Farming is the process of going out into the gaming world to collect base materials by looting, gathering, or skinning (only for collecting leather). This is not to be confused with the new Tillers farm added in Mists of Pandaria.
While farming is the manual labor in World of Warcraft's gold-making scene and is looked down upon by many of the game's richest players, it remains a reliable source of income and an integral part of the in-game economy. Farming also requires no start-up costs or investments and thus is always a positive gold gain. Finally, many players find the simple work relaxing or enjoyable and will often spend time gathering while waiting for raids to start, dungeon queues, and so on.
The downside to farming is that it typically offers a much poorer return for your time. The Gold per Hour is lower than the manufacturing processes, which will be discussed in this chapter. Farming is also a heavily botted activity, where you will be competing with the Auction House...