Farmers Bounty – Quick Start Guide

Welcome to Farmers Bounty! This guide will help you get started in just a few minutes.

Installation

Method 1: Upload via WordPress Admin

1. Download farmers-bounty-v1.0.0.zip from plugin-installs/ folder
2. In WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
3. Choose the zip file and click Install Now
4. Click Activate Plugin

Method 2: Manual Installation

1. Extract the zip file
2. Upload the farmers-bounty-plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/
3. In WordPress admin, go to Plugins
4. Find “Farmers Bounty” and click Activate

Initial Setup (5 minutes)

Step 1: Configure Settings

1. Go to Farmers Bounty → Settings
2. Enter your location information:

• Location: Your city/state (e.g., “Atlanta, GA”)
• Latitude/Longitude: For accurate weather (optional)
• Hardiness Zone: Select your USDA zone

Step 2: Add API Keys (Recommended)

Weather Underground API

Why: Get real-time weather, frost alerts, and watering recommendations

1. Visit https://www.wunderground.com/member/api-keys
2. Sign up for a free account
3. Create an API key
4. Find a nearby Personal Weather Station ID
5. Add both to Settings page

Perenual Plant API

Why: Access detailed plant information and images

1. Visit https://perenual.com/docs/api
2. Sign up for a free account (1,000 API calls/day)
3. Get your API key
4. Add to Settings page

Note: Plugin works without APIs but features will be limited

Step 3: Create Your First Garden

The plugin automatically creates “My Garden” on first use. You can:

• Keep the default
• Customize the name and details
• Add multiple gardens later

Adding Your First Plants

Option 1: Add Plants Manually

1. Go to Farmers Bounty → My Plants
2. Click Add New Plant
3. Search for a plant by name
4. Select from results
5. Fill in:

• Planter Type: In Ground, Grow Bag, Raised Bed, or Pot
• Planted Date: When you planted it
• Quantity: How many (optional)
• Notes: Any observations

1. Click Add Plant

Option 2: Import from CSV

1. Go to Farmers Bounty → Import CSV
2. Click Download Template to get the format
3. Fill in your plant data:

   common_name,scientific_name,planter_type,planter_name,planted_date,notes
   Tomato,Solanum lycopersicum,Raised Bed,Bed 1,2024-03-15,Cherokee Purple
   Basil,Ocimum basilicum,Pot,Kitchen,2024-04-01,Sweet basil

1. Save as CSV file
2. Upload to import page
3. Review results

Using the Dashboard

Weather Widget

• Shows current temperature, humidity, wind
• Updates every 5 minutes
• Displays today’s rainfall

Quick Statistics

• Total plants in your garden
• Ready to harvest count
• Active planters
• Recently planted

Plant Cards

Each plant shows:

• Photo (if available)
• Name and type
• Planted date
• Days until harvest
• Health status
• Quick actions (View, Harvest, Edit)

Recommendations

Smart suggestions based on:

• Current weather conditions
• Plant health
• Harvest readiness
• Seasonal timing

Priority levels:

• 🔴 High: Immediate action needed
• 🟡 Medium: Address soon
• 🟢 Low: Informational

Recording Harvests

1. Click any plant card “View Details”
2. Click “Record Harvest” button
3. Enter details:

• Date harvested
• Quantity and unit (lbs, oz, count)
• Quality (excellent, good, fair, poor)
• Notes

1. Submit

Harvest history is saved and viewable in plant details.

Using the Calendar

1. Go to Farmers Bounty → Calendar
2. View all planting and harvest dates
3. Navigate months with Previous/Next buttons
4. Click “Today” to jump to current date
5. Click any event to view plant details

Color codes:

• 🟢 Green: Planting date
• 🟠 Orange: Harvest start
• 🔴 Red: Harvest end

Managing Plant Health

Update Health Status

1. View plant details
2. Click Edit Plant
3. Change health status:

• Healthy: Thriving, no issues
• Fair: Showing minor stress
• Poor: Significant problems

1. Add notes about symptoms
2. Save changes

Health Alerts

Dashboard will automatically show:

• Plants in poor health (high priority)
• Plants in fair health (medium priority)
• Recommended actions

Tips for Success

Daily Routine

1. Check dashboard for recommendations
2. Review weather widget
3. Water if recommended
4. Check plants needing attention

Weekly Routine

1. Update plant health status
2. Record any harvests
3. Add notes about observations
4. Check calendar for upcoming tasks

Seasonal Planning

1. Review seasonal recommendations
2. Plan plantings using calendar
3. Check frost dates in spring/fall
4. Use USDA zone guide for plant selection

Getting the Most Out of Weather Integration

Frost Protection

• Dashboard shows frost risk 3 days ahead
• Alerts are color-coded by severity
• Take action when high risk indicated:
• Cover sensitive plants
• Bring pots indoors
• Water before frost (insulation)

Watering Recommendations

Based on recent rainfall:

• No Rain 3+ Days: Water today
• Light Rain: Consider watering
• Recent Heavy Rain: Skip watering

System accounts for:

• Precipitation amount
• Days since last rain
• Temperature/evaporation

Troubleshooting

Weather Not Showing

• Check API key is entered correctly
• Verify Station ID is valid
• Test station at wunderground.com
• Check internet connection

Plant Search Not Working

• Check Perenual API key
• Verify API limit not exceeded
• Try scientific name instead
• Check internet connection

Plants Not Appearing

• Verify garden is selected
• Check plant status (active vs archived)
• Clear any filters
• Refresh page

CSV Import Failed

• Check CSV format matches template
• Ensure required fields are filled
• Verify plant names are recognizable
• Review error messages for details

Support Resources

Documentation

• Full Documentation: documentation/ folder
• USDA Zones Guide: documentation/references/usda-zones.md
• Soil Conditions: documentation/references/soil-conditions.md

API Documentation

• Weather Underground: https://www.wunderground.com/weather/api/d/docs
• Perenual: https://perenual.com/docs/api

What’s Next?

Once you’re comfortable with the basics:

1. Add More Gardens: Track multiple locations
2. Import Historical Data: Bring in past seasons
3. Explore Calendar: Plan future plantings
4. Use Recommendations: Optimize garden care
5. Track Harvests: Build harvest history

Need Help?

Refer to the complete documentation in the documentation/ folder for detailed information on all features.