Taming is probably purely about catching wild monsters. Just pet them all and send them back to the forest of beginning or whatever instead of back to the farm.
Cooking is easy....catch some cows and chickens so you have eggs and milk and catch fish whenever you got free time and you will have plenty of material to cook with.
You shouldnt really worry about skill levels. It just adds either just to HP/RP or also to some of your stats. But the stat improvements will come far easier from making your own equipment. Which I think you also asked about?? I havent played RF4 but I assume it still has the awesome robust loot/crafting system....your suppose to make and improve your own tools. (you usually have to expand your house and or buy the facilities to craft different things, food, medicine, accessories, armor, weapons.
Not sure about the golden seeds.... I never mess with those. Usually I have more money than god without screwing with farming(unfortunately). Not to mention who wants to farm when mother nature comes and takes a dump all over your farm during the summer, fall, and winter.
