Farmers Bounty is a comprehensive WordPress plugin designed to help gardeners plan, track, and optimize their gardens with intelligent features, real-time weather data, and Atlanta-specific guidance.

Who Is This For?

Home Gardeners – Track plants, harvests, and learnings
Serious Gardeners – Advanced analytics and planning tools
Atlanta Gardeners – Zone 7b optimized with local pest/disease data
Beginners – Easy-to-use interface with expert guidance
Experienced Gardeners – Sophisticated tracking and rotation planning

What Makes v3.0.0 Special?

Version 3.0.0 represents a major milestone – a stable, production-ready release with:

✅ 25+ Production-Ready Features – Complete garden management suite
✅ Stable Foundation – Long-term support commitment
✅ Enhanced Cleanup System – No more orphaned data issues
✅ Complete Documentation – 8,500+ lines of guides
✅ Professional Quality – WordPress standards compliant
✅ Backward Compatible – Seamless upgrades from v1.x and v2.0

What’s New

What’s New in v5.3.0

Legal & Compliance Documents

Farmers Bounty now includes comprehensive legal documents accessible from the Admin Menu → Legal section:

Terms of Service — Full terms governing use of the plugin, including expanded indemnification sections for:
Garden outcomes and horticultural disclaimer (crop failure, poor recommendations)
Location information and business listings (farmers markets, retailers, restaurants)
Product and tool recommendations (outdated information, chemical safety)
AI-generated content and data provider limitations
Privacy Policy — GDPR-compliant privacy policy documenting all data collection, storage, processing, and third-party sharing
Cookie Policy — Details on browser cookies and storage used by the plugin

Each document includes a table of contents, search functionality, and cross-navigation between all three legal pages.

Expanded Indemnification Coverage

All legal documents have been strengthened with additional indemnification provisions covering:

Garden failure from recommendations (planting time, harvest time, watering, soil, sunlight)
Inaccurate or outdated information from AI models and data providers
Location information accuracy (farmers markets, businesses, organizations)
Product and tool recommendations (discontinued, reformulated, recalled products)
AI-generated content limitations and shared responsibility

What’s New in v5.0.0

Knowledge Loader System

A new content loading system for managing the knowledge base, enabling efficient loading and indexing of reference content.

Food & Harvest Content

Five new comprehensive resource guides for managing surplus produce:

Preservation Guide — Complete guide to canning, freezing, dehydrating, and fermenting garden produce
Harvest Preservation Recipes — Tested recipes organized by preservation method
Farmers Market Guide — Guide to selling at producer-only farmers markets, including regulations, pricing, and booth setup
Donate Produce Guide — Resources for donating surplus to food banks, community fridges, and organizations across all 50 states
Neighbor Resources Guide — Sharing with neighbors, community exchanges, and Little Free Pantries

See the Food & Harvest Resources section for details.

Collapsible Sidebar Menus

Admin sidebar navigation sections are now collapsible, remembering their expanded/collapsed state across sessions.

What’s New in v4.0.0

Frontend Portal

A unified, public-facing portal that combines all Farmers Bounty features into a single page with built-in sidebar navigation. Set up with the

Please log in to access your garden portal.

Log In

shortcode.

See the separate Frontend Portal Addendum for complete documentation of this feature.

Persona System

11 gardening personas that customize the UI to show only features relevant to your gardening style (Plant Parent, Weekend Gardener, Master Gardener, Urban Farmer, and more).

50-State Expansion

Expanded beyond Atlanta/Georgia with support for all 50 US states, including state-specific planting data and climate information.

Community Garden Features

New tools for managing community garden plots, shared spaces, and group coordination.

What’s New in v3.0.0

Major Version Release

v3.0.0 is a major version release signifying production maturity and long-term stability.

🧹 NEW: Enhanced Cleanup System

Problem Solved: Previous installations were not properly unregistering in WordPress, leaving orphaned data.

Three-Tier Cleanup System:

1. Automatic Prior Installation Cleanup (NEW!)

When: During plugin activation
What: Detects incomplete prior uninstalls and automatically cleans up
Removes: Orphaned tables, leftover options, stale transients
Result: Clean slate for fresh installations

2. Enhanced Deactivation Cleanup

When: Plugin deactivation
What: Clears transients, removes cron events, flushes rewrite rules
Result: No stale cached data or orphaned scheduled tasks

3. Complete Uninstallation

When: Plugin deletion via WordPress admin
What: Removes all 11 database tables, options, transients, user meta, cron events
Safety: Optional data preservation setting
Result: Complete cleanup with no traces left behind

Multisite Support: All cleanup functions work seamlessly on WordPress multisite installations.

🌟 Complete Feature Set

All features from v2.0.0 are included and stable:

Weather Integration (100% API Capture)

Geographic data (latitude, longitude, elevation, station name)
Separate heat index and wind chill
Cardinal wind directions (N, SE, SW, etc.)
Pressure in imperial & metric units
UTC timestamps for better time zone handling
Enhanced shortcodes with three detail levels

Plant Management

Seed to harvest tracking
Multiple planter types (in-ground, raised bed, pot, grow bag, hanging basket)
Quality ratings for harvests
CSV import/export
Comprehensive plant profiles

Planning Tools

Succession planting scheduler
Crop rotation planning (9 plant families)
Planting calculator with personalized dates
Growing Degree Days (GDD) tracking
Harvest predictions
Visual calendar view

Analytics Dashboard

Year-over-year comparisons
Harvest trends and patterns
Top performers identification
Visual charts and graphs
Success rate tracking

Knowledge Base

35+ pest profiles with Atlanta-specific timing
15+ disease profiles with humidity considerations
Harvest preservation guide (3,000+ lines)
Red clay soil strategies (2,500+ lines)
Transplanting guides
Companion planting recommendations

AI Features

Claude AI-powered chatbot
Context-aware gardening advice
Web search integration (Tavily)
Natural language queries
Problem diagnosis
Personalized growing tips

Data Management

Complete backup/restore system
CSV import (4 formats with auto-detection)
CSV export for all data
Automatic database migrations
Database health monitoring

🔧 Technical Improvements

Robust Migration System – Automatic upgrades from any version
Enhanced Error Handling – Comprehensive logging and debugging
Security Hardening – All inputs sanitized, outputs escaped, nonces verified
Performance Optimization – Intelligent caching, query optimization
WordPress Standards – 100% compliant with WordPress Coding Standards

Getting Started

Requirements

WordPress: Version 5.0 or higher (6.0+ recommended)
PHP: Version 7.4 or higher (8.0+ recommended)
MySQL: Version 5.7 or higher (8.0+ recommended)
Memory: 128 MB minimum (256 MB recommended)
User Role: Administrator (for setup and configuration)

Installation

New Installation

Download farmers-bounty-v3.0.0.zip
Go to WordPress Admin → Plugins → Add New
Click “Upload Plugin”
Choose the downloaded ZIP file
Click “Install Now”
Click “Activate Plugin”
Navigate to Farmers Bounty in the admin menu
Complete initial setup

Upgrading from v2.0.0

Backup your data (recommended but not required)
Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
Deactivate “Farmers Bounty”
Upload and activate v3.0.0
Automatic migration runs – no action needed
Verify all data is intact
Continue using normally

Upgrading from v1.x

Backup your data (highly recommended)
Go to Farmers Bounty → Backup & Restore
Click “Create Backup” and download the file
Deactivate current version
Upload and activate v3.0.0
Wait for automatic migration to complete (may take 30-60 seconds)
Verify all data migrated correctly
Check dashboard for any migration notices

Initial Setup

1. Configure Settings

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Settings

Required:

Garden Name – Give your garden a name (e.g., “My Backyard Garden”)
Garden Address – Enter your street address (auto-calculates coordinates)

Optional (but recommended for full functionality):

Weather Underground API Key – For real-time weather data
Weather Station ID – Your local PWS station (e.g., KGAATLAN1017)
Claude API Key – For AI chatbot functionality
Tavily API Key – For web search in chatbot
Google Maps API Key – For geocoding addresses
Perenual API Key – For comprehensive plant database

2. Set Up Garden Locations

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Garden Locations

Create locations for different areas of your garden:

Example Locations:

Front yard raised beds
Back yard in-ground garden
Side yard containers
Patio pots
Greenhouse

For each location, specify:

Sunlight Conditions – Direct, Indirect, or Shade
Sunlight Time of Day – Morning, Midday, Afternoon, All Day
Sunlight Hours – Less than 3, 3-5, 6-8, 8+ hours
Soil Type – Red clay, Amended, Sandy, Raised bed mix, etc.
Drainage – Good, Moderate, Poor
Microclimate Notes – Hot spots, cool areas, windy sections, etc.
Dimensions – Size of the area (optional)

3. Add Your First Plant

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → My Plants

Click Add New Plant and fill in:

Plant Name – Common name (e.g., “Tomato”)
Variety – Specific variety (e.g., “Cherokee Purple”)
Planting Date – When you planted it
Garden Location – Select from your locations
Planter Type – In-ground, Raised bed, Pot, Grow bag, or Hanging basket
Maturity at Planting – Seed, Bulb, Seedling, Immature, or Mature
Seed Source – Select from seed inventory (if applicable)
Notes – Any additional information

Dashboard Overview

The main dashboard provides at-a-glance information about your garden.

Dashboard Widgets

1. Garden Summary

Total Plants – All plants in your garden
Active Plants – Currently growing
Harvested This Season – Completed harvests
Upcoming Tasks – Scheduled activities

2. Weather Widget ⭐ Enhanced in v3.0.0!

Standard View Displays:

Current temperature and “feels-like” temperature
Station name with elevation
Cardinal wind directions (N, SE, SW, etc.)
UV Index and solar radiation
Dew point temperature
Barometric pressure (inches & millibars)
Humidity percentage
Precipitation total
Observation time

Full View Additional Data:

Station location (latitude, longitude)
Heat index (summer) or wind chill (winter)
Wind gusts
Data quality indicator
Complete station information

Minimal View (Compact):

Temperature
Humidity
Wind only

3. Recent Activity

Latest Plantings – Recently added plants
Recent Harvests – What you’ve harvested
New Learnings – Recent observations
Calendar Events – Upcoming tasks

4. Quick Actions

Add Plant – Quick plant entry
Record Harvest – Log a harvest
Log Learning – Document an observation
View Calendar – See upcoming events
Check Weather – Current conditions

5. Recommendations

Watering Suggestions – Based on weather and plant needs
Planting Opportunities – What to plant now
Rotation Recommendations – Crop rotation advice
Pest/Disease Alerts – Current risk levels
Heat Stress Warnings – Protect sensitive plants

Core Features

1. Plant Management

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → My Plants

Adding Plants

Complete Plant Information:

Plant Name – Common name (required)
Variety – Specific cultivar or variety
Scientific Name – Latin name (optional, auto-filled if available)
Planting Date – When planted (date picker)
Garden Location – Select from your locations
Planter Type – In-ground, Raised bed, Pot, Grow bag, Hanging basket
Maturity at Planting – Seed, Bulb, Seedling, Immature, Mature
Seed Source – Link to seed inventory entry
Expected Harvest Date – Auto-calculated or manual entry
Plant Family – For crop rotation (auto-detected)
Notes – Any additional information
Photo – Upload plant photo (optional)

Viewing Plants

List View:

Sortable columns (name, date, location, status)
Filter by status (active, harvested, removed)
Filter by location
Filter by planter type
Search functionality
Quick actions (edit, harvest, remove, view details)

Card View:

Visual plant cards with photos
Key information at a glance
Color-coded by status
Quick harvest button
Days since planting
Expected harvest countdown

Plant Details Modal

Click any plant to see:

Complete plant profile
Planting history
Harvest records
Weather conditions during growth
GDD accumulation
Recommendations
Related learnings
Companion planting suggestions

Recording Harvests

Click Record Harvest on any plant:

Date – Harvest date (defaults to today)
Quantity – Amount harvested
Unit – Pounds, ounces, pieces, bunches, bags, etc.
Quality – Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
Notes – Taste, size, appearance, issues
Photos – Visual record (optional)

Harvest History:

View all harvests for a plant
Total yield calculation
Average quality
Harvest timeline
Compare with predictions

Exporting Plant Data

Click Export to CSV to download:

All plant information
Harvest totals
Quality ratings
Notes and observations
Suitable for Excel/Google Sheets
Use for backup or sharing

2. Seed Inventory

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Seeds

Track all your seeds in one organized location!

Adding Seeds

Complete Seed Information:

Seed Name – Plant name
Variety – Specific variety
Source – Where purchased or obtained
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Burpee
Saved from garden
Gift/trade
Other
Purchase Date – When acquired
Expiration Date – Viability date (auto-calculated if needed)
Quantity – Number of seeds or packets
Storage Location – Where stored (refrigerator, freezer, cabinet, etc.)
Germination Rate – Expected percentage (optional)
Days to Maturity – From seed packet
Notes – Growing tips, performance notes, special requirements

Using Seeds When Planting

When adding a new plant:

Select “Seed” for maturity at planting
Choose from your seed inventory dropdown
System automatically links seed to plant
Track seed-to-harvest performance
Update seed inventory quantity automatically

Seed Organization Features

Filter by Status – Active, expired, low quantity, needs reorder
Sort by Expiration – Use oldest first (FIFO)
Search – Find seeds quickly by name or variety
Bulk Actions – Update multiple seeds at once
Expiration Alerts – Get notified of expiring seeds
Reorder Reminders – Low quantity notifications

Seed Performance Tracking

Germination Success Rate – Track actual vs expected
Plant Performance – Link to harvest data
Variety Comparison – Compare different varieties
Source Evaluation – Which suppliers perform best

3. Season Learnings

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Learnings

Document what you learn each season – your personal garden journal!

Adding Learnings

Complete Learning Entry:

Learning Date – When observed
Category – Success, Challenge, Pest/Disease, Weather, Soil, Technique, Other
Plant/Crop – What plant (if applicable)
Title – Short description (e.g., “Tomatoes love afternoon shade”)
Description – Detailed notes and observations
Action Items – What to do differently next time
Severity – Minor, Moderate, Major (for challenges)
Photos – Visual documentation (optional)

Example Learnings

Success:

Title: “Cherokee Purple tomatoes thrived in back bed” Description: “The Cherokee Purple tomatoes in the back raised bed produced heavily from July through September. The afternoon shade from the fence prevented blossom end rot, which was a problem in previous years in full sun locations.” Action Items: “Plant all Cherokee Purple tomatoes in afternoon shade locations. Consider this for other heirloom varieties.”

Challenge:

Title: “Squash vine borers destroyed all zucchini” Description: “By mid-July, all zucchini plants were dead from squash vine borer damage. Found larvae in stems. This is the third year in a row with this problem.” Action Items: “Next year: 1) Use row covers until flowering, 2) Plant later (after first generation), 3) Try resistant varieties, 4) Consider trap crops, 5) Monitor stems weekly for eggs.”

Technique:

Title: “Succession planting lettuce worked perfectly” Description: “Planting lettuce every 2 weeks from March through May provided continuous harvests. Never ran out of salad greens. Used shade cloth in May to extend season.” Action Items: “Continue this schedule. Start succession planting in fall (August) for winter harvests.”

Weather:

Title: “Late frost damaged tomato seedlings” Description: “April 15 frost (28°F) damaged all tomato seedlings planted April 1. Lost 12 plants. Should have waited until April 20 (average last frost).” Action Items: “Never plant tomatoes before April 20, regardless of warm weather. Keep row covers ready for late season plantings.”

Using Learnings

Review Before Planting – Check last year’s notes
Share with Others – Export and share learnings
Year-over-Year Comparison – See patterns across seasons
Chatbot Integration – AI learns from your notes and provides personalized advice
Search and Filter – Find specific learnings quickly
Category Analysis – See which categories need attention

Learning Analytics

Most Common Challenges – What problems occur frequently
Success Patterns – What consistently works
Pest/Disease Frequency – Track recurring issues
Technique Effectiveness – Evaluate different methods
Seasonal Trends – Patterns across growing seasons

4. Harvest Tracking

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → My Plants → Record Harvest

Detailed Harvest Records

v3.0.0 includes comprehensive harvest tracking:

Harvest Entry Fields:

Date & Time – When harvested (defaults to now)
Quantity – Precise measurements
Unit – Pounds, ounces, kilograms, pieces, bunches, bags, baskets, etc.
Quality Rating – Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
Notes – Taste, size, appearance, issues, uses
Photos – Visual record of harvest (optional)
Weather Conditions – Auto-captured from weather data
Days from Planting – Auto-calculated
GDD Accumulation – Growing degree days (if tracked)

Harvest Analytics

View harvest data multiple ways:

By Plant:

Total yield per plant
Average quality rating
Harvest timeline
Compare with predictions
Cost per harvest (if seed cost entered)

By Type:

Vegetables vs fruits vs herbs
Total production by category
Value estimation
Storage/preservation needs

By Month:

Seasonal patterns
Peak harvest periods
Gap analysis
Planning for next year

By Quality:

Excellent harvest percentage
Quality trends over time
Factors affecting quality
Variety performance

Year-over-Year:

Compare seasons
Identify improvements
Track learning application
Measure success

Harvest Predictions

System predicts harvest dates using:

Days to maturity (seed packet data)
GDD requirements
Weather forecast
Your historical data
Variety-specific traits

Confidence Levels:

High – Historical data + weather forecast available
Medium – Seed packet info + weather averages
Low – Estimates only (first-time planting)

Garden Planning

1. Succession Planting

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Succession Planting

Automate continuous harvests with intelligent scheduling!

Creating Succession Plans

Plan Details:

Crop – What to plant (e.g., “Lettuce”)
Variety – Specific variety (optional)
Location – Where to plant
Start Date – First planting date
End Date – Last planting date
Interval – Days between plantings (e.g., 14 days)
Quantity – How many plants per planting
Notes – Special instructions

Example Plan:


Crop: Lettuce (Buttercrunch)
Location: Front raised bed
Start: March 15
End: May 15
Interval: 14 days
Quantity: 12 plants per planting
Result: 5 plantings, continuous harvest April-July

Succession Timeline View

Visual timeline shows:

Scheduled Plantings – All upcoming plantings
Expected Harvest Windows – When each planting matures
Gaps in Production – Identify scheduling issues
Overlapping Harvests – Ensure continuous supply
Color-Coded Events – Easy visual reference

Automatic Reminders

Get notified when it’s time to:

Plant Next Succession – X days before scheduled date
Prepare Soil – Week before planting
Harvest Mature Plants – When ready
End of Season – Final planting completed

Best Crops for Succession Planting

Excellent:

Lettuce (every 2 weeks)
Radishes (every 2 weeks)
Arugula (every 2 weeks)
Beans (every 3 weeks)
Carrots (every 3 weeks)
Beets (every 3 weeks)

Good:

Cucumbers (every 3-4 weeks)
Zucchini (every 3-4 weeks)
Corn (every 2-3 weeks)
Basil (every 3-4 weeks)

2. Crop Rotation Planning

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → My Plants → Rotation Check

Prevent disease and improve soil with intelligent crop rotation!

Plant Families Tracked

System automatically tracks 9 major plant families:

Solanaceae (Nightshades) – 3-year rotation recommended

Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant, Potatoes
Prone to: Early blight, late blight, verticillium wilt

Brassicaceae (Brassicas) – 3-year rotation recommended

Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts
Prone to: Clubroot, black rot, cabbage worms

Cucurbitaceae (Cucurbits) – 2-year rotation recommended

Cucumbers, Squash, Melons, Pumpkins, Zucchini
Prone to: Powdery mildew, cucumber beetles, squash bugs

Fabaceae (Legumes) – Nitrogen fixers!

Beans, Peas, Lentils
Benefits: Add nitrogen to soil, improve soil structure

Apiaceae (Umbellifers) – 2-year rotation

Carrots, Parsley, Celery, Parsnips
Prone to: Carrot rust fly, leaf blight

Asteraceae (Composites) – 2-year rotation

Lettuce, Sunflowers, Artichokes
Prone to: Aphids, leaf miners

Amaranthaceae (Chenopods) – 2-year rotation

Beets, Spinach, Chard, Quinoa
Prone to: Leaf miners, downy mildew

Alliaceae (Alliums) – 2-year rotation

Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Chives
Benefits: Pest deterrent, disease resistant

Lamiaceae (Mints) – Flexible rotation

Basil, Mint, Oregano, Thyme, Sage
Generally disease resistant

Rotation Checker

Before planting, check:

Planting History:

What was planted here last year?
What family was it?
How long since same family?

Rotation Conflict Warning:

Same family too soon? ⚠️
Disease risk level
Recommended wait time

Disease Risk Assessment:

Family-specific diseases
Soil-borne pathogen buildup
Current risk level

Recommendations:

What to plant next
Ideal rotation sequence
Soil improvement suggestions

Ideal 4-Year Rotation Sequence

Year 1 – Heavy Feeders:

Solanaceae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant)
High nitrogen needs
Add compost before planting

Year 2 – Nitrogen Fixers:

Fabaceae (beans, peas)
Add nitrogen to soil
Improve soil structure

Year 3 – Light Feeders:

Brassicaceae (cabbage, broccoli, kale)
Benefit from residual nitrogen
Moderate nutrient needs

Year 4 – Root Crops:

Apiaceae (carrots, parsnips)
Amaranthaceae (beets)
Deep soil loosening
Low nutrient needs

Then repeat cycle

Rotation Benefits

Disease Prevention – Break disease cycles
Pest Reduction – Disrupt pest life cycles
Soil Health – Balanced nutrient use
Improved Yields – Healthier plants
Reduced Inputs – Less fertilizer needed
Sustainable – Long-term garden health

3. Planting Calculator

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Dashboard → Recommendations

Get personalized planting dates based on your location and conditions!

How It Works

System calculates optimal planting dates using:

Your Location:

Latitude and longitude
USDA hardiness zone
Elevation (affects frost dates)
Microclimate data

Historical Weather:

Last spring frost date (average)
First fall frost date (average)
Temperature trends
Precipitation patterns

Plant Requirements:

Days to maturity
Frost tolerance
Temperature preferences
GDD requirements

Your History:

Past successes and failures
Actual frost dates in your garden
Plant performance data
Learning entries

Planting Windows

For each crop, see:

Optimal Planting Date:

Best time to plant for maximum success
Based on all available data
Confidence level indicator

Early Window:

Earliest safe date
Risk level (low/medium/high)
Protection recommendations if planting early

Late Window:

Latest practical date
Still allows time to maturity
Considers fall frost date

Frost Risk:

Probability of frost after planting
Historical frost date range
Protection strategies

Success Rate:

Based on your planting history
Variety-specific if available
Community data (if shared)

Example Recommendations

Tomatoes (Atlanta, Zone 7b):

Early Window: April 1-10 (medium risk, use protection)
Optimal Date: April 15-25 (low risk, ideal conditions)
Late Window: May 1-15 (safe, but shorter season)
Success Rate: 95% (based on your history)

Lettuce (Fall Planting):

Early Window: August 15-25 (hot, needs shade)
Optimal Date: September 1-15 (cooling temps, ideal)
Late Window: September 20-30 (shorter growth period)
Success Rate: 88% (based on your history)

4. Garden Locations

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Garden Locations

Track microclimates and conditions for optimal plant placement!

Location Details

For each garden area, record:

Sunlight:

Conditions – Direct, Indirect, Partial, Shade
Time of Day – Morning, Midday, Afternoon, All Day, Variable
Hours per Day – Less than 3, 3-5, 6-8, 8+ hours
Seasonal Changes – Summer vs winter sun patterns

Soil:

Type – Red clay, Amended clay, Sandy, Loam, Raised bed mix, Container mix
pH – Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline (test results)
Drainage – Excellent, Good, Moderate, Poor, Very Poor
Organic Matter – High, Medium, Low
Amendments Added – Compost, peat, sand, etc.

Microclimate:

Temperature – Hot spot, Average, Cool spot
Wind Exposure – Protected, Moderate, Exposed, Very windy
Moisture – Dry, Average, Moist, Wet
Special Conditions – Frost pocket, heat trap, etc.

Physical:

Dimensions – Length x Width (feet or meters)
Area – Square feet/meters (auto-calculated)
Accessibility – Easy, Moderate, Difficult
Water Access – Hose, Drip, Manual, Rain only

Notes:

Observations
Problems
Improvements made
Future plans

Using Location Data

System uses location information for:

Plant Recommendations:

Match plants to sunlight conditions
Soil type compatibility
Drainage requirements
Microclimate suitability

Watering Schedules:

Adjust for sun exposure
Account for drainage
Consider wind exposure
Soil type factors

Heat Stress Alerts:

Identify hot spots
Warn about vulnerable plants
Suggest protection measures
Timing recommendations

Crop Rotation:

Track what grew where
Family rotation by location
Soil health by area
Disease history tracking

Planning:

Space allocation
Companion planting
Succession planting
Season extension

Analytics & Insights

Analytics Dashboard

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Analytics

Comprehensive analytics to improve your gardening!

Year-Over-Year Comparison

Compare seasons across multiple metrics:

Total Harvests:

This year vs last year
Percentage change
Trend analysis
Goal tracking

Top Performers:

Best plants each year
Variety comparison
Location performance
Consistency tracking

Harvest Value:

Estimated savings
Cost per pound
Return on investment
Value by crop type

Success Rate:

Plants that produced
Failure analysis
Improvement trends
Learning application

Harvest Trends

Visual charts and graphs show:

Monthly Harvests:

Seasonal patterns
Peak production periods
Gap identification
Planning opportunities

Harvest by Type:

Vegetables vs fruits vs herbs
Category breakdown
Value by type
Storage needs

Quality Trends:

Performance over time
Factors affecting quality
Variety comparison
Location impact

Variety Comparison:

Which varieties excel
Consistency ratings
Yield comparison
Quality comparison

Learning Insights

Analyze your learnings:

Most Common Challenges:

Recurring problems
Frequency analysis
Solutions tried
Success rates

Success Patterns:

What consistently works
Best practices identified
Technique effectiveness
Replicable successes

Pest/Disease Frequency:

Common problems
Seasonal patterns
Severity trends
Control effectiveness

Technique Effectiveness:

What methods work
Comparison analysis
ROI on efforts
Recommendations

Top Plants

Identify your best performers:

Highest Yield:

Most productive plants
Pounds per plant
Pounds per square foot
Longest harvest period

Best Quality:

Highest rated harvests
Consistency
Taste ratings
Appearance scores

Most Reliable:

Consistent producers
Low maintenance
Disease resistant
Weather tolerant

Best Value:

Cost vs harvest
Effort vs reward
Space efficiency
Time to harvest

Growing Degree Days (GDD)

Navigate to: Dashboard → GDD Widget

Track plant development scientifically!

What Are GDD?

Growing Degree Days measure heat accumulation:

Plants need specific heat units to develop
More accurate than calendar days
Accounts for temperature variations
Predicts development stages

Calculation:


Daily GDD = (High Temp + Low Temp) / 2 - Base Temp
(Only count days where result is positive)

GDD Tracking

For each plant, monitor:

Base Temperature:

Minimum temperature for growth
Varies by plant type
Examples: Tomatoes 50°F, Corn 50°F, Lettuce 40°F

Accumulated GDD:

Total heat units since planting
Daily accumulation
Running total
Comparison with requirements

GDD to Maturity:

How much heat needed
Remaining GDD
Days remaining (estimated)
Confidence level

Progress:

Percentage complete
Development stage
Expected harvest date
Comparison with calendar days

Predicted Harvest:

Based on GDD accumulation
Weather forecast integration
Historical data
Confidence level

Using GDD

Benefits:

More Accurate Predictions:

Better than “days to maturity”
Accounts for weather variations
Adjusts for cool/warm periods
Real-time updates

Compare Seasons:

GDD normalizes weather differences
Fair year-to-year comparison
Identify trends
Improve predictions

Optimize Planting:

Plant when GDD accumulation begins
Avoid false springs
Maximize growing season
Better succession planning

Variety Selection:

Match GDD requirements to season length
Choose appropriate varieties
Avoid varieties that won’t mature
Maximize success

Heat Stress Monitoring

Navigate to: Dashboard → Heat Stress Widget

Protect plants during Atlanta summers!

Heat Tolerance Database

System knows tolerance for 15+ crops:

Low Tolerance (Cool Season):

Lettuce (80°F critical)
Spinach (75°F critical)
Peas (80°F critical)
Broccoli (85°F critical)
Cabbage (85°F critical)

Medium Tolerance:

Tomatoes (95°F critical)
Peppers (95°F critical)
Cucumbers (95°F critical)
Beans (95°F critical)
Squash (95°F critical)

High Tolerance:

Okra (100°F+ tolerant)
Eggplant (100°F+ tolerant)
Melons (100°F+ tolerant)
Sweet Potatoes (100°F+ tolerant)
Southern Peas (100°F+ tolerant)

Alert Types

Current Critical 🔥

Temperature is NOW above critical threshold
Immediate action required
Plant damage occurring
Priority: URGENT

Current Warning 🌡️

Temperature approaching stress levels
Monitor closely
Prepare protection
Priority: HIGH

Forecast Critical ⚠️

Extreme heat coming in 1-3 days
Prepare protection NOW
Plan watering schedule
Priority: HIGH

Forecast Warning ☀️

Heat stress likely in 1-3 days
Plan ahead
Prepare materials
Priority: MEDIUM

Protection Recommendations

System suggests specific actions:

Watering:

Deep water timing (early morning)
Frequency increase
Mulch moisture retention
Avoid midday watering

Shade:

Install shade cloth (30-50% density)
Temporary structures
Natural shade (taller plants)
Timing (midday-afternoon)

Mulching:

3-4 inches organic mulch
Keep roots cool
Moisture retention
Types: straw, wood chips, leaves

Misting:

Cool foliage (morning only)
Evaporative cooling
Frequency
Avoid disease issues

Early Harvest:

For sensitive crops
Before quality declines
Preservation options
Succession planting

Other Strategies:

Increase air circulation
Remove stressed plants
Delay planting
Choose heat-tolerant varieties

Data Management

Backup & Restore

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Backup & Restore

Never lose your garden data!

Creating Backups

Click “Create Backup” to export:

All Data Included:

All plants (active and archived)
Complete seed inventory
All harvest records
Season learnings
Garden locations
Succession planting plans
Calendar events
Settings (API keys redacted for security)
User preferences

Backup Format:

JSON format (human-readable)
Compressed for smaller file size
Timestamped filename
Includes version information

Backup Filename Example:


farmers-bounty-backup-2026-01-12-143022.json

Restoring Data

Upload a backup file to restore:

Safety Features:

Automatic Backup – Creates safety backup before restore
Preview – See what will be restored
Selective Restore – Choose what to restore
Merge or Replace – Keep existing or overwrite

Restore Options:

Full Restore:

Replaces all data
Complete reset
Use for clean slate

Merge Restore:

Adds to existing data
Keeps current data
Useful for importing shared data

Selective Restore:

Choose specific data types
Plants only
Seeds only
Learnings only
Etc.

Automatic Backups

Configure automatic backup schedule:

Daily Backups:

Every night at 2 AM
Keeps last 7 days
Auto-cleanup of old backups

Weekly Backups:

Every Sunday at 2 AM
Keeps last 4 weeks
Long-term storage

Monthly Backups:

First of month at 2 AM
Keeps last 12 months
Annual archive

Before Updates:

Automatic safety backup
Before plugin updates
Before major changes
Stored separately

Storage Location:

WordPress uploads directory
Secure from web access
Download anytime
Optional cloud backup

CSV Import

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → Import CSV

Bulk import data from spreadsheets!

Supported Formats

1. Plants Format:

Standard plant data
Planting dates
Locations
Status

2. Seeds Format:

Seed inventory
Sources
Expiration dates
Quantities

3. Harvests Format:

Harvest records
Quantities
Quality ratings
Dates

4. Excel Export Format:

Your personal tracking sheets
Auto-detection of columns
Flexible mapping

Auto-Detection Features

System automatically detects:

CSV Format:

Delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab)
Text encoding (UTF-8, ASCII, etc.)
Quote characters
Line endings

Column Headers:

Recognizes common names
Case-insensitive
Handles variations
Suggests mappings

Data Types:

Dates (multiple formats)
Numbers (with units)
Text fields
Boolean values

Import Process

Step-by-Step:

1. Upload CSV

Select file from computer
Drag and drop supported
File size limit: 10 MB
Multiple files in sequence

2. Auto-Detect

System identifies format
Analyzes columns
Detects data types
Shows preview

3. Preview Data

Review first 10 rows
Check for errors
Verify formatting
Confirm data looks correct

4. Map Columns

Automatic mapping suggested
Adjust if needed
Required fields highlighted
Optional fields available

5. Import

Process data
Progress indicator
Error handling
Validation checks

6. Report

Success summary
Error details
Warnings
Next steps

Download Templates

Click “Download Template” for:

Plants Template:

All required columns
Example data
Instructions
Best practices

Seeds Template:

Seed inventory format
Source options
Date formats
Notes field

Harvests Template:

Harvest record format
Unit options
Quality ratings
Linking to plants

Blank Template:

Custom format
Your own columns
Flexible import
Advanced users

CSV Export

Navigate to: Farmers Bounty → My Plants → Export to CSV

Export data for backup, analysis, or sharing!

Export Options

What to Export:

Plants:

All plant information
Planting dates
Locations
Status
Notes

Seeds:

Complete inventory
Sources
Dates
Quantities

Harvests:

All harvest records
Linked to plants
Quality ratings
Totals

Learnings:

Season observations
Categories
Action items
Dates

Locations:

Garden areas
Conditions
Soil data
Notes

All Data:

Complete export
Multiple CSV files
ZIP archive
Full backup

Export Uses

Backup:

Save your data
Offline storage
Version control
Peace of mind

Analysis:

Use Excel/Google Sheets
Create charts
Custom calculations
Advanced analysis

Sharing:

Send to others
Garden clubs
Teaching
Collaboration

Migration:

Move to another system
Change platforms
Archive old data
Start fresh

Exported Data Format

CSV Structure:

Header row with column names
One row per record
Comma-separated values
UTF-8 encoding
Excel-compatible

Filename Format:


farmers-bounty-plants-2026-01-12.csv
farmers-bounty-seeds-2026-01-12.csv
farmers-bounty-harvests-2026-01-12.csv

Advanced Features

Enhanced Weather Integration ⭐ v3.0.0

The Weather Underground Personal Weather Station integration provides complete weather data for your garden.

Complete Data Capture

Now captures 100% of available weather data (28 fields):

Temperature Data:

Current temperature (°F)
Feels-like temperature
Heat index (summer)
Wind chill (winter)
Dew point
High/low for day

Wind Data:

Wind speed (mph)
Wind gusts (mph)
Wind direction (degrees)
Cardinal direction (N, SE, SW, etc.)

Atmospheric Data:

Humidity (%)
Barometric pressure (inches)
Barometric pressure (millibars)
Pressure trend

Precipitation:

Current precipitation rate
Daily total
Storm total
Last rain date

Solar Data:

UV Index
Solar radiation (W/m²)

Geographic Data:

Station latitude
Station longitude
Station elevation
Station name
Country code

Soil Data (if sensors present):

Soil temperature
Soil moisture

Metadata:

Observation time (local)
Observation time (UTC)
Data quality indicator

Weather Display Options

Three Detail Levels:

Minimal – For sidebar widgets:


Weather station not configured.

Shows:

Temperature
Humidity
Wind
Perfect for space-constrained areas

Standard – Default balanced view:


Weather station not configured.

Shows:

All minimal data plus:
Precipitation
UV Index
Station information
Observation time

Full – Complete weather station:


Weather station not configured.

Shows:

All standard data plus:
Dew point
Pressure (both units)
Solar radiation
Elevation
Geographic coordinates
Data quality indicator

Weather Data Uses

Planting Decisions:

Frost risk based on temperature and elevation
Soil temperature estimates
Optimal planting windows
Season extension opportunities

Watering Recommendations:

Recent precipitation tracking
Humidity levels
Dew point for disease risk
Evapotranspiration estimates

Disease Prevention:

High humidity alerts
Leaf wetness probability
Temperature in disease-favorable ranges
Fungal disease risk

Heat Stress Protection:

Heat index monitoring
UV intensity tracking
Alert generation for sensitive plants
Protection recommendations

Dashboard Weather Widget

Admin dashboard weather widget displays:

Station name with elevation
Current temperature and feels-like
Cardinal wind directions (not just degrees)
UV Index with risk level
Dew point temperature
Barometric pressure (inches & mb)
Up to 6 weather metrics visible (was 3 in v1.x)
Color-coded alerts

Data Quality

All weather observations include:

Quality Status:

Verified data integrity
Missing data indicators
Sensor status
Calibration info

Observation Times:

Local time
UTC time
Time zone
DST handling

Station Metadata:

Full station information
Location accuracy
Elevation accuracy
Sensor types

Automatic Updates:

15-minute cache refresh
Smart caching (only when needed)
Offline mode support
Historical data retention

AI Chatbot

Shortcode: [bg_chatbot]

Get expert gardening advice powered by Claude AI!

What It Knows

The chatbot has complete context from:

Your Garden:

All your plants
Harvest records
Success and failures
Current status

Your Locations:

Sunlight conditions
Soil types
Microclimates
Problem areas

Current Weather:

Real-time conditions
Forecast
Historical patterns
Alerts

Knowledge Base:

35+ pest profiles
15+ disease profiles
Preservation techniques
Soil strategies

Web Search (via Tavily):

Current information
Research papers
Extension services
Expert advice

Your History:

Past successes
Challenges faced
Solutions tried
Learnings documented

Example Questions

Planting:

“When should I plant tomatoes in my back raised bed?”

Problems:

“My cucumber leaves have white spots and are turning yellow. What is it and how do I treat it?”

Planning:

“What should I plant after my tomatoes to maintain good crop rotation?”

Techniques:

“How do I improve the red clay soil in my front yard bed?”

Harvesting:

“When will my Cherokee Purple tomatoes be ready to harvest?”

Weather:

“Is it safe to plant lettuce this week based on the forecast?”

Pests:

“I found a large green caterpillar on my tomato plant. What is it?”

Preservation:

“What’s the best way to preserve my excess tomatoes?”

Chatbot Features

Conversational:

Natural language understanding
Follow-up questions
Context retention
Clarification requests

Context-Aware:

Remembers conversation
References your garden
Uses your location
Considers your history

Personalized:

Uses your garden data
Learns from your learnings
Adapts to your style
Improves over time

Credible:

Only trusted sources
Cites references
Explains reasoning
Admits uncertainty

Atlanta-Specific:

Zone 7b optimized
Red clay strategies
Local pest timing
Regional varieties

Chatbot Settings

Customize behavior:

Response length (brief, normal, detailed)
Formality level (casual, professional)
Include web search (yes/no)
Save conversation history (yes/no)

Harvest Predictions

Navigate to: Dashboard → Predictions

AI-powered harvest forecasting!

How It Works

System predicts harvest dates using:

Days to Maturity:

Seed packet information
Variety-specific data
Maturity stage at planting
Historical accuracy

GDD Requirements:

Heat accumulation needed
Base temperature
Current accumulation
Forecast integration

Weather Forecast:

Upcoming conditions
Temperature trends
Precipitation
Growing conditions

Your History:

Past performance
Actual vs predicted
Variety success
Location factors

Variety Data:

Specific variety traits
Determinate vs indeterminate
Early/mid/late season
Hybrid vs heirloom

Prediction Accuracy

Confidence Levels:

High (85-95% accurate):

Historical data available
Weather forecast integrated
Variety-specific data
Your garden history

Medium (70-85% accurate):

Seed packet info
Weather averages
General variety data
No personal history

Low (50-70% accurate):

Estimates only
First-time planting
No variety data
General assumptions

Using Predictions

Plan Harvests:

Schedule time for picking
Prepare storage
Plan preservation
Coordinate help

Succession Planting:

Time next planting
Maintain continuous harvest
Avoid gaps
Optimize space

Preservation:

Prepare equipment
Order supplies
Schedule time
Plan recipes

Sharing:

Coordinate with friends
Plan donations
Farmers market timing
Community events

Prediction Updates

Predictions update automatically:

Daily with weather data
After each harvest
When you add learnings
Based on GDD accumulation

Companion Planting

Navigate to: My Plants → Add Plant → Companion Suggestions

Plant friends together for mutual benefit!

How It Works

System knows companion relationships:

Good Companions:

Beneficial pairings
Reasons why they work
Spacing recommendations
Timing considerations

Bad Companions:

Avoid planting together
Reasons for incompatibility
Minimum distances
Alternatives

Neutral Companions:

No significant interaction
Safe to plant together
No special benefits
No problems

Example Companions

Tomatoes:

✅ Good: Basil (pest deterrent, flavor), Carrots (soil aeration), Onions (pest deterrent), Parsley (attracts beneficials)
❌ Bad: Brassicas (compete for nutrients), Fennel (inhibits growth), Potatoes (disease spread)
😐 Neutral: Lettuce, Radishes, Spinach

Cucumbers:

✅ Good: Beans (nitrogen fixation), Corn (support structure), Radishes (pest deterrent), Nasturtiums (trap crop)
❌ Bad: Potatoes (disease spread), Aromatic herbs (inhibit growth)
😐 Neutral: Lettuce, Peas

Peppers:

✅ Good: Basil (pest deterrent), Onions (pest deterrent), Spinach (ground cover), Carrots (soil aeration)
❌ Bad: Beans (disease spread), Brassicas (compete for nutrients)
😐 Neutral: Lettuce, Radishes

Companion Planting Benefits

Pest Control:

Trap crops attract pests away
Repellent plants deter pests
Beneficial insect attraction
Confuse pest insects

Disease Prevention:

Improved air circulation
Reduced humidity
Disease-resistant companions
Soil health improvement

Growth Enhancement:

Nitrogen fixation
Soil improvement
Shade provision
Support structures

Space Optimization:

Vertical growing
Succession planting
Interplanting
Efficient use of space

Knowledge Base

Access expert guidance built into the plugin!

Pests (35+ profiles)

Navigate to: Knowledgebase → Pests

Each pest profile includes:

Identification – Photos, description, size
Life Cycle – Stages, timing, generations
Damage Patterns – What to look for
Host Plants – What they attack
Organic Controls – Natural solutions
Chemical Controls – Last resort options
Prevention – Best practices
Atlanta-Specific – Local timing and severity

Featured Pests:

Squash Vine Borer (major Atlanta problem)
Tomato Hornworm (common summer pest)
Cabbage Worms (spring/fall issue)
Aphids (year-round)
Japanese Beetles (summer plague)
Stink Bugs (late summer)
Cucumber Beetles (early season)
Squash Bugs (mid-season)
Flea Beetles (spring)
Whiteflies (greenhouse/indoor)
And 25 more!

Diseases (15+ profiles)

Navigate to: Knowledgebase → Diseases

Each disease profile includes:

Symptoms – Visual identification
Causes – Pathogen type, conditions
Affected Plants – Susceptible species
Treatment – Organic and chemical
Prevention – Cultural practices
Atlanta Considerations – Humidity factors

Featured Diseases:

Early Blight (tomatoes, potatoes)
Powdery Mildew (cucurbits, roses)
Downy Mildew (cucurbits, greens)
Fusarium Wilt (tomatoes, peppers)
Bacterial Spot (tomatoes, peppers)
Septoria Leaf Spot (tomatoes)
Anthracnose (beans, cucurbits)
Verticillium Wilt (solanaceae)
Blossom End Rot (tomatoes, peppers)
Damping Off (seedlings)
And 5 more!

Preservation Methods

Navigate to: Knowledgebase → Preservation

Comprehensive guide (3,000+ lines) covering:

Freezing:

Blanching techniques
Packaging methods
Storage times
Best vegetables/fruits

Canning:

Water bath canning
Pressure canning
Safety guidelines
Recipes

Dehydrating:

Equipment options
Techniques
Storage
Rehydration

Fermenting:

Lacto-fermentation
Probiotics
Recipes
Troubleshooting

Pickling:

Quick pickles
Canned pickles
Brine recipes
Flavor variations

Root Cellaring:

Atlanta adaptations
Storage conditions
Suitable crops
Duration

Red Clay Strategies

Navigate to: Knowledgebase → Soil

Comprehensive guide (2,500+ lines) for:

Understanding Red Clay:

Composition
Challenges
Benefits
Testing

Improvement Methods:

Organic matter addition
Gypsum application
Cover crops
No-till approaches

Raised Bed Construction:

Designs
Materials
Soil mixes
Drainage

Amendment Recommendations:

Compost (best)
Peat moss
Sand (use carefully)
Perlite/vermiculite

Cover Crops:

Winter rye
Crimson clover
Hairy vetch
Daikon radish

3-Year Improvement Timeline:

Year 1 goals
Year 2 progress
Year 3 results
Maintenance

Local Suppliers:

Atlanta-area sources
Bulk materials
Delivery options
Pricing

Budget Breakdowns:

Cost estimates
DIY vs purchased
Long-term value
ROI calculation

Food & Harvest Resources

New in v5.0.0

Farmers Bounty includes comprehensive guides for managing your garden’s harvest beyond the garden itself.

Preservation Guide

Access via Admin Menu → Knowledge Base → Preservation Guide or the Frontend Portal.

A complete guide to preserving garden produce using multiple methods:

Water Bath Canning — High-acid foods (tomatoes, pickles, jams, fruits)
Pressure Canning — Low-acid foods (green beans, corn, stocks)
Freezing — Best practices for blanching, flash-freezing, and storage
Dehydrating — Sun drying, oven drying, and dehydrator methods
Fermenting — Lacto-fermentation, kombucha, and vinegar making
Root Cellaring — Cool storage for root vegetables and winter squash

Each method includes safety guidelines, equipment lists, step-by-step instructions, and shelf life information.

Farmers Market Guide

A complete guide to selling surplus produce at producer-only farmers markets:

Regulations — State and local requirements, permits, cottage food laws
Getting Started — Finding markets, application process, booth setup
Pricing — How to price garden produce competitively
Display & Presentation — Professional booth design and signage
Customer Relations — Building repeat customers and handling questions
Record Keeping — Sales tracking, tax requirements, and inventory management

Donate Produce Guide

Resources for donating surplus produce to those in need:

Food Banks — How to connect with local food banks and what they accept
Community Fridges — Locating and stocking community refrigerators
Gleaning Organizations — Connecting with harvest volunteers
Donation Tax Benefits — Tax deduction information for produce donations
50-State Directory — State-by-state donation resources and organizations

Neighbor Resources Guide

Guide to sharing surplus with your community:

Sharing Platforms — Online tools for coordinating produce exchanges
Little Free Pantries — Setting up and maintaining community pantries
Produce Swaps — Organizing neighborhood produce trading events
Community Gardens — Shared plot coordination and surplus distribution

Food Harvest Index

A central index document that links all preservation and harvest resources together, providing a starting point for exploring the complete food and harvest knowledge base.

Knowledge Base

The Knowledge Base is a searchable repository of gardening information. Access via Admin Menu → Knowledge Base or the Frontend Portal sidebar.

Content Categories

Pest Profiles — 35+ pest profiles with Atlanta-specific timing and identification
Disease Profiles — 15+ disease profiles with humidity and weather considerations
Soil Strategies — Red clay soil management, amendments, and testing (2,500+ lines)
Transplanting Guides — Hardening off, timing, and technique guides
Companion Planting — Compatible and incompatible plant pairings
Preservation — Canning, freezing, dehydrating, and fermenting guides (3,000+ lines)
Food & Harvest — Market selling, donation, and sharing resources

AI-Powered Search

The Knowledge Base supports semantic search powered by OpenAI embeddings and Pinecone vector storage:

Keyword Search — Traditional text matching across all knowledge base content
Semantic Search — AI-powered search that understands meaning, not just keywords (requires Pinecone consent in settings)
AI Chat — Ask the AI Assistant questions and it will search the knowledge base for relevant context

Collapsible Navigation

New in v5.0.0: Knowledge Base navigation sections are collapsible. Click any section header to expand or collapse it. Your preferences are saved across sessions.

Legal & Compliance

New in v5.3.0

Farmers Bounty includes three comprehensive legal documents accessible from the Admin Menu → Legal section (or via the sidebar in the Frontend Portal).

Terms of Service

Navigate to Admin Menu → Legal → Terms of Service.

The Terms of Service (22 sections) governs use of the plugin and covers:

Sections 1-7: Acceptance, description, license, accounts, acceptable use, content/IP, third-party services
Section 8: AI-Generated Content — Disclaimers for AI recommendations, plant identification, and disease diagnosis
Section 9: Weather Data & Recommendations — Disclaimers for weather-based guidance
Sections 11-13: Disclaimer of Warranties, Limitation of Liability, Indemnification
Section 14: Garden Outcomes & Horticultural Disclaimer — No guarantee of garden success; assumption of risk for crop failure, planting/harvest timing, watering, soil, and sunlight recommendations
Section 15: Location Information & Business Listings — Disclaimers for farmers market, restaurant, retailer, and business location data
Section 16: Product & Tool Recommendations — Disclaimers for outdated product information, chemical safety, and regulatory changes
Sections 17-22: Termination, modifications, governing law, general provisions, contact, and definitions

Privacy Policy

Navigate to Admin Menu → Legal → Privacy Policy.

The Privacy Policy (13 sections) documents:

What data is collected and why
How data is stored in your WordPress database
All third-party services that receive data (with specific data types listed for each)
Cookie usage and browser storage
User rights (access, export, deletion)
Data retention periods
Security measures

Cookie Policy

Navigate to Admin Menu → Legal → Cookie Policy.

The Cookie Policy documents all cookies and browser storage used by the plugin, including:

Essential cookies (session, authentication, CSRF protection)
Preference cookies (sidebar states, selected persona, display settings)
Third-party cookies (from integrated services)
How to manage and delete cookies

Navigation Between Legal Documents

Each legal page includes a tab bar at the top for easy navigation between all three documents. A table of contents within each document allows quick jumping to specific sections.

Shortcodes

Embed garden data on your website!

Available Shortcodes

1. My Plants


[bg_my_plants]

Displays your active plants with:

Plant cards with photos
Key information
Quick stats
Harvest buttons
Status indicators

Parameters:


[bg_my_plants status="active" limit="10" location="Back Yard"]

status – active, harvested, removed, all (default: active)
limit – Number to show (default: all)
location – Filter by location (default: all)
view – list, cards, grid (default: cards)

2. Garden Summary


Please log in to view your garden summary.

Shows garden overview:

Total plants
Active plants
Harvest totals
Recent activity
Quick stats
Weather summary

Parameters:


Please log in to view your garden summary.

show_weather – yes/no (default: yes)
show_recent – Number of recent items (default: 5)

3. Weather Widget


Weather station not configured.

⭐ Enhanced in v3.0.0 with three detail levels!

Basic Usage:


Weather station not configured.                          // Standard view
Weather station not configured.        // Compact view
Weather station not configured.           // Complete weather data

Standard View Displays:

Current temperature and feels-like
Station name and location
Humidity with icon
Wind speed and cardinal direction
Precipitation total
UV Index
Observation time

Full View Additional Data:

Dew point temperature
Barometric pressure (inches and millibars)
Solar radiation
Station elevation
Geographic coordinates
Data quality indicator

Minimal View (Compact):

Temperature
Humidity
Wind only

Advanced Parameters:


Unable to load weather data.

station_id – Specific station (default: settings)
details – minimal, standard, full (default: standard)
units – imperial, metric (default: imperial)
show_station – yes/no (default: yes)

4. Recommendations


Please log in to view recommendations.

Shows personalized recommendations:

What to plant now
Watering suggestions
Pest alerts
Rotation advice
Heat stress warnings
Harvest reminders

Parameters:


Please log in to view recommendations.

type – all, planting, watering, pests, rotation (default: all)
limit – Number to show (default: 5)

5. Chatbot


[bg_chatbot]

Embeds the AI chatbot:

Full conversational interface
Context-aware responses
Personalized advice
Web search integration

Parameters:


[bg_chatbot height="600px" theme="light" greeting="yes"]

height – Widget height (default: 600px)
theme – light, dark, auto (default: auto)
greeting – yes/no (default: yes)

6. Harvest Calendar


[fb_harvest_calendar]

Shows harvest timeline:

Expected harvests
Actual harvests
Calendar view
Filter options

Parameters:


[fb_harvest_calendar month="current" view="calendar"]

month – current, next, all (default: current)
view – calendar, list, timeline (default: calendar)

7. Plant Profile


[bg_plant_profile id="123"]

Shows detailed plant information:

Complete profile
Harvest history
Care requirements
Recommendations

Parameters:


[bg_plant_profile id="123" show_harvests="yes"]

id – Plant ID (required)
show_harvests – yes/no (default: yes)
show_recommendations – yes/no (default: yes)

8. Analytics


[bg_analytics]

Displays analytics dashboard:

Year-over-year comparison
Harvest trends
Top performers
Charts and graphs

Parameters:


[bg_analytics type="harvests" period="year"]

type – harvests, plants, quality, value (default: harvests)
period – month, season, year, all (default: year)

FAQ

General Questions

Q: Do I need API keys?
A: No, the plugin works without them. API keys enable advanced features like the chatbot, weather data, and plant database. Core features work without any API keys.

Q: Is my data private?
A: Yes! All data stays in your WordPress database. API calls are encrypted. No data is shared with third parties without your permission.

Q: Can multiple users use the plugin?
A: Currently, it’s designed for single-garden use. Multi-user and multi-garden support is planned for v4.0.

Q: Does it work outside Atlanta?
A: Yes! While optimized for Atlanta/Zone 7b, it works anywhere. You can configure your location, zone, and weather station. Pest/disease data is Georgia-specific but principles apply elsewhere.

Q: What’s new in v3.0.0?
A: v3.0.0 is a major version release representing production maturity. The main new feature is the enhanced cleanup system that prevents orphaned data issues. All v2.0.0 features are included and stable.

Technical Questions

Q: What if I don’t have a Weather Underground station?
A: The plugin uses the nearest available station automatically. You can specify a different station ID in settings, or manually enter weather data if needed.

Q: What weather data is captured?
A: The plugin captures 100% of available Weather Underground data (28 fields) including temperature (actual, feels-like, heat index, wind chill, dew point), humidity, wind (speed, gusts, direction as degrees and cardinal), precipitation, UV index, solar radiation, barometric pressure (inches and millibars), station location (latitude, longitude, elevation), and data quality indicators.

Q: How do I backup my data?
A: Go to Farmers Bounty → Backup & Restore → Create Backup. Download the JSON file and store it safely. You can also enable automatic backups.

Q: Can I import from other garden apps?
A: Yes, via CSV import. Export from your other app to CSV format, then import here. The system auto-detects most formats.

Q: How do I update the plugin?
A: Standard WordPress update process. Your data is preserved automatically. A backup is created before updates.

Q: What happens to my data if I uninstall?
A: By default, all data is completely removed (11 database tables, all options, transients, user meta, cron events). You can set an option to preserve data if desired.

Q: Does it work on WordPress multisite?
A: Yes! All features including cleanup work on multisite installations.

Feature Questions

Q: How accurate are harvest predictions?
A: Very accurate with historical data (85-95%). Predictions improve over time as you use the plugin and it learns from your garden.

Q: What if I don’t know my garden’s latitude/longitude?
A: Just enter your street address. The plugin calculates coordinates automatically (requires Google Maps API key, or you can use a free geocoding service).

Q: Can I track multiple gardens?
A: Currently one garden per site. Use garden locations to track different areas. WordPress multisite can be used for completely separate gardens. Full multi-garden support is planned for v4.0.

Q: How do I share my garden with others?
A: Export to CSV and share the file, use shortcodes to display on your website, or create a backup and share the JSON file.

Q: What’s the difference between v2.0.0 and v3.0.0?
A: v3.0.0 is a major version release with enhanced cleanup system and production-ready status. All v2.0.0 features are included. It’s fully backward compatible.

Support

Getting Help

Documentation:

In-Plugin Help:

Hover over (?) icons for tooltips
Use the AI chatbot for questions
Check Settings → Help tab
View Dashboard → Quick Start

Community:

WordPress.org support forum
GitHub issues (for bugs)
Email: support@it-influentials.com

Reporting Bugs

Found a bug? Please report:

What happened – Describe the issue clearly
What you expected – What should happen instead
Steps to reproduce – How to recreate it
Screenshots – If applicable
System info – WordPress version, PHP version, plugin version
Error messages – Any errors displayed or in logs

Where to report:

GitHub Issues (preferred for bugs)
WordPress.org support forum
Email: support@it-influentials.com

Feature Requests

Have an idea? We’d love to hear it!

Where to suggest:

GitHub Discussions (preferred)
WordPress.org support forum
Email: features@it-influentials.com

Include:

Clear description of feature
Use case (why you need it)
Examples from other apps (if applicable)
Mockups or sketches (if you have them)

Appendix

Glossary

Base Temperature – Minimum temperature for plant growth (varies by plant)

Companion Planting – Growing beneficial plants together for mutual benefit

Crop Rotation – Changing plant families in locations to prevent disease buildup

Days to Maturity – Time from planting to harvest (calendar days, less accurate than GDD)

GDD (Growing Degree Days) – Heat accumulation measurement for plant development (more accurate than calendar days)

Hardiness Zone – USDA climate zone classification based on average minimum winter temperature

Heat Index – Combination of temperature and humidity; what it “feels like”

Microclimate – Small area with different conditions than surrounding area

Succession Planting – Planting crops at intervals for continuous harvest

Wind Chill – Combination of temperature and wind; what it “feels like” in cold weather

Version History

v5.3.0 (February 13, 2026)

✅ Terms of Service — Comprehensive 22-section legal document with expanded indemnification
✅ Privacy Policy — GDPR-compliant 13-section privacy policy
✅ Cookie Policy — Browser storage and cookie documentation
✅ Garden Outcomes Disclaimer — Indemnification for crop failure and poor recommendations
✅ Location Information Disclaimer — Indemnification for business listing accuracy
✅ Product Recommendations Disclaimer — Indemnification for outdated product information
✅ Legal Navigation — Tab bar and cross-linking between all legal documents

v5.0.0 (February 2026)

✅ Knowledge Loader — Content loading system for knowledge base
✅ Preservation Guide — Canning, freezing, dehydrating, fermenting
✅ Farmers Market Guide — Selling at producer-only markets
✅ Donate Produce Guide — 50-state donation resources
✅ Neighbor Resources Guide — Community sharing and exchanges
✅ Food Harvest Index — Central index for food & harvest content
✅ Collapsible Sidebar Menus — Persistent expand/collapse state

v4.0.0 (February 2026)

✅ Frontend Portal — Unified public-facing portal with Please log in to access your garden portal. Log In shortcode
✅ Persona System — 11 gardening personas with adaptive navigation
✅ 50-State Expansion — Support for all US states (beyond Atlanta/Georgia)
✅ Community Garden Features — Shared plot management and coordination

v3.0.0 (January 12, 2026) – Major Release ⭐

✅ Enhanced Cleanup System – Three-tier cleanup prevents orphaned data
✅ Production Maturity – Stable, long-term support commitment
✅ Complete Feature Set – All 25+ features stable and tested
✅ Comprehensive Documentation – 8,500+ lines of guides
✅ Backward Compatible – Seamless upgrades from v1.x and v2.0
✅ Multisite Support – Full compatibility with WordPress multisite
✅ Quality Assurance – WordPress Coding Standards compliant

v2.0.0 (January 12, 2026)

✅ Enhanced Weather Integration (100% API capture)
✅ Seed Inventory
✅ Season Learnings
✅ Enhanced Harvest Tracking
✅ Succession Planting
✅ Location Management
✅ Analytics Dashboard
✅ Planting Calculator
✅ Harvest Predictions
✅ Crop Rotation
✅ GDD Tracking
✅ Heat Stress Alerts
✅ Backup/Restore
✅ CSV Import Enhancements
✅ Knowledge Base Expansion

v1.1.0 (January 10, 2026)

Chatbot integration
API integrations
Multi-tab UI
Enhanced forms
Shortcodes

v1.0.0 (January 8, 2026)

Initial release
Basic plant tracking
Weather integration
Dashboard

Botanical Garden AI Skills

Farmers Bounty includes 30 specialist AI skills covering all major botanical garden roles. These skills provide domain expertise for development, operations, and workflows.

Skill Domains

Domain	Count	Examples
Horticulture & Grounds	11	Director of Horticulture, IPM Specialist, Greenhouse Manager, Arborist, Irrigation Specialist
Science & Conservation	8	Botanist, Taxonomist, Conservation Biologist, Seed Bank Curator, GIS Mapping
Education & Programming	7	Director of Education, School Programs, Children’s Garden, Therapeutic Horticulture, Volunteer Coordinator
Outreach & Community	4	Community Engagement, Public Relations, DEI Coordinator, Internship Coordinator

What Skills Provide

Each skill includes:

Role scope — What the role covers and who it serves
Core workflows — Step-by-step procedures for key tasks
Domain terminology — Professional vocabulary and standards
Output guidance — Templates for common deliverables
Cross-skill references — Links to related specialist skills

How to Access

Skills are automatically available in Cursor and Codex development environments. Reference a skill by its name (e.g., botanical-ipm-specialist) when you need domain-specific guidance.

For the complete inventory with descriptions, see the Botanical Garden AI Skills section in CLAUDE.md.

Thank you for using Farmers Bounty! 🌱

Your complete garden management solution – from seed to harvest and beyond.

Last Updated: March 19, 2026
Version: 8.3.0
Plugin URI: https://it-influentials.com/farmers-bounty
Support: support@it-influentials.com

See Also:

Frontend Portal Addendum — Complete guide to the v4.0.0+ Frontend Portal feature

“Growing gardens, growing knowledge, growing community.” 🌿

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AI Agent

User Guide

Requirements

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Farmers Bounty

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Farmers Bounty v5.3.0 – Complete User Guide

Farmers Bounty v5.3.0 – Complete User Guide

Introduction

Who Is This For?

What Makes v3.0.0 Special?

What’s New

What’s New in v5.3.0

Legal & Compliance Documents

Expanded Indemnification Coverage

What’s New in v5.0.0

Knowledge Loader System

Food & Harvest Content

Collapsible Sidebar Menus

What’s New in v4.0.0

Frontend Portal

Persona System

50-State Expansion

Community Garden Features

What’s New in v3.0.0

Major Version Release

🧹 NEW: Enhanced Cleanup System

1. Automatic Prior Installation Cleanup (NEW!)

2. Enhanced Deactivation Cleanup

3. Complete Uninstallation

🌟 Complete Feature Set

Weather Integration (100% API Capture)

Plant Management

Planning Tools

Analytics Dashboard

Knowledge Base

AI Features

Data Management

🔧 Technical Improvements

Getting Started

Requirements

Installation

New Installation

Upgrading from v2.0.0

Upgrading from v1.x

Initial Setup

1. Configure Settings

2. Set Up Garden Locations

3. Add Your First Plant

Dashboard Overview

Dashboard Widgets

1. Garden Summary

2. Weather Widget ⭐ Enhanced in v3.0.0!

3. Recent Activity

4. Quick Actions

5. Recommendations

Core Features

1. Plant Management

Adding Plants

Viewing Plants

Plant Details Modal

Recording Harvests

Exporting Plant Data

2. Seed Inventory

Adding Seeds

Using Seeds When Planting

Seed Organization Features