I have played 3 games so far to utter destruction on easy and it seems farms do not add any additional population, only cities. Base population cap seems to adjust based on planet size, but I am not getting far before I am destroyed. I do tend to specialize a planet based on size and bonuses but it is hard to manage when you colonize a planet with a 25% bonus to all research so when you get the ideology event thing you, well I, pick, if I can, something that will go with the research bonus so lets say after colonization my planet has +25% research + +10% research from the ideology selection and all the tiles are for Tourism and Influence. Now what? lol
My plan obviously isn't working, hence playing until utter destruction; I seem to be coming up short in all aspects (pop, military, research, production... well wealth I seem to be ok not rich but always able to buy what I need when I need it.)
Maybe I just suck at the game...