The Farming Game Rules
“It's time to Plow the Back Forty on your kitchen table!”
Table of Contents
About Farming
Modern farming requires a strong back for the work, a strong heart for the risks, and a good mind for the figures. The American family farm is a tough place to make a living. Unit profits (per calf, per bushel of wheat sold, etc.) are so small that it takes huge amounts of capital to put together a large enough farming operation to support a family. About half of this nation's two million farmers work an outside job so they can stay on the farm. They are “Weekend Farmers”, farming early mornings, nights and weekends, trying to get that next piece of land, a tractor, a harvester; to finally farm big enough to afford to quit that job in town and come home and farm full time.
Object of the Game
A boardgame is a dream machine, a vehicle to create an alternative reality. In THE FARMING GAME®, each player starts with 20 acres inherited from Grandpa (10 acres hay, 10 acres grain). Since 20 acres isn't large enough to support a family, each farmer must also have a part-time job in town.
How to Win
Build your farm large enough to quit the job in town and farm full time. You need $250,000 in total net assets to win!
With each completed trip around the gameboard you receive $5,000 from your year's wages to plow back into the farm. Crops are harvested by the roll of the dice (about as much control as real farmers feel they have over yields and prices).
To Start the Game
Starting Assets
- • 20 acres from Grandpa (10 hay, 10 grain)
- • Worth $40,000 total
- • No starting cash
- • $50,000 line of credit from bank
Starting Items
- • $5,000 cash (as loan)
- • $5,000 Bank Note
- • 2 Option to Buy Cards
- • Select farm & farmer marker
Place markers on Christmas Vacation. Roll dice to see who starts (highest roll). Play clockwise using one die to move.
Purchasing Property and Equipment
When You Can Purchase
Only during winter, between and including Christmas and Spring Planting. Plan ahead!
Payment Requirements
- • 20% cash down payment minimum required
- • Can borrow the balance from the bank (if you have sufficient credit)
- • Example: $20,000 property needs $4,000 cash down, can borrow $16,000
Cash Management
If you run out of cash, you can only: (1) borrow from neighbors, or (2) borrow from bank with 20% penalty fee ($5,000 note = $4,000 cash).
Harvesting Crops
Crops are harvested in color-coded areas of the gaming track. Harvest occurs on the first weekof the harvest zone where you land.
Harvest Steps
- 1. Harvest first! Roll die to determine crop value
- 2. Check Harvest Rate Chart for money earned
- 3. Draw Operating Expense Card and pay the bill
- 4. Net income = harvest value minus operating expense
Remember: “If you snooze, you lose!” Always harvest before doing anything else, or risk losing your crop to disasters.
Important Note
The columns on the Harvest Rate Chart are not intended to be limits. Crop land and livestock are units of sustained production. Harvesting sells the output (hay, grain, fruit, or calves), not the land or cows themselves.
Option to Buy Cards (O.T.B.s)
An Option to Buy Card is necessary to acquire property and equipment. Draw new cards when instructed by board squares.
Using O.T.B. Cards
- • Keep until you exercise or sell them
- • Only exercise during winter
- • Must pay in cash or cash + bank financing
- • Return to bottom of deck after use
Trading O.T.B. Cards
- • Can sell to other players
- • Negotiate any price (cash, crop %)
- • Farm limit: 20 cows maximum
- • Need lease for more cattle
Note: The valley farm can only handle 20 cows (eating crop residue and pasturing after hay is cut). For more cattle, you must exercise an Option to Lease and purchase cows to go “out on range”.
Farmer's Fate Cards
Important Warning
If you're in Harvest Season, complete your harvest BEFORE drawing your Fate Card, otherwise it could interrupt your harvest!
Draw Farmer's Fate Cards when instructed by board squares. These represent the unpredictable events that affect farming life. Most cards return to the bottom of the deck after drawing, but some (like IRS Garnishment) stay with the player until their effect expires.
Card Behavior: OTB cards are removed when drawn and return when used. Most Farmers Fate and Operating Expense cards cycle back to the bottom of the deck after drawing. Cards with ongoing effects (like IRS Garnishment and Windy Spring) stay with the player until cleared.
Owning Equipment
Small farmers typically don't own tractors or harvesters and must rent equipment until they can afford to buy used equipment.
Equipment Expenses
When you get a bill for equipment expense, pay the bank unless a neighbor owns that equipment. If neighbors own the equipment, they split the payment equally.
Example: “Pay $2,000 if you don't own a tractor” - if two players own tractors, they each get $1,000.
The Bank
The bank handles all money, Bank Notes, and vinyl stamps. One player can be Banker, or players can “help themselves.”
Loan Requirements
- • 20% cash down minimum
- • Maximum $50,000 total credit
- • Repay debts anytime
Bank Services
- • Pays/collects harvest income
- • Handles operating expenses
- • Does NOT buy back property
Special Harvest Rules
Doubling Harvest
When landing on “Double your hay or corn harvest” - turn crop stamp sideways as reminder. Double the harvest chart amount for affected acres. Multiple doublings = 4x, 8x, etc.
Note: Doubling “corn” means corn only and not wheat.
Cutting Harvests
Bad weather cuts harvest in half. Take reduction from harvest income BEFORE drawing Operating Expense Card. Round up to nearest hundred dollars.
Bankruptcy
If you need more cash than you have and have reached your $50,000 credit limit, you're bankrupt!
Options Before Auction:
- • Sell movable assets (cattle/equipment) to neighbors at reduced prices
- • Arrange temporary rental of crop land for cash
- • Negotiate crop futures for percentages with neighbors
Bankruptcy Auction
Auction Process
- 1. All players roll die, high roller becomes auctioneer
- 2. Auctioneer chooses what property to sell
- 3. Bidding starts at 50% of asset value
- 4. Continue until all bills paid + $5,000 operating cash
If the bankrupt player has productive assets left, they may continue farming.
The End of the Game
Winning Condition
Accumulate $250,000 in net assets to quit your job and become a full-time farmer! When you think you've reached this goal, call for an audit at Christmas.
Alternative Ending:
Play to an agreed time limit. When time's up, player with highest net assets wins.
Audit
Audit Calculation
Net Assets = Cash + Property Value - Bank Notes
Leases have no value (they're rented, not owned). Only the cows on leases count as assets.
False Audit Penalty
If audit caller has less than $250,000, they're penalized for “creating market panic.” Penalty up to 25% of their net assets, as agreed by other players.
Multiple players can win if they exceed $250,000, but highest total assets is THE winner!
Creation of Additional Rules
Players of THE FARMING GAME® may create additional “ranch rules” to customize this game to their own environment. A new rule is created only after all of the players agree to the rule.
Important Note
New rules, once enacted, cannot be changed for the remainder of the game.
Most Asked Questions
Q: Is grain acreage wheat or corn?
Owning grain acreage allows you to harvest both crops if you're lucky enough to reach both harvests in the same year. Same applies for fruit (cherries and apples).
Q: What do you do on the Independence Day Bash and Harvest Moon squares?
These are cherry harvest and cattle sale opportunities. Just because the calendar shows holidays, that doesn't stop farmers harvesting 7 days a week until the crop is in. After the harvest is in, you can party as you see fit.
Q: What about partnerships?
Any partnership that would be legal in real life is fine. Be creative! Example: Go partners on Toppenish Ridge lease - you run 30 cows, neighbor runs 20.
Q: Do operating expenses apply to all acres?
Unless the bill is crop-specific (e.g., “per hay acre”), it applies to all acres owned or partnership shares.
Q: Can multiple people lease a ridge?
Ridges are first come, first served. Once leased, they're taken unless you convince the leaseholder to go into partnership.
Game Background
THE FARMING GAME® was literally invented on the seat of a tractor in a hay field at sunrise in July 1979. George Rohrbacher, a rancher from Central Washington State, and his wife Ann were struggling to hold onto their family farm.
After two droughts in three years, they bet the ranch on this game idea and mortgaged everything to produce the first edition. The game has now sold several hundred thousand copies worldwide and has been used in schools globally.
Global Impact
In 1994, the World Bank sent George to Russia to oversee translation into Russian to assist farm privatization after the Soviet Union breakup. The game is now available in a Russian language version.
THE FARMING GAME® has expanded beyond the board game: It was adapted for computers in Windows® format (for 1-4 players) and won the 1997 Mahnke Multimedia Award given by the Association of Educators for Communication and Technology (AECT).
A book, “Zen Ranching and THE FARMING GAME®” by George Rohrbacher (published 1997), tells the humorous story of life on the farm and the birth of THE FARMING GAME®. It's more than a “how to invent a game” book - it captures a lively piece of country living and offers a fun inside look at life beyond the blacktop.
The Yakima Valley
The game is set in the real Yakima Valley in Washington State, USA. This valley has a mild climate enabling farmers to grow over 20 different crops, famous worldwide for high-quality apples and cherries.
Pronunciations: Toppenish (Tah'pen ish), Wapato (Wah' pa toe), Harrah (Hair' a), Satus (Say tus), Roza (Rose' a), Yakima (Yak im a)
Missing Parts
If your new game has a missing or damaged part, please visit the official websitewww.farmgame.com or call 1-800-222-4263 to request replacements.
Instructions Available Online
If you have lost your instructions, you will find them in HTML and PDF formats on the official website. Or, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the address on the side of the box and receive new instructions at no charge.
Harvest Rate Charts
Roll the die when harvesting to determine your income. Find your crop type and acres owned, then cross-reference with your dice roll.
🌿 Hay Harvest
| Acres | Roll 1 | Roll 2 | Roll 3 | Roll 4 | Roll 5 | Roll 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $400 | $600 | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,200 | $3,000 |
| 20 | $800 | $1,200 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,400 | $6,000 |
| 30 | $1,200 | $1,800 | $3,000 | $4,500 | $6,600 | $9,000 |
| 40 | $1,600 | $2,400 | $4,000 | $6,000 | $8,800 | $12,000 |
| 50 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $5,000 | $7,500 | $11,000 | $15,000 |
| 60 | $2,400 | $3,600 | $6,000 | $9,000 | $13,200 | $18,000 |
| 70 | $2,800 | $4,200 | $7,000 | $10,500 | $15,400 | $21,000 |
| 80 | $3,200 | $4,800 | $8,000 | $12,000 | $17,600 | $24,000 |
| 90 | $3,600 | $5,400 | $9,000 | $13,500 | $19,800 | $27,000 |
| 100 | $4,000 | $6,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $22,000 | $30,000 |
| 150 | $6,000 | $9,000 | $15,000 | $22,500 | $33,000 | $45,000 |
| 200 | $8,000 | $12,000 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $44,000 | $60,000 |
| 250 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $25,000 | $37,500 | $55,000 | $75,000 |
| 300 | $12,000 | $18,000 | $30,000 | $45,000 | $66,000 | $90,000 |
🌾 Grain (Wheat/Corn) Harvest
| Acres | Roll 1 | Roll 2 | Roll 3 | Roll 4 | Roll 5 | Roll 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $800 | $1,500 | $2,500 | $3,800 | $5,500 | $7,000 |
| 20 | $1,600 | $3,000 | $5,000 | $7,600 | $11,000 | $14,000 |
| 30 | $2,400 | $4,500 | $7,500 | $11,400 | $16,500 | $21,000 |
| 40 | $3,200 | $6,000 | $10,000 | $15,200 | $22,000 | $28,000 |
| 50 | $4,000 | $7,500 | $12,500 | $19,000 | $27,500 | $35,000 |
| 60 | $4,800 | $9,000 | $15,000 | $22,800 | $33,000 | $42,000 |
| 70 | $5,600 | $10,500 | $17,500 | $26,600 | $38,500 | $49,000 |
| 80 | $6,400 | $12,000 | $20,000 | $30,400 | $44,000 | $56,000 |
| 90 | $7,200 | $13,500 | $22,500 | $34,200 | $49,500 | $63,000 |
| 100 | $8,000 | $15,000 | $25,000 | $38,000 | $55,000 | $70,000 |
| 150 | $12,000 | $22,500 | $37,500 | $57,000 | $82,500 | $105,000 |
| 200 | $16,000 | $30,000 | $50,000 | $76,000 | $110,000 | $140,000 |
| 250 | $20,000 | $37,500 | $62,500 | $95,000 | $137,500 | $175,000 |
| 300 | $24,000 | $45,000 | $75,000 | $114,000 | $165,000 | $210,000 |
🍎 Fruit (Apple/Cherry) Harvest
| Acres | Roll 1 | Roll 2 | Roll 3 | Roll 4 | Roll 5 | Roll 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $2,000 | $3,500 | $6,000 | $9,000 | $13,000 | $17,500 |
| 10 | $4,000 | $7,000 | $12,000 | $18,000 | $26,000 | $35,000 |
| 15 | $6,000 | $10,500 | $18,000 | $27,000 | $39,000 | $52,500 |
| 20 | $8,000 | $14,000 | $24,000 | $36,000 | $52,000 | $70,000 |
| 25 | $10,000 | $17,500 | $30,000 | $45,000 | $65,000 | $87,500 |
| 30 | $12,000 | $21,000 | $36,000 | $54,000 | $78,000 | $105,000 |
| 40 | $16,000 | $28,000 | $48,000 | $72,000 | $104,000 | $140,000 |
| 50 | $20,000 | $35,000 | $60,000 | $90,000 | $130,000 | $175,000 |
| 75 | $30,000 | $52,500 | $90,000 | $135,000 | $195,000 | $262,500 |
| 100 | $40,000 | $70,000 | $120,000 | $180,000 | $260,000 | $350,000 |
| 125 | $50,000 | $87,500 | $150,000 | $225,000 | $325,000 | $437,500 |
| 150 | $60,000 | $105,000 | $180,000 | $270,000 | $390,000 | $525,000 |
🐄 Cattle Sale
| Cows | Roll 1 | Roll 2 | Roll 3 | Roll 4 | Roll 5 | Roll 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,400 | $2,000 | $2,800 | $3,800 | $5,000 | $7,500 |
| 20 | $2,800 | $4,000 | $5,600 | $7,600 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| 30 | $4,200 | $6,000 | $8,400 | $11,400 | $15,000 | $22,500 |
| 40 | $5,600 | $8,000 | $11,200 | $15,200 | $20,000 | $30,000 |
| 50 | $7,000 | $10,000 | $14,000 | $19,000 | $25,000 | $37,500 |
| 60 | $8,400 | $12,000 | $16,800 | $22,800 | $30,000 | $45,000 |
| 70 | $9,800 | $14,000 | $19,600 | $26,600 | $35,000 | $52,500 |
| 80 | $11,200 | $16,000 | $22,400 | $30,400 | $40,000 | $60,000 |
| 90 | $12,600 | $18,000 | $25,200 | $34,200 | $45,000 | $67,500 |
| 100 | $14,000 | $20,000 | $28,000 | $38,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 |
| 150 | $21,000 | $30,000 | $42,000 | $57,000 | $75,000 | $112,500 |
| 200 | $28,000 | $40,000 | $56,000 | $76,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 |
| 250 | $35,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 | $95,000 | $125,000 | $187,500 |
| 300 | $42,000 | $60,000 | $84,000 | $114,000 | $150,000 | $225,000 |
Note: These charts show common acre/cow amounts. The game supports any amount in 10-acre increments (or 5-acre for fruit). Your harvest income scales proportionally with your holdings.
THE FARMING GAME® is a registered trademark of George Rohrbacher and the Weekend Farmer Co.
Copyright 1979 George Rohrbacher. This digital companion is for educational and gameplay assistance purposes.