The Advanced Dispensers mod adds a few new blocks to aid in automation. You can use the new blocks to place blocks or items, break those items, and then store the items that were broken. This seems best used for creating automated farms but has many other uses as well.
You can set these blocks up using a redstone current. Load the user block up with the seed or sapling you want. Then set up the breaker near where the plant will grow. This will destroy the plant but it will also automatically store the harvested plants until you come to retrieve them. Then start the process all over with the fresh soil.
You can also add a bonemeal dispenser to the farm to add bonemeal to growing plants for quicker harvest.
Another block in this mod allows you to set up automatic crafting. If there’s a recipe that you don’t feel like making a ton of or it’s a bit complicated then set up an Automated Crafting Table, stock up its inventory, load the desired recipe, then just connect to a redstone current and collect. It’ll produce the item every time redstone activates it. You can even put a hopper and chest below it to automatically drop the item into the chest instead of its own inventory.
The mod also makes for a great cobblestone generator that’s easy to assemble, lightweight and stores the broken blocks once destroyed.
