Old School RuneScape Farming Guide: Level 1-99

Farming in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is one of the most unique skills in the game. Unlike combat or skilling grinds where you train nonstop, farming requires you to plant seeds, wait for them to grow, and return later to harvest. At first this may feel strange, but once you establish a rhythm of farm runs, it becomes one of the most rewarding and profitable skills in the game. Many players even choose to buy OSRS gold to invest in higher-level seeds and supplies, speeding up their progress dramatically. In this guide, we’ll walk through the essentials of training farming in 2025-from early questing to efficient farm runs, the Tithe Farm minigame, and your path to level 99.

Why Farming Matters

Farming is not just another diary requirement-it’s a backbone skill. Herbs fuel potion making, allotments and trees generate steady profits, and for ironman accounts, farming is practically mandatory. Without herbs, potions, and secondary items, progression slows dramatically. Even if you’re a main account, farming provides a steady stream of passive income with minimal playtime.

Levels 1-30: Skip the Grind With Quests

Starting farming from scratch can feel painfully slow. Low-tier seeds take forever to grow and give little experience. The smarter route is questing.

Key quests to complete:

· Goblin Diplomacy (1,000 XP)

· Fairytale Part I (3,500 XP, plus access to the Magic Secateurs)

· Garden of Death (10,000 XP, requires 20 farming)

Together, these skip most of the early grind and land you near level 30 farming without planting a single seed. This approach saves days of waiting on low-tier crops and sets you up for faster progress.

Levels 30-34: First Farm Runs

At this point, you’re ready to start actual farming. Gather the essential tools-rake, seed dibber, spade, watering cans, and compost-and store them with any tool leprechaun near a patch.

For seeds, buy allotment and flower seeds from Draynor or Falador farming shops, or collect herb seeds as drops. Early runs should focus on:

· Allotments: Potatoes, onions, sweetcorn

· Flowers: Marigolds or limpwurts

· Herbs: Whatever seeds you can get

Each run should include multiple patches: Falador, Catherby, Ardougne, Port Phasmatys, Hosidius, and eventually the Farming Guild. Use teleports such as Explorer’s Ring, Ardougne Cloak, or Ectophial to speed things up.

Level 34+: Tithe Farm

The Tithe Farm minigame, unlocked at level 34, is farming’s only truly “active” training method. Found in Hosidius, it involves planting special seeds, watering them, and harvesting fruit for points and experience. With practice, you can earn over 100k XP per hour.

Rewards to prioritize:

1. Auto-weed upgrade - saves time by automatically clearing weeds.

2. Farmer’s outfit - XP bonus when worn.

3. Seed packs - valuable for ironmen seeking herb seeds.

You can use Tithe Farm all the way to 99, but most players treat it as supplemental training while relying on tree and herb runs for the bulk of their progress.

Daily Routine: Herb and Tree Runs

From level 30 onward, your farming progress hinges on establishing a routine:

Herb Runs (every 80 minutes)

Herbs are your bread and butter for consistent XP and money. With access to more patches as you complete quests and diaries, herb runs scale massively. Protect herbs with compost or ultracompost to reduce disease. High-value seeds like ranarr, snapdragon, and torstol are excellent long-term moneymakers.

Tree Runs (daily)

Tree and fruit tree runs are farming’s XP powerhouse. By planting saplings, paying farmers for protection, and checking health once per day, you can gain tens of thousands of XP per run. Regular trees mature at different times, while fruit trees always take 16 hours. Doing both together ensures steady progress without huge time commitments.

Farming Guild: The Hub of Farming

Unlocked at level 45, the Farming Guild is the skill’s central hub. It provides:

· Contracts - similar to slayer tasks, rewarding seed packs for completing planting goals.

· Seed vault - perfect for long-term storage.

· Unique patches - including cacti, anima plants, and eventually redwoods or spirit trees.

For ironman accounts, the contracts and seed packs alone make the guild essential for maintaining a healthy seed supply.

99 Farming Strategy

Your route to 99 farming typically looks like this:

1. Quest to level 30.

2. Do herb runs daily (every 80 minutes if possible).

3. Do tree and fruit tree runs daily for big XP chunks.

4. Supplement with Tithe Farm if you want active training.

5. Use the Farming Guild for contracts, anima plants, and storage.

With consistent herb and tree runs, farming becomes one of the lowest-effort 99s in the game-passive, profitable, and essential for long-term progression.

Conclusion

Farming in OSRS may seem overwhelming at first, but once you set up your teleport routes, gather tools, and commit to a rhythm, it becomes second nature. Whether you’re chasing profit, ironman supplies, or the 99 cape itself, farming is all about patience and planning. Stick to regular runs, leverage the Farming Guild, and supplement with Tithe Farm when you want to grind. Many players also choose to invest in cheap RuneScape gold to speed up their farming journey, purchasing better seeds and supplies earlier. Before long, you’ll find yourself with a lush collection of 99 crops-and a well-earned skillcape to match.