well i play on large maps and currently have 25 citties - and plus food!

but i do pick which of my cities get to be lucky enough to get houses - specially the ones that have special bonus fields so with level/buildings can increase them.
(granted i was lucky enough to find a city 3x4 area that had 3 food resourches!!)


but yes - i like the harbor thing - but i would say there should be a (fish) icon at the water to represent that the waters actually have enough fish to farm - since the world is "dead"

i kinda imagine that the spell that gave +1 food was the food booster spell you wanted - but yes they could make more of them - like +1+2+3 (increasingly costs on the spell each time - so when you actually manage to get a caster that can manage a +3 bonus to a city its a big deal!)

the increase in houses are allready there - but it increases the prestiege making population come to the city faster.

The second resource tech under quests gives you 2 farms right by your cities.  personally I don't find myself needing much food and am always running a surplus.  the only cities that need to level up are the ones attached to gold mines, arcane temples, or lost libraries.  leveling up all the cities is kinda pointless since there is no benifit without the specilization.

The trumpets sound as the call for war is heard in the land of Vegetable Patch. It appears that the treaty with the Dark Dairy has soured. The messenger reported that the mo-hawked thug sided with the Dark Dairy King and is gathering his troops to march to Corncob Cove. His army was reported at being 450 power. The small village of Corncob Cove was only a tiny 65. Other troops are traveling to the village to offer a better defense, but will not make it in time. To make matters worse, Princess Cream was kidnapped by the mo-hawked thug. Where was the "Jolly Green Giant?", He was last seen by Onion Outpost venturing through the unknown wasteland. It was up to the first in line, Lil Sprout, the ill baby carrot, and the angry Sweat Pea Jr.