Using mods is easy, free, and they work well – just copy the .zip file into the mods folder of the game, typically documents>my games>farming simulator2015>mods. They then become available in the mods section of the shop (top right arrow). Start with a bigger shovel (BigStollShovelv1.zip or BigshovelUsed.zip), seed pallets (placeable_seedPallets_LS15.zip), and placeable slurry sale point (GuelleAnkauf.zip)
There are too many mod sites to list, but here's a good one http://www.ls15mods.com/category/farming-simulator-15/

You only need 1 tractor initially, so sell everything you start with and get the New Holland T6.160 which can fit a frontloader for your silage, loading timber, and pallets.

Silage is the way to make money, and also gives you free slurry in the big tank next to the biogas digesters. Put the small mower on the front of your tractor, the small loading wagon behind, and start mowing the free grass! Fill a bin with grass to about 20%, compact by driving over it a few times, and cover, key R. When the silage is fermented, put a frontloader and big shovel (max capacity 4800l) on the tractor, a 1600 kg weight on the back and get shoveling!

Some sowing machines do their own cultivating, which saves you a task. Get the 6m. wide one as soon as possible.

The small speedometer symbol in the bottom right screen window shows the cruise control setting for the vehicle. When harvesting for example, set this to about 10 and run on cruise control. When you lift the header at the end of the field the combine will only accelerate to 10 which gives you a nice controlled turnaround.
(cruise decrease is key 1, increase 2, and engage 3 )

Set the time rate to 1. You only ever need to be on 1, except when waiting for a harvest, or silage to ferment, then use 120.

One potato in a trailer will stop it filling with anything else. So watch you don't inadvertently pass under the potato, or beet filler conveyors with an empty trailer!

A smidge of silage left in a bin will stop you refilling with grass. You must lower your bucket, tilt the front edge just below horizontal, and “scrape” along the length of the bin floor.

All the chainsaws are the same. Approach the tree with the blade tilted over to about 45 degrees and gently move the blade so it is to the right of the trunk, and fairly close. When the blue circle shape appears through the trunk, start cutting. If you crouch down (ctrl), you may hardly leave any stump at all. (no Health & Safety in this game!)
The tall, straight, pines are best. To strip off the unwanted branches (these will reduce the value of your timber), set the saw blade back to vertical, point it downwards, and “walk” along the trunk.

It may be possible to unload your timber by reversing the trailer down into the log pond.

Best way to make cattle feed is using the mixer that goes behind a tractor. 1 bale of straw, 1 bale of hay, and a 4,200 l bucket of silage. Don't forget to put some straw from a loadertrailer into the cowshed to get full yield, plus manure production.
(Strictly speaking, the most efficient way to make feed is with a 6000 l shovel of hay, then straw, then silage. However, this uses a placeable piles mod, which in my experience can behave rather strangely with hay - but give it a go by all means.)

Milk is automatically collected at midnight.

Interest is only applied on the amount of your loan at midnight. Take out as much as you like during the day, but try to pay back what you can just before midnight.

Sell from stock, not straight from the field. This way you can take advantage of any high demand price deals as they appear.
When you sell at the freight yard, don't forget to send off the train and receive your bonus! You do this by going up to the (!) symbol, and pressing R to pull the lever.


When you sell stuff the price goes down. This calculation is done on the hour, every hour. So if you have more than 1 trailer to sell, start just past the hour, this will give time to sell the rest before the price drops.

The game plays infinitely better with a steering wheel and pedals. I use an old Thrustmaster Ferrari GT off ebay for £25. To get the pedals to work properly go into >game controller settings>properties and select INVERTED and COMBINED.