FrontierVille Cheats and Tips: Growing cacti on the homestead

Cacti Border
The FrontierVille forums are in somewhat of a fluster over the next big Goals in FrontierVille: the 37x37 Land Expansion Goals. Land expansions have always been more challenging than other tasks, but just look at the reward. However, players are particularly perturbed by a single requirement within a single Goal (in a series of five): Clear 10 Cacti. As it turns out, it is not impossible.

However, there is a bit luck involved with a dash of finesse. According to several players on the forums and sources like Pioneer Party, the more useful debris grows toward the south of your homestead while things like Thorns and Grass pop up in the north. Take that vital piece of information and run with it. Create a small portion--maybe 10 spaces around--in the south most corner of your homestead that will act as a sort of debris farm. Then, clear out all the unwanted debris to increase the chances of Cacti to appear over time.

Cacti Farm
To make better use of space, some players even create a small buffer of empty land lining the southwest and southeast ends of their homesteads. Because debris normally grows from the outside in, but doesn't grow within two squares of buildings or crops, this will cause debris to grow in a controlled environment. So, create a two-space buffer zone between the outermost borders of your homestead and whatever you might place there. Within a few days, debris should appear, namely Cacti. Try either of these methods and you should see more Cacti on your homestead than you might have hoped for.

[Image Credits: AndreaEvans and Pioneer Party]

Have you tried either of these methods to grow Cacti? What alternative method have you used to control debris growth?

Pioneer Trail Ice Shed: Everything you need to know

Just days ago, we saw the launch of the Potting Shed in Pioneer Trail, and now we've seen another "shed" added to the game. This one, the Ice Shed, will allow you to "keep your milk cold," while receiving Critter Milk for free everyday. You'll unlock two new animals via the construction of this building, and will also have a couple of goals to complete along the way. Here's a complete guide to the Ice Shed, so get our your hammers and get ready to build! Note: This feature may not be available to all players as of this writing.

Once this update rolls around to you, you can either place the base right away, or you can purchase it from the store at a later time if you choose to finish some other tasks first. Once you place it, you'll need to gather plenty of building ingredients: 10 each of Rivets, Sheet Metal and Warm Gloves, along with 15 each of Ice Boxes, Saw Dust piles and Insulation. These final three items are earned through individual gift requests sent to friends, while the former trio are earned through general news feed posts.

Once built, your Ice Shed will give you access to free Critter Milk everyday when collecting the building's Daily Bonus, and you'll also receive a free Dairy Cow (that goes by the name of Daisy) once you finish the building's two goals:

Milk Cooler

    Place Ice Shed
    Tend 25 Adult Cows
    Collect 15 Blocks of Ice


You'll need to ask your friends for the Blocks of Ice, as you might expect. For finishing this first of two goals, you'll receive 500 XP, 1,000 coins and a single bottle of Critter Milk.

Stockpiling

    Tend 15 Neighbor Goats
    Tend 15 Pigmy Goats
    Collect 15 Glass Milk Bottles


Again, you'll finish this collection task by asking your friends to help you, while you'll need to visit at least three neighbors for all of those regular Goats. As for the Pygmy Goat, it becomes available to purchase in the store once you've completed your Ice Shed. If your friends beat you to it, it looks like you can tend their Pygmy Goats instead. Finish this goal and you'll receive 800 XP and the Daisy Dairy Cow that I told you about earlier.

All told, this is a fairly simple and straightforward building project and goal series (albeit probably a bit time consuming), so just make sure to take a few seconds out of your day to ask for these building pieces and you'll eventually finish both off.

Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >

What do you think of the Ice Shed in Pioneer Trail? What other sorts of items would you like to receive free from buildings, if not Critter Milk?