How to Get Hired in Farm Town's Marketplace

Plowing, planting, expanding the farm, and putting a roof over your head costs money in Farm Town. Hiring out to harvest another farmer's crops is a quick and easy way to earn a few extra Farm Coins.

Waiting for crops to be ready for harvest can seem to take forever, especially if a shopping trip is planned and the Farm Coin account is low. Farm Town farmers needing an infusion of cash can earn money by harvesting crops on other farms.

A hired hand is paid 25% of the value of the harvested crop. Wages are paid by the game and not by the farmer who hires the help. Additionally, a field harvested by a hired worker yields a larger crop and earns more money for the farm owner. The benefits for both players make the competition for these jobs fierce.

The Farm Town Marketplace

The Farm Town Marketplace, accessible through the Map icon, is where most of the commercial action takes place. At the Marketplace, farmers can sell their produce and gifts, look for work, find a hired hand, and chat with farmers who are not a Facebook friend.

Because Farm Town is played by people all over the world, the marketplace is normally populated around the clock. Beyond the usefulness of buying and selling goods and services, the unrestricted chat feature is a nice addition. Establishing relationships with other farmers enhances your game experience and can lead to some steady work harvesting crops for those added to a Buddy List.

Getting Noticed in the Marketplace

Farmers who come to the marketplace to find a hired hand find themselves in room full of players looking for work. Standing out from the crowd, at least in a positive manner, can be a challenge and unless there is a prior relationship with the farmer, the chances of being picked are the same for everyone in the room. Here are a few guidelines for increasing the chance of being noticed and hired.

• Do not stand behind the other players. As obvious as this sounds, many players fail to pay attention to where their avatar is located and become hidden by more savvy players.
  
• Do not beg for work. Advertising availability for hire is necessary but begging will often backfire. Established players have stated on the Farm Town Forum that they will not hire players that beg for work.
  
• Periodically move around in the Farmer's Market. Movement draws attention and will set the player apart from the static avatars.
  
• Let the group know that trees will not be harvested unless requested. Many players prefer to keep fruit on their trees for color and look for harvesters who will honor that preference. Stating that trees are off-limits increases the chance of being hired by these players.
  
• Chat with others in the room. Chat bubbles over a player's avatar increases visibility and the chance of being hired.
  
• If a Marketplace room is crowded, go to another one by clicking the Map icon and re-entering. There are many rooms so repeat the process until a less populated room appears.

Farm Town Buddies

Farm Town Buddies differ from Neighbors in that they are not one of a player's Facebook friends. Buddies can trade harvesting chores among themselves and bypass the Marketplace. Farmers who are hired from the Marketplace and do a good job harvesting, such as respecting the tree policy of the farm owner, are good candidates to become a Farm Town Buddy.

Be sure to ask to be added to their Buddy List before the harvesting job is done because once the player leaves the farm, it will be difficult if not impossible to find them again. The Marketplace is also a good option for adding to a Buddy List.

Farm Town is the fastest growing social game on Facebook. Launched in February 2009, the game has gone from 12 players to more than eight million in four months with new registrations every day. Unlike Mafia Wars or Vampire Wars, Farm Town does not involve large teams or battles, however the social elements of tending neighbors farms, gifting, and hiring harvesters keeps the game lively. An overview of the game and tips for getting started can be found in Facebook's Newest Game Addiction.

Sources: http://www.slashkey.com/forum/; http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=56748925791#/topic.php?uid=56748925791&topic=17250