Virtual Farming On Facebook

The online gaming has always held me by my collars in its sharp talons. No matter how hard I try to refrain from it, the task always seems impossible. Due to this, I feel ashamed to call myself a book lover, while my ever increasing ‘to read’ books’ pile gather the dust, I’m either going crazy driving a taxi or honing my skills in Pool. What amazes me is the infinite number of games available. So while I’m always stuck in scrabble, pool, car racing, bubbles, gems and what not, the latest to hold my attention is Farming!

Facebook has already taken over my world with a storm. The hours I spend on it if utilised elsewhere with more care, I can certainly return a lot more calls, meet many more people, read books, perform my tasks much before the deadlines and certainly sharpen my writing skills; to cut everything short, basically do more constructive work. But checking out what my friends are upto, their pictures, the various quizzes and the other hullabaloo on it keeps me very very busy. I have several times tried to quit Facebook but always in vain. It is like a heady drug whose patches and the rehab centre is not yet available.

Now FB has offered its users a chance to experience farming. Farmville and Farm Pals are becoming a rage among millions of users who are finding it the most in thing to plough a land, grow and harvest variety of crops and along with it beautify their farms by various trees, animals, and they can also choose from a list of decorations and buildings. It has become quite a hit as people are finding it enjoyable to experience farming. One can grow a variety of crops like strawberries, artichokes, potatoes, pineapples, eggplants, squash, wheat, rice and many others. The crops have different time durations to mature and one has to harvest the crops accordingly else the crops wither away. This keeps people going back to their farms again and again to check their crops.

There are many levels in it and one can move up a level working hard, planting more seeds and spending a lot of coins. Every new level allows you to do something extra. The virtual farmers can gift each other various trees and animals. So one can milk a cow, rear a sheep, collect truffles from pigs, harvest apples, limes, passion fruits, dates, pomegranates and so on. So much to keep pumping your addiction levels!

The novel game has given a chance to its users to get acquainted with a farmer’s life though it doesn’t involve any sweating in the sun and the hard work. But still people can fulfil their long lost desires of becoming a farmer. One can maintain their farms according to their own wish and grow as many crops as they want. There are several rewards also in the form of ribbons. One can also buy tractors and threshers, expand the farm, own a house and many other such things.

This new way of farming has caught the attention of many. The virtual way of farming has many fans and is sure to go a long way. So while I go and check on my crops, you go and check out this game. But beware; don’t blame me if the addiction flu catches you. You have been warned!

Shikha Tandon