Background
Please read background information from FS22 Stories Start From Zero Elmcreek Homepage which explains few things if you're first time reader.
2022-09-17 Hay Baling Fertilizing And Canola Harvest Contracts
2022-09-17T17:21:00Z New farming day has started, so here is whats going on. Past two nights I spent some time testing and screenshotting new terrains for farming-simulator.org FS22 maps page, also yesterday finally updated FS22 Equipment Vehile Prices page. Today I want to start documenting basic "FS22 guide", courseplay and especially production chains web pages. I hate that all those pages have been empty since FS22 release, this will change starting now.
So I'm going to continue playing this start from zero savegame while writing down everything I come across which should go to those guide etc web pages, sharing the information.
Start From Zero is overkill for the task at hand, but it also gives me challenge to do some farming instead of just randomly goofing around aimlessly.
I'm using mods from C:/FS22.Mods/PMC/ dir which contains latest courseplay v7.1.0.4 from github.
2022-09-17T17:32:00Z Finally loading savegame up, this one has 2hrs 56min on it now which is... false, because this is some odd re-make savegame I believe, oh well anyways.
2022-09-17T17:36:00Z Accepted contract for baling F14
2022-09-17T17:41:00Z Finished mowing.
Drove to the dealership and dropped off mower front and back attachments. Then was wondering, umm what do we have to do next, baling something but is it grass or hay heh. Checked contracts menu and yup its grass, need to ted it.
2022-09-17T17:50:00Z Finished tedding F14 to hay.
Drove a bit in-cab, noticed that sounds get muffled, nice. This is some new engine feature I believe, cant recall it being there on release.
2022-09-17T17:54:00Z Started baling grass F14.
2022-09-17T18:01:00Z Finished baling grass F14.
Picked up the bale forks from the dealership.
Victory! 
2022-09-17T18:11:00Z Arrived to johnsons farmers market to sell these four hay bales.
Contract finished when I sold the front bale fork two bales. Then I got 1430 cash from the two rear bale fork bales.
2022-09-17T18:14:00Z Got out of the tractor and collected contract reward 7.8k, budget now 299.4k.
Hmm have to say, 7.8k for that amount of work... in the long run, its not profitable time use for sure, it was fun yeah no problem I liked doing that now, but if I were to start making money like this, no way man. Baling contracts are fun but you need a bigger field and silage baling, that makes you good money I assume.
2022-09-17T18:16:00Z Accepted contract for fertilizing F31
This contract was sorted by "profit per min", don't really like these PER MIN junk things, but lets give it a try. Borrowed vehicles were new holland T6.175 and Bredal K105.
My own solid fertilizer storage in the dealership was 3.6k liters, plenty enough for this contract.
2022-09-17T18:19:00Z Started fertilizing F31, contract, manually no GPS no nothing
Its so back to the roots ghetto bum action to drive without GPS or courseplay hehe. As I'm driving back and forth in this field, mind starts to wander, I'm sort of thinking that is this really a wise use for my time, just playing second savegame in elmcreek when I could be editing my own terrains or even playing some other peoples terrains... hmm hmm.
But I guess its always kind of ritual when returning to farmsim after a long break, to start from giants official in-game terrain to wet your apetite for something... more 
2022-09-17T18:25:00Z Finished fertilizing F31, contract.
2022-09-17T18:26:00Z Collected contract reward 6.6k.
And now restroom break, hmm actually lunch break as well...
2022-09-17T18:49:00Z Feeding time is over, back to farming. During eating was scrolling current contracts slowly through and I must say, they are pitiful rewards.
Highest paying contract was canola harvest, F69 with delivery location right next to it feed & grain south, decided to do that even though estimated duration is one hour, if that is true then its probably going to take a while longer in reality.
2022-09-17T18:52:00Z Accepted contract harvesting canola F69.
2022-09-17T18:56:00Z Started harvesting canola F69, contract.
2022-09-17T19:02:00Z One round of headland done.
2022-09-17T19:05:00Z Combine full, going to pickup grain trailer tractor from the dealership.
First combine unloading to grain trailer.
2022-09-17T19:19:00Z Second combine unloading. Still having fun playing small scale elmcreek farming. Its now hands-on playing without GPS, cant ALT-TAB for a long time to write these texts.
Budget now 305.9k and I'm planning what to do next. One option would be to buy a small tractor and fertilizer spreader, then start to do fertilizing contracts driving with GPS or even with courseplay. Another option which is kind of completely different approach, is to cheat, to buy greenhouses, parzivals water pump and that warehouse thing, then I could start to make money immediately on the side while doing contracts. I'm just not sure if placeanywhere mod allows me to place greenhouses without owning the farmland first. Just cant remember how that works.
2022-09-17T19:42:00Z Just about done, but now need to take a restroom break ...
2022-09-17T19:49:00Z Back, lets finish this field.
2022-09-17T19:52:00Z Finished harvesting canola F69, now just need to unload grain trailer and whats in the combines tank.
After unloading combines grain tank about 4.8k liters into delivery point, contract was 12% transported. Grain trailer has 37.5k liters of canola.
2022-09-17T19:55:00Z Dumped 37.5k liters of canola to delivery point.
As expected contract finished and I got a bit extra cash from the excess grain, 7k.
2022-09-17T19:56:00Z Collected contract F69 reward 12.9k, budget now 325.7k.
Still feeling good about farming game-play, sure this is slow going as usually big boy farming fertilizer contracts pay tens of thousands if not over hundred thousand per contract which don't even last very long with something like rubicon 9000, but yeah its big boy stuff and we aren't there yet (nor will ever be in elmcreek heh).
But yeah here we are again, free to choose which contract we do next, or maybe buy first piece of land or vehicle. Land doesn't do us any good because we don't have vehicles to work it. I am thinking that maybe buying that small fertilizing tractor and then start to drive with GPS because I have to get my own vehicle before allowed to use GPS and courseplay. Edit: this is wrong, original Start From Zero - Getting Started and Rules state that you must own LAND + VEHICLE before automation tools can be used.
Checked the dealership sales and there was just the kind of small tractor I was thinking, fendt 500 favorit for -59% off, decided to buy that so I can start using GPS, courseplay and even autodrive.
2022-09-17T20:09:00Z Purchased fendt 500 favorit with guidancesteering for 46.5k and amazone za-ts 3200 spreader for 25k.
Purchased big bag of solid fertilizer for 1.8k, budget now 243.7k.
Then tried to take all fertilizing contracts... but apparently I don't have multiple contracts mod activated as game said I can only take 3 contracts, hmm that is odd, isn't better contracts mod supposed to allow more than 3.
Saved game and exited, need to investigate that 3 active contract limit issue. Found better_contracts.xml config file from modSettings dir. Configured it and now I should have lazy AI working on fields and more than 3 contracts active at the same time.
Well doesn't work, still game complains I already have 3 active contracts, oh well, lets start doing those then.
2022-09-17T20:26:00Z Started fertilizing F73, contract, manually with GPS. Edit: and here you go stupid, this savegame is now ruined as it does not follow original Start From Zero - Getting Started and Rules 
2022-09-17T20:28:00Z Finished fertilizing F73, contract, collected contract reward 3.4k.
2022-09-17T20:32:00Z Started fertilizing F63, contract, manually with GPS.
2022-09-17T20:33:00Z Finished fertilizing F63, contract, collected contract reward 1.2k.
2022-09-17T20:34:00Z Started fertilizing F59, contract, manually with GPS.
I love driving this small fendt 500 tractor, but she needs a front weight real bad heh. Fertilizer box is too heavy on the back
2022-09-17T20:36:00Z Finished fertilizing F59, contract, collected contract reward 3.4k.
2022-09-17T20:37:00Z Started fertilizing F60, contract, manually with GPS.
2022-09-17T20:38:00Z Finished fertilizing F60, contract, collected contract reward 1.9k.
Oh my the rewards these little girlie men terrain fields are giving me hehe. I miss big PMC terrains, snif
2022-09-17T20:43:00Z Started fertilizing F47, contract, manually with GPS.
2022-09-17T20:44:00Z Finished fertilizing F47, contract, collected contract reward 1.3k.
Geez these rewards, I am seriously starting to wonder why am I playing with barbie dolls here, PMC Super Six 6km Start From Zero begins to sound more tempting by the minute ...
Restroom break.
2022-09-17T20:51:00Z Started fertilizing F22, contract, manually with GPS.
2022-09-17T20:52:00Z Finished fertilizing F22, contract, collected contract reward 1.9k.
2022-09-17T20:54:00Z Started fertilizing F12, contract, manually with GPS.
2022-09-17T20:55:00Z Finished fertilizing F12, contract, collected contract reward 1.8k.
Heh oh man these mickey mouse tiny ass field contracts, these are not worth my time to drive into the field when it pays less than 2 grand hehe. Uuh, wonder if I should fire up super six six already..
2022-09-17T21:03:00Z Did another restart to check GPS and better contracts settings. Accepted contract to fertilize F39.
Drove to the dealership and purchased another big bag of solid fertilizer, topped spreader up.
Purchased acgo 650kg front weight for my fendt 500 as it does wheelies with spreader box full of product when driving fast.
I'm still contemplating my plan, what to do next, what to buy next, will I go the greenhouse cheating route or not...
2022-09-17T21:11:00Z Started fertilizing F39, contract, manually with GPS.
Finally a field that is not 45sec and done
2022-09-17T21:14:00Z Finished fertilizing F39, contract, collected contract reward 8.3k.
There was no more contracts so I time accelerated 6000 speed to the next day, in-game sep 0753hrs. Now we got more fertilizing contracts, unfortunately these are piece of crap worthless, several below one thousand, as said not worth the time to drive into the field... but oh well lets get them done, maybe it keeps field stages in rotation better.
2022-09-17T21:24:00Z Started fertilizing F49 which is so frigging small my 42m spreader is too big for it haha.
2022-09-17T21:24:00Z Finished hehe. Collected reward of whopping 781, whohoo!
2022-09-17T21:27:00Z Started fertilizing F41, contract, manually with GPS.
2022-09-17T21:29:00Z Finished fertilizing F41, contract, collected contract reward 3.6k.
2022-09-17T21:33:00Z Started fertilizing F25, contract, manually with GPS.
2022-09-17T21:37:00Z Finished fertilizing F25, contract, collected contract reward 8.1k.
I cancelled the last contract I had, it was 300 some reward and other side of the terrain, no thanks. I'm not going to accept those couple of thousand worth contracts, they are simply waste of time.
2022-09-17T21:44:00Z Accepted contract for harvesting soybeans F70
F70 is right next to feed & grain which is our delivery point, decided to take the soybeans harvest contract as there was nothing else available.
2022-09-17T21:50:00Z Started harvesting soybeans F70, courseplay ETA ??h ??min, crap fs22 courseplay
Combine was running under courseplay, now I finally had moments of peace, a breather heh.
So nice that I can just get up and go to restroom without worrying about losing progress, courseplay is the best
2022-09-17T22:20:00Z First trailer load full.
Dumped to feed & grain, contract shows 75% transported.
Hmm, I have to say that because most of the fertilizing contracts appeared on some tiny fields with idiotic rewards, this kind of harvesting contract feels much better even if it takes two three times the amount of time. Of course if we would get fertilizing contracts on those bigger fields, well then it would be much different scenario.
2022-09-17T22:35:00Z Finished harvesting soybeans F70 contract.
2022-09-17T22:37:00Z Dumped all the soybeans into feed & grain delivery point, contract got finished and got 13.1k profit from the remaining grain.
Collected contract reward harvesting soybeans F70, 12.9k, budget now 296.8k.
Alright, what next...
Time accelerated to nov in-game 0911hrs. Hmm 32k reward hay baling contract for F71, but man that will take a long time to finish, estimated time 1h 11min, yeah I'll pass, there is so many "moving parts" in baling contract, maybe if it was silage with double the reward then I might think about it.
Time accelerated to dec in-game 0944hrs. Only cultivating contracts available, all others disappeared. Then time accelerated to jan 0944hrs (yeah excat same hour and minutes). Then to feb in-game 0816hrs. Then mar in-game 0714hrs.
2022-09-17T22:54:00Z Saved game and exited, I want to try something on better_contracts.xml settings file.
Well it didn't work, so guess the better_contracts mod is broken that I have installed, dunno why it doesnt allow me more contracts than 3.
Accepted three fertilizing contracts, few thousands per contract, nothing too big.
2022-09-17T23:02:00Z Started fertilizing F31, contract, courseplay.
Yup courseplay, I'm getting lazy
Its now march and its snowing, but fields are brown dirt and apparently I can fertilize them OK.
2022-09-17T23:06:00Z Finished fertilizing F31, contract, collected contract reward 7.4k.
Drove to the dealership and purchased two big bags of solid fertilizer for 3.6k. Topped up our fertilizer spreader box.
2022-09-17T23:12:00Z Started fertilizing F09 contract, manually GPS.
2022-09-17T23:15:00Z Finished fertilizing F09, contract, collected contract reward 3.5k.
Hmph, well dunno, 3.5k is pretty peanuts, if there was no big field next to it, it would not have been worth to drive all the way up here.
2022-09-17T23:17:00Z Started fertilizing F10, contract, courseplay.
2022-09-17T23:25:00Z Finished fertilizing F10, contract, collected contract reward 10.7k.
Well that was at least double digits thousands heh. Budget now 313k.
Purchased one big bag of solid fertilizer for 1.8k times two and topped up spreader box. Time accelerated to apr in-game 0706hrs.
2022-09-17T23:31:00Z And with that, its my lunch break, good timing because I started to become anxious with lack of progress in tiny girlie men terrain. Going to time accelerate while eating until we get some sexy contracts.
2022-09-18T00:05:00Z Feeding time is over, back to farming.
Time accelerated several days and refreshed contracts, some changed but the best profit was from hay baling F71 for 33.6k. I'm starting to think that there are no lucrative fertilizing contracts in elmcreek...
Overall I hate to say this, but I'm getting bored, all that american style small scale farming fun has dissipated pretty much, now I would just want to get some progress and looks like with these contract profits... it aint gonna happen
Time accelerated some more and then "so so" fertilizing contract appeared, F68 for 11k (15k paying reward but need to pay for product myself), accepted it, lets go do it.
I'm little bit sad that all the small scale farming fun mindset has disappeared, I wanted to relive the experience of nov 2021 when FS22 was released. Dunno, maybe I'm chasing impossible dreams, huh?
2022-09-18T00:15:00Z Started fertilizing F68, contract, courseplay.
Maybe I should generate new experiences instead of trying to live the "past glory" so to speak. I would pay serious dollah if I could relive the october 2018 one month of FS17 Cornbelt Start From Scratch (yeah I called it scratch at that time) game-play experience, but its not gonna happen, I don't have Marty McFly's DeLorean time machine to travel back to that time hehe.
Not sure what new and exciting experience I could generate, hmm.
I am just so nostalgia guy, really appreciating that stuff, fond memories are so priceless. Maybe one way to preserve those memories for decades to come is to write these "Farming Stories".
2022-09-18T00:22:00Z Finished fertilizing F68, contract, collected contract reward 15k.
Budget now 324.4k.
Then got this:
2022-09-18 00:24 Error: Running LUA method 'update'. C:/FS22.Mods/PMC/better_contracts/scripts/gui.lua:346: attempt to index a nil value
Eeww, errors. That doesn't improve my mood at all
Restarted FS22, I'm not ready to end this farming session yet.
2022-09-18T00:48:00Z Googled some custom mission rewards mod a bit, I already have it but was wondering if there is a newer version, there is... but then I was thinking that for elmcreek it might be good but on large PMC terrains it would be overkill as there we have big fields and big contract rewards, so decided that nah not going to use that. Then refreshed contracts again and now we have F71 silage baling contract for bio gas plant, this pays 47k according to better contracts calculation.
Hmm hmm. This might be doable, but it would be at least one hour to get it done, hmm hmm.
I want better contracts but once I get them... I'm not motivated enough to commit myself into such over an hour lasting baling ordeal hehe.
2022-09-18T00:54:00Z Decided to take this contract and try to get away with as much as possible using courseplay.
2022-09-18T00:57:00Z Started mowing F71, courseplay.
Then restroom break while courseplay is mowing some grass.
2022-09-18T01:27:00Z Finished mowing grass F71.
2022-09-18T01:30:00Z Started windrowing grass F71. Hmm not sure but courseplay field work course seems to miss narrow edge of the field, hmm, if it does the same on the inner rows, then ugh.
Hmm second headland seems to be going in "right track".
2022-09-18T01:42:00Z Hmm guess there is a reason why silage pays so good; 1) mowing, 2) windrowing, 3) baling, 4) bale wrapping, 5) hauling the crap for sell
In other words, I'm bored...
2022-09-18T01:53:00Z Finished windrowing grass F71.
2022-09-18T01:55:00Z started baling grass F71, courseplay.
Tractor running that baling course had real problems with existing bales on the path, it got stuck in them and then courseplay turned itself off. So I had to babysit tractor and help it many times.
Last pass...
2022-09-18T02:21:00Z Finished baling grass F71.
2022-09-18T02:23:00Z Started wrapping grass bales F71. Courseplay does this automatically without a course, its pretty cool. But this might take a while, its a decent size field for elmcreek and there is whole lotta bales...
2022-09-18T02:57:00Z Bored to death, now it marks TWO HOURS of baling contract
I'm so disappointed on myself for wasting this much time today for this dumb savegame... guess I had some fun, but yeah now it feels like what did I accomplish when spending most of the day in elmcreek second savegame, how could I have used that time better. Hmm.
Indeed.
I think tomorrow my schedule is definitely going to be something else, something productive instead of wasting time with dead end stupid savegame.
Or who knows, maybe I'm just so bored for this BALING contract and disappointed I started it, yeah I said its going to be over an hour but had no idea its going to be over two hours. I would say its probably going to be two and a half hours before all silage bales have been sold into the biogas plant
2022-09-18T03:00:00Z Finished wrapping grass bales F71.
2022-09-18T03:02:00Z Started collecting silage bales, manually.
2022-09-18T03:05:00Z First 14 bales collected, off to biogas plant.
2022-09-18T03:07:00Z Dropped off.
2022-09-18T03:09:00Z Another 14 silage bales collected, off to biogas plant.
2022-09-18T03:11:00Z Dropped off.
2022-09-18T03:14:00Z Third 14 collected.
2022-09-18T03:15:00Z Dropped off.
2022-09-18T03:18:00Z 14 bales collected.
2022-09-18T03:19:00Z Dropped off. Contract finished and I got 19.9k profit.
2022-09-18T03:22:00Z 14 bales collected.
2022-09-18T03:24:00Z Dropped off.
2022-09-18T03:25:00Z 6 bales collected, thats the last of them.
2022-09-18T03:27:00Z Dropped off.
That's it, its a wrap!
2022-09-18T03:27:00Z Collected silage baling F71 contract reward 28.7k.
Budget now 435.7k.
Hmm I had 324k I believe before starting this contract... err so we got about 110k in total? Whoah, maybe it was worth 2.5 hours of work
Anyways, now I'm going to call it a night, not exactly tired but I want to do some other computer stuff before bed time, there is nothing I could do in this savegame anymore tonight which would leave me with anything other than foul mood.
2022-09-18T03:30:00Z Saved game and shutdown FS22, goodnight.
Continue reading next page, Start From Zero Elmcreek Home, go back to previous page.