How to Plant Crops in Prison Architect

Managing a successful prison requires careful resource planning, and one essential way to keep your inmates fed and your budget healthy is by establishing a farming operation. This guide will walk you through the complete process of setting up and planting crops in Prison Architect, from unlocking the farming skill to harvesting your first plants.

Unlock the Farming Skill

Before you can begin any farming operation, you need to unlock the farming skill. To do this, navigate to the top left corner of your screen and click on Bureaucracy. Here you’ll find various research options available for your prison.

Select Farming from the available options and complete the research. Once you’ve learned farming, close this menu to proceed.

Create a Farming Field

With farming unlocked, it’s time to designate an area for your crops. On the bottom left of your screen, click on the Flooring or Rooms section. From the menu that appears, select Farming Field.

Choose a suitable location in your prison and place the farming field wherever you have available space. The farming field will serve as the designated area where all your crop-growing activities will take place.

Build a Shed Inside the Farming Field

Every farming field requires a shed to function properly. Navigate to the Objects menu on the bottom left, then search for “shed” in the search bar. Once you’ve located the shed, click on it and place it inside your farming field. The shed serves as a storage and work area for your farming operations.

Connect Water to the Shed

For your crops to grow successfully, the shed will need a water supply. Even if your farming field doesn’t display an exclamation point warning, water is still essential. Go to the Utilities section and connect water to your shed using your prison’s water system. This ensures your crops have the hydration they need to thrive.

Hire a Farmer

Your farming field cannot operate without someone to tend to it. Click on the Staff section on the bottom left of your screen and hire a Farmer. Once you’ve hired a farmer, place them inside the farming field. They will be responsible for planting, watering, and harvesting your crops.

Plant Your Crops

Now comes the exciting part—actually planting your crops. Navigate to Objects on the bottom left and search for “plant” in the search bar. You’ll see several crop options available to grow. Select the crop you want to cultivate. For example, you might choose to grow Barley as your first crop.

Once you’ve selected your desired plant, place it inside your farming field. Your hired farmer will automatically take care of the rest—watering, nurturing, and eventually harvesting your crops.

Summary

Setting up a farming operation in Prison Architect is straightforward once you follow these steps. Unlock farming through bureaucracy research, create a farming field, add a shed with water access, hire a farmer, and plant your chosen crops. With these elements in place, your farm will be productive and help sustain your prison’s food supply. The farmers will handle all the agricultural work, allowing you to focus on other aspects of prison management.

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