This mod adds three aspects to the game’s farming system that make both the in-game terrain (see Abraham 2024) and the representation of agriculture more realistic and immersive. 1) Pests like vegetable flies can infest the crops, which can then only be destroyed to prevent spreading. 2) Using the seed maker can give crops a random trait (up to three levels) such as better quality, pest resistance, faster growing speed or better water retention. Without the speed or water trait, crops are less effective and require more maintenance than in the original game. 3) Composting items like weeds, hay, crops or foraged items. Composting can be applied to tilled dirt and all crops grown there will gain level 1 in all four traits. Without the composting system, growing crops is harder than in the original game
The mod’s creator describes the goal as “a more interesting farming progression” rather than challenge, which also implies lower yields and slower development. It forces the player to use compost as the soil of the inherited farm is in bad condition. Players can develop a more long-term perspective e.g. by saving their own seeds from the crops grown on your farm to get more adapted crops that can even survive without the compost in later forms. Moreover, having to wait in-game for the composting to complete symbolically adds an element of deceleration and appreciation of the simulated ‘natural’ processes. In the in-game greenhouse, negative effects on growth speed, water retention and pest resistance are not applied, i.e. crops will grow like in the base game and never get infested, but positive effects of traits will come into effect. The game also simulates that, if compost affects a tile in which the soil is not tilled, weeds can grow, particularly if it rained the day before, which players can use to get more fiber and mixed seeds.