Farming Simulator 22 shipped in November 2021 with three maps: Elmcreek in the American Midwest with 82 fields, Haut-Beyleron in southern France with 48, and the alpine Erlengrat with 25. Seasonal growth is the headline change, so each crop now has a sowing and harvesting window instead of growing whenever you feel like planting. Production chains are the other addition, with 13 plant types that turn raw harvest into flour, bread, cake, fabric, clothes and more.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Elmcreek | Seasonal growth cycles basics | Animal husbandry | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Haut-Beyleron | Production chains mastery | Animal husbandry | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Erlengrat | Field state management + gear | Arable crop farming or Animal husbandry | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Silverrun Forest | Build optimization | Arable crop farming | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Zielonka | Min-max | Arable crop farming or Contract work | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Elmcreek)
An American Midwest map with 82 fields, the largest count in the base game, plus a Grain Mill, Carpentry, Spinnery and Tailor Shop already on the map. Flat and wide, so big machinery pays for itself.
Level/Difficulty: Beginner friendly Key Rewards: 82 fields, on map production plants, wide flat working ground
What to Do in Elmcreek
- Learn Seasonal growth cycles. Each in game month advances crops one growth stage, and sowing outside a crop's window means nothing comes up. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Animal husbandry as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Start with contracts and leased implements. A leased plough for one job costs a fraction of buying one, and contract income funds your first field far faster than harvesting a starter plot does.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Claas Lexion 8900 or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Seasonal growth cycles fundamentals
- Animal husbandry selected and functional
- Elmcreek main content cleared
- Ready for Haut-Beyleron
Phase 2: Early Game (Haut-Beyleron)
A southern French map of 48 fields across hilly terrain, with the climate and slopes suited to grapes and olives that flatter ground cannot grow as well.
Level/Difficulty: Intermediate Key Rewards: 48 fields, vineyard and olive ground, small field cash crops
What to Do in Haut-Beyleron
- Work on Production chains. There are 13 production plants you can buy and place on your land. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Claas Lexion 8900 if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Sowing windows are real. Planting outside a crop's window produces nothing at all, so check the calendar and the crop list before you buy seed, particularly for maize, sunflowers and sorghum.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Erlengrat.
- Consider whether Arable crop farming might suit your playstyle better than Animal husbandry.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Production chains integrated into gameplay
- Claas Lexion 8900 acquired
- Haut-Beyleron fully cleared
- Ready for Erlengrat
Phase 3: Mid Game (Erlengrat)
An alpine map of 25 medium fields with steep approaches and local businesses including Kaeserei Erlengrat and Liechti Chocolatier. Slopes make large machinery a liability rather than an advantage.
Level/Difficulty: Advanced Key Rewards: 25 fields, alpine dairy businesses, slope focused equipment challenge
What to Do in Erlengrat
- Master Field state management. Fields track lime, fertiliser in stages, plough state, weeds and rolling. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward John Deere 8R. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Lime on the schedule the game shows rather than by feel. A field that has gone unlimed loses a visible slice of yield, and lime is one of the cheapest inputs in the game.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Contracts and leasing for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Field state management mastered
- John Deere 8R acquired or in progress
- Erlengrat fully cleared
- Ready for Silverrun Forest
Phase 4: Late Game (Silverrun Forest)
A Pacific Northwest map added with the Platinum Expansion, starting with over 20,000 trees. It is built for forestry first, with farming as a secondary income rather than the main one.
Level/Difficulty: Forestry focused Key Rewards: Over 20,000 trees, timber and woodchip income, logging terrain
What to Do in Silverrun Forest
- Finalize your build. You should be running Arable crop farming or Animal husbandry with optimized gear.
- John Deere 8R should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Store the harvest instead of selling it at the elevator the moment the trailer is full. Prices move month to month and a silo lets you wait for the spike, which is often worth more than a second field.
- Construction and terrain shaping optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Zielonka.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- John Deere 8R upgraded to max
- Silverrun Forest fully cleared
- Ready for Zielonka
Phase 5: Endgame (Zielonka)
The map that came with the Premium Expansion, adding another full farming region with its own field layout and sell points for players who have worked through the base game maps.
Level/Difficulty: Intermediate to advanced Key Rewards: Fresh field layout, new sell points, expansion machinery pairing
What to Do in Zielonka
- Zielonka tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Root crops leave the ground needing a plough. Harvest potatoes or sugar beet and then plough before the next sowing, otherwise the next crop comes in short and you will not see why.
- The endgame loop: run Zielonka, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Contract work for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Construction and terrain shaping mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Zielonka fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Buying a large combine in the first hour instead of leasing one for the harvest, which locks up the money that should have bought land.
- Sowing outside the seasonal window and then waiting a full in game year for a field that will never sprout.
- Selling everything at the nearest sell point the moment the trailer fills, ignoring that prices move month to month and that the same grain is worth far more processed.
- Skipping lime and weeding because the field still looks green, then blaming the harvester when the yield comes in a third under expectation.
- Running oversized machinery on Erlengrat's alpine slopes, where a large combine cannot turn in a 25 field map built around medium sized ground.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Start with contracts and leased implements. A leased plough for one job costs a fraction of buying one, and contract income funds your first field far faster than harvesting a starter plot does.
- Sowing windows are real. Planting outside a crop's window produces nothing at all, so check the calendar and the crop list before you buy seed, particularly for maize, sunflowers and sorghum.
- Lime on the schedule the game shows rather than by feel. A field that has gone unlimed loses a visible slice of yield, and lime is one of the cheapest inputs in the game.
- Store the harvest instead of selling it at the elevator the moment the trailer is full. Prices move month to month and a silo lets you wait for the spike, which is often worth more than a second field.
- Root crops leave the ground needing a plough. Harvest potatoes or sugar beet and then plough before the next sowing, otherwise the next crop comes in short and you will not see why.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Farming Simulator 22 Guides
- Farming Simulator 22 Farming Simulator 22 Overview
- Farming Simulator 22 Best Builds
- Farming Simulator 22 Tier List
- Farming Simulator 22 Beginner's Guide
- Farming Simulator 22 Tips & Tricks
- Farming Simulator 22 Weapons Guide
- Farming Simulator 22 Combat Guide
- Farming Simulator 22 Boss Guide
- Farming Simulator 22 Maps & Locations
- Farming Simulator 22 Crafting Guide
- Farming Simulator 22 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Farming Simulator 22, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Walkthrough: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Walkthrough: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Walkthrough: simulation game with similar mechanics
