diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 79577ca..754f730 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ On first run, use DokuWiki's [installer](https://www.dokuwiki.org/installer) to
 * xsendfile configured and enabled
 * imagemagick installed and enabled
 * nice URLs via rewriting configured and enabled
+* farming support via the [farmer plugin](https://www.dokuwiki.org/plugin:farmer)
 
 Note: This image does **not** include a mail server. You need to configure DokuWiki to use an external mail server, this
 most easily achieved using the [SMTP plugin](https://www.dokuwiki.org/plugin:smtp).
@@ -37,6 +38,12 @@ The container runs the standard production php.ini. Some options can be set via
 
 Custom PHP configuration values can be set in a `php.ini` file in the storage volume.
 
+## Farming
+
+This image supports farming via the [farmer plugin](https://www.dokuwiki.org/plugin:farmer). To use it, install the plugin and configure it as described in the plugin documentation. The initial farm configuration is already done in this image. The farm directory is `/storage/farm`.
+
+Use a reverse proxy to route animal requests to this container.
+
 ## How this image handles user data
 
 Besides the obvious page and media data, extensions and configuration need to be persisted over container replacements.
diff --git a/root/etc/apache2/conf-available/dokuwiki.conf b/root/etc/apache2/conf-available/dokuwiki.conf
index a8e4b80..5ebb937 100644
--- a/root/etc/apache2/conf-available/dokuwiki.conf
+++ b/root/etc/apache2/conf-available/dokuwiki.conf
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     AllowOverride All
 
     XSendFile on
-    XSendFilePath /storage/data/
+    XSendFilePath /storage/
 </Directory>
 
 <Files ~ "^([\._]ht|README$|VERSION$|COPYING$)">
diff --git a/root/var/www/html/.htaccess b/root/var/www/html/.htaccess
index 626ecbd..a34e80a 100644
--- a/root/var/www/html/.htaccess
+++ b/root/var/www/html/.htaccess
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 # enable rewriting by default
-
 RewriteEngine on
 
+# Support the ! syntax for farm animals
+RewriteRule ^!([^/]+)/(.*)  $2?animal=$1 [QSA,DPI]
+RewriteRule ^!([^/]+)$      ?animal=$1 [QSA,DPI]
+Options +FollowSymLinks
+
+# pretty urls
 RewriteRule ^_media/(.*)              lib/exe/fetch.php?media=$1  [QSA,L]
 RewriteRule ^_detail/(.*)             lib/exe/detail.php?media=$1  [QSA,L]
 RewriteRule ^_export/([^/]+)/(.*)     doku.php?do=export_$1&id=$2  [QSA,L]
diff --git a/root/var/www/html/inc/preload.php b/root/var/www/html/inc/preload.php
index 9025b3d..13230ae 100644
--- a/root/var/www/html/inc/preload.php
+++ b/root/var/www/html/inc/preload.php
@@ -1,33 +1,35 @@
 <?php
 
-/**
- * Read defaults from the core configuration directory
- *
- * @todo when #3760 is merged/addressed it should no longer be necessary to define
- *       DOKU_CONF and include config_cascade.php
- */
-if (!defined('DOKU_CONF')) define('DOKU_CONF', __DIR__ . '/../conf/');
-include __DIR__ . '/config_cascade.php';
-$config_cascade['main']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/dokuwiki.php', '/var/www/html/conf.core/docker.php'];
-$config_cascade['main']['protected'] = [
-    DOKU_CONF . 'local.protected.php',
-    '/var/www/html/conf.core/docker.protected.php'
-];
-$config_cascade['acronyms']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/acronyms.conf'];
-$config_cascade['entities']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/entities.conf'];
-$config_cascade['interwiki']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/interwiki.conf'];
-$config_cascade['license']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/license.php'];
-$config_cascade['manifest']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/manifest.json'];
-$config_cascade['mediameta']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/mediameta.php'];
-$config_cascade['mime']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/mime.conf'];
-$config_cascade['scheme']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/scheme.conf'];
-$config_cascade['smileys']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/smileys.conf'];
-$config_cascade['wordblock']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/wordblock.conf'];
-$config_cascade['plugins']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/plugins.php'];
-$config_cascade['plugins']['default'] = ['/var/www/html/conf.core/plugins.php'];
-$config_cascade['plugins']['protected'] = [
+// initialize the farm if the farmer plugin is available
+if (file_exists(__DIR__ . '/../lib/plugins/farmer/DokuWikiFarmCore.php')) {
+    $_ENV['DOKU_FARMDIR'] = '/storage/farm/';
+    include(__DIR__ . '/../lib/plugins/farmer/DokuWikiFarmCore.php');
+}
+
+// load the standard cascade if the farmer hasn't already loaded it
+if (!defined('DOKU_CONF')) {
+    define('DOKU_CONF', __DIR__ . '/../conf/');
+    include __DIR__ . '/config_cascade.php';
+}
+
+// adjust the previously set config_cascade
+array_unshift($config_cascade['main']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/dokuwiki.php');
+array_push($config_cascade['main']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/docker.php');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['main']['protected'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/docker.protected.php');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['acronyms']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/acronyms.conf');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['entities']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/entities.conf');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['interwiki']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/interwiki.conf');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['license']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/license.php');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['manifest']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/manifest.json');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['mediameta']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/mediameta.php');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['mime']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/mime.conf');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['scheme']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/scheme.conf');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['smileys']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/smileys.conf');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['wordblock']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/wordblock.conf');
+array_unshift($config_cascade['plugins']['default'], '/var/www/html/conf.core/plugins.php');
+array_unshift(
+    $config_cascade['plugins']['protected'],
     '/var/www/html/conf.core/plugins.required.php',
-    '/var/www/html/conf.core/plugins.docker.php',
-    DOKU_CONF . 'plugins.protected.php'
-];
+    '/var/www/html/conf.core/plugins.docker.php'
+);