Some Tips For First Year Money-making

Harvest Moon: Boy Meets Girl for Gameboy Color. [ Game Guide ]
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AlexRae
Snazzy Sheep Sweeper
Snazzy Sheep Sweeper
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Joined: Dec 27, 2010 12:37 am

Post  Posted:

Since this game came out on the virtual console, I'd figure I'd repost some tip info I had posted aaages ago regarding making some sweet sweet loot in this game and effective crop growing.

Both observation 1 and 2 assume lvl 3 Watering Can, until your watering can is level 3 these are not helpful/doable. P in a grid stands for Plant, be it turnip, eggplant, etc.

Observation 1:

Turnips in season one is obvious. Most people will tell you to plant in the usual C/U-type formation.

Don't. Here's a tip for Turnip/Eggplant that is how I ended up with most items in the game before Fall 1st Year / enough Animals for the Winter goal.

If you have a space of open line underneath the row, and at least one open row on at least one side, you can chain them. I haven't seen any guides mention it. Just that turnip is the best route for spring, tomato summer, eggplant fall, etc. for per-seed/plant profit.

Example:

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

Becomes:

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|
|_|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|
|_|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|_|
|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|_|
|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

Why it works: Turnips and Eggplants have three states. Seeds (which you can walk on), Buds (which you can reach the one underneath the one you walk up close to), and Grown. Since they go straight from Bud to harvestable, you get more per pack this way.

Observation 2:

I've also found, when in a bigger tier of plants and planting less and less short-growth crop (Except as gifts) a better formation for long-growth time crops. This does not apply to the reusable plants such as Corn, Tomato, and Watermelon

Usually Recommended Example:

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|_|
|_|P|P|_|_|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|_|_|P|P|_|_|
|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|_|
|_|P|P|_|_|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|_|_|P|P|_|_|
|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|P|P|P|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

(Other people prefer this shape:

|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|P|_|P|_|
|_|P|P|P|_|
|_|P|P|P|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|

Becomes:

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|_|P|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|
|_|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|
|_|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
|P|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|P|P|_|P|_|P|_|
|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|_|
|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|_|
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

I've increased my gains massively by switch the formation where the sides touch.

Observation 3:

We all probably know they exist, but I haven't seen much mention of the Part Time Job function of the game. Here's what I've found to be the best use of it:

There seem to be tiers, based on how many you do. The reason is of course it gives, da-da-da, farmer reputation. Tier 1 has things like Turnips, Tomatos, Potatos, Eggplants... And here's the important part: The gatherables from The Grasslands. 480g in Berry/Cherry/Mushroom easily ramps up to 720g after tip. You can ship 4-5 P/T job same day each day Kirk will ferry you if you spend the night/s before gathering a good stock. You can do more if you gather after you run out.

Important part A: Like I said, there are tiers. After a while, Berries/Cherries/Mushrooms falls off the chart. At the same time, the amount of Turnip/Tomato/Eggplant they want goes up, and they mix in things like Asparagus, Watermelon, and Egg. I personally sold the hell out of turnip using the above Turnip/Eggplant farm pattern trick. And EASILY had enough to keep giving my partner gifts (Playing male version). Actually, I started growing flowers for fun. Flowers = bribe/gift, Turnip = job. And, like Berries/Cherries/Mushrooms, the Turnip/Tomato/Peanut/Eggplant option disappears after so many jobs.

Important part B: "Is Tomato REALLY the most profitable? :?" - The easy answer is Yes. The compound answer is: Absolutely no. If you get your farmer rep ramped up high enough that the P/T jobs are ONLY offering things like Watermelon, Corn, Asparagus, S. Potato, and huge quantities of animal produce (60 eggs? In year one? Nooooo way), then tomatos are DEFINITELY -not- the most profitable. The 3,000g for 30 Watermelon job was paying well into 10,000g+ at this point after tip with "prompt" delivery. - Now I don't know about you, but to me, that's some SERIOUS profit. :lol: Which isn't to say, don't grow tomatos. I used them as my gift crop.

So there's my easy 1st Year Fall money answers. In the first week of Fall I have max love statement and have done all partner events, but not married yet (Engaged Fall 10, married Fall 17), the fishing rod, all three rugs, the T.V, all books except the plowing books, 6 cows, 3 horses, a total of 9 chickens (I only bought 2, bred the rest.. Got 2 females in a row, then 3 males. Guess what I am selling/sold. :shifty: ), plenty of grass/fodder, and feel like I'm sitting pretty for a 1st year Fall.