7 Best Farming Board Games to Play in 2025
Farming board games are perfect for new players. Grow crops, raise animals, and maybe steal a carrot or two from your friends!
Welcome to our roundup of the seven best farming board games for folks who like a little dirt under their fingernails—without leaving the table. We’ve played through plowing, planting, and plotting (sometimes against each other) to bring you titles that balance strategy, fun, and pure farming charm. Our picks reward clever planning but don’t punish new players, so you won’t be lost in the weeds. Whether you want tractors, vineyards, or woodland critters running wild, this list has you covered. Grab your snacks and get ready to grow the best farm on game night—no green thumb required.
On this list:
7 Agricola
We had a blast playing Agricola, even if we nearly starved our cardboard family more than once. In this classic farming board game, you grow crops, raise livestock, and build a cozy wooden shack. It’s a bit like The Sims, but with more sheep and less bathroom breaks. There’s a great balance between luck and strategy, so you can try different ways to win. Every round feels tight, because there’s never enough food, and someone always gets the action space you wanted. If you don’t mind your friends grumbling about famine (and dirty looks for stealing their wood pile), Agricola is a perfect pick for true farming fans.
6 Caverna: The Cave Farmers
If you want your farming with a side of mining and a dash of dwarves, Caverna is your ticket. We love how you can pick if you want to go all-out on farming, or dig deep for jewels instead. The animals are tiny and cute, and there’s nothing better than filling your cave with sheep and donkeys. It’s a heavy box, so don’t drop it on your foot. The choices are huge and it’s less punishing than Agricola if you mess up. Sure, there are lots of things to keep track of, but it only took a few rounds before we started rooting for our little stone-walled farms.
5 Fields of Arle
Fields of Arle is perfect if you secretly want a solo (or two-player) farming adventure without anyone judging your love of carrots. We played and couldn’t believe how many things you can do – plow land, build dikes, bake bread, or even craft wheelbarrows like a true German villager. The game is peaceful and really lets you relax while you create your dream farm. There’s less fighting and more quietly out-farming your opponent. Plus, the cows look like they might judge you if you ignore them! If you like deep games with less chaos, Fields of Arle is for you.
4 Viticulture Essential Edition
Wine and farming go together perfectly in Viticulture. We tried it with friends, and even the non-drinkers got into making the fanciest vineyards possible. You plant grapes, manage workers, and shape your fields into an award-winning winery. We love how every worker placement matters, and there’s always a struggle for the best spot—like musical chairs with a glass of Merlot. The theme is relaxing but don’t let that fool you; this farming board game is all about clever planning and getting your timing right. If you’ve ever dreamed of running a vineyard, start here.
3 Everdell
If you want adorable animals with your farming, Everdell is a winner. We lost hours herding hedgehogs and rabbits into our town, building farms next to schools and bakeries. The art is beautiful and the squishy berries are fun to squish (don’t eat them, though). There’s farming, resource collecting, and a giant 3D tree that’s fun to set up. It’s a great pick for families or anyone who wants their farming board game to feel like a cozy cartoon. Just beware: the competition for cards can get fierce, and someone will always steal the one you needed.
2 Reef Encounter
While farming on land is fun, Reef Encounter brings farming underwater. We tried farming coral and fighting off hungry parrotfish, and it’s wild. You need to grow the right reefs and keep your shrimp safe—shrimp farming is as intense as you think. The game blends farming with strategy and a tasty dose of chaos. The colors pop and the board looks amazing. It’s different from the rest and feels fresh every time you play. If you want your farming board game with a splash, try this.
1 Root
Root isn’t just our favorite farming board game; it’s one of the most fun games we’ve played, period. Here, farming means growing your animal faction’s power, building outposts, and trying not to get stabbed in the back by the woodland alliance (we’re looking at you, raccoons). The mix of cute art and sneaky moves keeps everyone laughing, even when someone gets completely wiped off the map. Every faction feels different, and farming resources is always at the center of the action. It’s easy to learn, fun to replay with all the different animals, and everyone wants a rematch. That’s why Root is our top choice for the best farming board game.
