Exceptional|13:29, 6 July 2011 (UTC)}}{{av}}

A '''farm plot''' is a building that allows {{L|dwarf|dwarves}} to grow {{L|plant}}s from {{L|seed}}s. Plants can be used for {{L|food}} or to {{L|brew}} {{L|alcohol}}. Farm plots built {{L|outside}} have completely different crops than farm plots built inside. 

In large fortresses, farming is the most compact way of producing food. Some early forts can subsist with {{L|herbalist}}s collecting plants from {{L|bush}}es outside  but that is  insufficient to support large populations. (Note that plants gathered by herbalist can be processed for the seeds necessary to set up an outside farm.)

See the article on {{L|crop}}s for details on the conditions needed to grow the available plants.

== Building the farm plot ==
Farm plots must be built on a suitable location and require a dwarf with the {{L|grower|farming (fields)}} skill enabled to prepare.
*Farms can be built on soil layers ({{L|soil}}, {{L|sand}}, {{L|Soil|silt}}, {{L|clay}} or {{L|loam}}). 
*To build a farm on {{L|rock}} you must first make it {{L|mud|muddy}} by {{L|irrigation}}.

Where farms can't be built:
*Over {{L|tree}}s, saplings, {{L|shrub}}s, {{L|boulder}}s or constructed objects (roads, doors, etc). (Constructed floors, however, are acceptable if muddy).

To place a farm plot enter the {{K|b}}uild menu and select farm {{K|p}}lots. Use the {{K|u}} and {{K|k}} keys to expand the width and height of the plot, and {{K|m}} and {{K|h}} to decrease the size. When the plot is the desired size, and in the right position, pressing {{K|Enter}} will place it. A free dwarf with the {{L|grower}} skill should then start clearing out any rubble or other impediments away from the farm plot. Trees inside the plotted area must be cleared by a {{L|wood cutter}} before you lay it out or that tile will be skipped. Shrubs and saplings must also be cleared beforehand, even already dead ones. Living shrubs may be gathered by an herbalist, while dead shrubs and saplings may be cleared by trampling or by constructing and deconstructing a {{L|wall}} or {{L|floor}} over the tile. Boulders can be {{L|smooth}}ed away, but the resulting stone floor must then be irrigated.

==Growing plants==
See {{L|Farming#Planting|farming}}.

== Suggested size ==
A 5x5 plot should be enough to feed a starting fortress; 5x10 should be enough to feed a full fortress. Make sure to have at least one dedicated grower, as planting skill significantly impacts output. Much smaller plots can serve smaller forts, and if you supplement them with {{L|herbalist|plant gathering}}, {{L|hunting}}, {{L|fishing}}, or {{L|trade|trading}} they can become smaller to the point of non-existence. 

Try to leave a little extra space in {{L|underground}} farm rooms for farmers to stack spare boulders. Stones that get moved under {{L|door}}s in a farm will keep them open, causing potential flooding problems if you need to {{L|irrigation|irrigate}}.

== Caveat ==

If you build a farm plot with tiles both above-ground and below-ground, it will show as one or the other, but a farmer trying to plant an underground crop in the field will fail and stop working if he first goes for an above-ground tile, or vice versa, making such a plot frequently unusable.

== See also ==
* {{L|Farming}}, for a complete guide
* {{L|Irrigation}}
* {{L|Tile attributes}}

{{Farming FAQ}}

{{Category|Buildings}}
{{Category|Agriculture}}