I was pretty surprised on how the mechanics of getting the farmyard work. So I would like to make few things clear so others are not disappointed as I was.
*To acquire the Epic Farmyard you need to get 60 of "The Evil Queen Page". They drop on 30% chance from turning in the Excelsior oven crystals using the last tab (Books). Available at lev 58.
*Once you get 60 pages you click the complete tab to get first venture of the Evil Queen chain - The Fisherman and his Wife.
*Completing the venture gives you next one in loot (100% drop) Hansel and Gretel. Each venture in chain drops the follow up venture on 100% chance.
*You need to complete all 5 ventures in the chain to finally get the Epic Farmyard.
*When you get the Yard only one production chain is available - grain. You also get in the loot of the last venture 2nd unlock of a production type - water.
*To unlock more production types in the Yard you need to again acquire 60 pages from Excelsior and complete again the whole 5 ventures chain. Each unlocks needs the completion of the entire chain.
All unlocks are on rng basis. Every Snow White venture completion gives you a chance to get a new blueprint for new type of production.
To unlock all production you need to run 35 ventures total and collect 300 pages from turning in crystals. Each production however has 3 (so far confirmed) levels. So to get all production to all levels it is going to take a hell lot of runs. Because all epic blueprints drop is pure rng. You always get a blueprint from Snow White venture (end of the chain), but what type of blueprint is just random
The ventures are on a scale difficulty of the Aladin and Sinbad chain (they are harder than Ali Baba). You can use both old troops and new elite units on the maps. The most efficient way is so far using a combination of both old/new units. Saccing waves of old troops and finishing the camps with elite troops. Since those ventures have camps of more than 300 troops (there are many 350 camps and quite few 400 troop camps) you can expect quite few sacs on the way. All enemy units (except for new bosses) are combination of enemies from FT adventures (bears, wolves, pack leaders, boars, foxes, royal units ect)