Played a little bit more early-access Hytale. I've spend most of my time in the game so far just working on farming and getting familiar with building mechanics. I've done a tiny bit of caving to mine copper and iron, but really just enough of both to make tools like a hoe and watering can for the farming. I went deep enough to know that at some point the environment underground turns into lava and scary monsters but given my lack of proper armor and weaponry I avoided interaction and exploration at/beyond that level.
Crop farming works pretty much like in the other block game. Use a hoe to till dirt into farmland. Plant seeds in the tilled soil. Wait. Plants require light to grow so adding a light source to your fields will let them grow at night and adding water from a watering can a-la Stardew Valley will shorten the growing time even more.
Unfortunately animals can't be bred. (Yet?) Babies can be found in the wild and can be tamed but they don't seem to grow into adults or produce anything. Adults can also be tamed but can't produce babies You can get milk from (adult) cows, wool from sheep, and eggs from chickens. Milk can be turned into food so there's a use for cows. Chickens can produce eggs, which can be eaten directly as food. Sheep/wool I haven't found a use for yet but there's rumors of future loom and weaving mechanics.
Most food restores health when eaten. You can eat wild/raw food but generally it doesn't restore much health. Crops, milk, and eggs can be used as ingredients in recipes to make cooked food however, which is typically much better at restoring health and can even provide short-term stamina or healing buffs, making farming and cooking valuable skills for adventuring.