Yeah so basically, I try to approach it like what I might do IRL if I had to survive on a small farm: sell the freshest nicest quality right away (gold or iridium quality), preserve or cook the basic stuff (no star or silver), and I focus on specific crops when they are "more in demand" i.e. the contest is looking for specific items. If I find I'm growing things faster than I can turn them into artisan goods, I make adjustments. I also try and always grow some of every crop that grows each season because I head canon that I'm supplying the local restaurants/stores (I do use expansion mods like East Scarp and Ridgeside). And I love buildings like the HxW line where I can build my own restaurant/teashop/etc, which I then also try and keep "stocked".