To much farming

[Temon]

Sometimes, the towns doesn't get any private economy to speak of.
That's becouse everyone is working in the farm, producing 3 times more food then the town requires.
either teach the private ecomony to go 75% production, or perhaps start with smaller farms

[zgrssd]

Any excess food can be sold to the traders. And converted into Luxury goods, apparently.
Wich can then be used for more building. More Luxury Goods. And buying Free Folk into the City.

The Private Economy really hates having to little food. And will always overbuild farms, rather then risk requiring to buy food or rely on Emergency food.