I fail to see how going to the forest for farming vultures is considered a way around bad game design. We are in no rush to have hundreds of farming plots in the first week. There are other ways to get your needs done until your garden has a decent size. If you decide to rush it, you should take extra steps like you should take extra steps, if you want to rush other stuff.
You want to trade a lot? Make more quests.
You want a big garden? Go hunt vultures.
You want to read all books? Go search for buildings with a lot of book shelves.
You want to have a gyrocopter early on? Go on a full int build.
Don't get me wrong, I think farming has issues. Especially that it isn't needed at all atm. You can easily feed yourself on meat or canned food alone. But having to do extra steps, if you want to rush something, isn't bad game design per se.
