Welcome to my world  (^_^) 
 
It is thoroughly addictive.  For no reason that makes sense, I have to keep growing those crops and collecting everything I can.  I too have experienced the "I will do just one day" and 4 hours and 2 seasons later, "oh crap, is that the time, I need to go to bed."  I haven't met a Harvest Moon game I didn't enjoy in some way.

Just wait until you get the kitchen and you'll be making jams out of your crops for RP restoration. You'll hit level 99 before the end of the second season.
 
@oldschool said:

" Welcome to my world  (^_^)  It is thoroughly addictive.  For no reason that makes sense, I have to keep growing those crops and collecting everything I can.  I too have experienced the "I will do just one day" and 4 hours and 2 seasons later, "oh crap, is that the time, I need to go to bed."  I haven't met a Harvest Moon game I didn't enjoy in some way. "

I have heard this game is addicting and crazy easy to loose track of time in so I have been avoiding it, which is probably a good thing for me. After all, I am still playing Harvest Moon 64.

Looks like I should pick it up.  This game is crazy cheap.

" Looks like I should pick it up.  This game is crazy cheap. "

" I have heard this game is addicting and crazy easy to loose track of time in so I have been avoiding it, which is probably a good thing for me. After all, I am still playing Harvest Moon 64. "

I've only played the DS version which is pretty similiar to this one. It's combines the fun of Harvest Moon (if you like repetition) with a basic dungeon crawler. I really enjoy that so I guess this should be better in some ways. I still love my wife though (even though I can't remember her name...).

It's a meditative experience.

" @Rallier  Jesus, 50 hours in and still in year 1? "

Another three hours wasted yesterday. Still not sold on just how little work you can do each day i.e. RP limitation, but you said this won't be an issue anymore once I get a kitchen?
 
There are no animals in the game? What is the benefit of catching and caring for monsters, apart from emplyong them in the farming and taking them into the dungeons?
 
And.. I bought something but have no idea what it is. There were two "fodder" items in the store. I bought one of them. I could not feed it and I could not plant it. I could put it in the box in front of the barn, though.

" Another three hours wasted yesterday. Still not sold on just how little work you can do each day i.e. RP limitation, but you said this won't be an issue anymore once I get a kitchen?  There are no animals in the game? What is the benefit of catching and caring for monsters, apart from emplyong them in the farming and taking them into the dungeons?  And.. I bought something but have no idea what it is. There were two "fodder" items in the store. I bought one of them. I could not feed it and I could not plant it. I could put it in the box in front of the barn, though. "

• Transform your crops into food with the kitchen, strawberry jam for example replenishes 125 RP at level 1.
• Going to the bath house that you unlock by going in the Whale Island dungeon and meeting Melody. 10g for a full restore
• Growing crops in dungeon. Every fill 3x3 square of crops you plant in a dungeon will produce 1 rune bit (not sure of the name) that will restore 125 RP, so 4 full grown patches at the beginning green dungeon will allow you to fully replenish your RP fully

Thank you for the information.
I did actually "unlock" the bath house right before I stopped playing yesterday, good to know that it will replenish RP. 
And I wondered what the fields in the dungeons were for and why you would want to grow crops there. Though I am sure there is some NPC in the game that at one point would have told me that. They always do, and you always miss that (it was pure luck, talking to the old lady to get the axe)
 
I know the concept of fodder, as it is no different from previous Harvest Moon games, but the thing I bought was neither fodder nor grass seeds? I will have to check what it says in the description.
 
How does employing animals work? Do you assign jobs, or can you specify who does what when?

Oh no you don't. I played the GameCube Harvest Moon and I'm keeping away from these types of games from now on. Time fades away when I played it.

" Thank you for the information. I did actually "unlock" the bath house right before I stopped playing yesterday, good to know that it will replenish RP.  And I wondered what the fields in the dungeons were for and why you would want to grow crops there. Though I am sure there is some NPC in the game that at one point would have told me that. They always do, and you always miss that (it was pure luck, talking to the old lady to get the axe)  I know the concept of fodder, as it is no different from previous Harvest Moon games, but the thing I bought was neither fodder nor grass seeds? I will have to check what it says in the description.  How does employing animals work? Do you assign jobs, or can you specify who does what when? "

This game is incredible.  I had a user review of it featured on this very site a few months back.  Enjoyed every second of it.  Well, besides the incredibly annoying load screens.

Oh geez, I see there is still a lot of stuff coming up. Seed maker? Levelling up crops? Wha? I should never have started. :D
 
I know now what confused me about buying fodder at Erik's. It says something about mowing in the description, even though you're buying fodder, and after you put it into the bin at the barn, it says "I don't have any fodder" (which I presumed referred to what is in the bin, not what you could potentially put there).
 
Is there an animal that does the watering for you? 
 

 Enjoyed every second of it.  Well, besides the incredibly annoying load screens.  

So, where did you import it from, as Europe has yet to see a release.

I have been trying to track down this game, but maybe I'll wait until I have the time to afford it (not the money).

Is there an animal that does the watering for you? 

Rallier: No, I did not unlock rune spirit distribution. I am still confused by the whole Rune thing, as I did not play the DS game. By the way, will I get an explanation as to how to use magic? "