The Basics

   When playing this game, you have to ask yourself what you want from it. If you think you're going to get the 1 million coin pony lot in a month, it's probably not going to happen. But the sheer fact that it exists invokes me to continue playing. Knowing that the game will not soon end keeps me farming. And knowing that my fellow farmers are continuing to maintain their farm keeps me farming. All in all, it's entertaining for a game you only have to tend to a few times a day. They enforce it with the "water" system, which acts as the common FB game's energy system.

   You are allotted to hold no more than 30 water at any given time. Water regenerates per 3 minutes, thus a 90 minute period will accumulate a full supply of water. Additionally, when you unlock the well, you can access it about once a day for an additional supply of 10.

   Water is what makes Farmville 2 go round. Other than waiting for crops to grow or animals to be fed, you are most likely waiting for a few water to recharge. Knowing how to optimize water regeneration rate and have a basic understanding of crop yield will help you to invest wisely and make greater turnout.

   If you want to make the most money, unfortunately you are going to have to nag your Facebook friends. But they can just block you and delete you if they don't want to put up with your requests. Even the most menial tasks in the game require you to ask people for an item which somehow spontaneously generates in their inventory without them knowing which is given to you upon them accepting. After you've been able to admit your existence on Facebook as a nuisance from the countless FV2 requests you've sent, you will soon realize that you can only be but so annoying. Only every 18 hours can you make a large scale item request.

   Aside from harvesting materials from crops, animals, and trees, you may have noticed a considerable way to make money from crafting. Currently vanilla crafting is the most profitable, but it only has a few more days left for the limited availability. If you can bug enough people who'll give you at least 3 sugar a day, you can plant 24 vanilla, 8 wheat, and assuming you have a surplus of milk and eggs from chickens and goats, you'll be investing 1920g(vanilla)+80g(wheat)=2000g for 5000g in vanilla cream puffs. That's a daily yield of 3k that you don't have to put much effort into.

   It's no doubt that this is a game of patience and periodic maintenance. But the fun part is that when you're not harvesting or watering, you can be doing math! But this blog isn't here just to encourage you to do math in your spare time. No, you'll have plenty of time to browse your silly Facebook feed, because I'm going to attempt to do most of the subjectively boring math myself. I, however, happen to enjoy it. In future posts, expect to see investment and profit comparisons through empirical research.

   Currently this is how my farm looks.

      I recommend everyone to go through the quest line since it's easy exp and money. Everything that I'm waiting for is quest based or involving vanilla profit right now. I've planted onions for a quest, waiting for the oranges to grow for a quest, waiting for the next day to ask for help on the hen house for a quest.

I'm not sure what the exp was required for previous levels, but:
Level 7: 2000xp
Level 8: 3000xp