Hi MrVilla,
there was a recent topic about the need for planning. Well, meadow farms are worth it. Just put them as they could be,check the fertility; erase all, check what they would give two tiles besides. When you have the good plan, well, reload and do it.
Sometimes, the ditch does not need to touch a farm, irrigation in one can also reach the one that touches it. Irrigation adds 40% to fertility, so it is easy to check.
I do believe in straight rows of meadow farms, a road passing along, then the ditch passing along. Fertlity could have been optimized by setting the farms in different patches but you generally produce far more fan than you need, so it is better to rely on optimized planning. Say you put a double row of four farms (F), the ditch passes between the two rows. around this you have a road (R), besides a house and a firehouse (F), a policeman (P) and that is it, a pharmacist (p) if it is close to the swamps. A physician is less helpfull. They will die every 2 years. Bah, they will be replaced before your farms lose manpower.
That is typically what is the best fit for Baki's map. You can check "my way" in recent game Tryhard, My-Baki.
What I say is not the rule of Lord (though every day closer...)