In the early days, when I can't leave the village on its own anyhow, I put everyone on research, and I collect mushies and collectables like crazy. I keep it that way until I hit the first tech level, which really isn't long. Sometimes I keep playing that way until I hit another level in med and engineering, then I move everyone to building the dam. Other times I do engineering first, and put one or two on it, and leave two on research. Either way, my kids usually keep me in enoguh food until I can get the garden going.