Step 1: A square plot has 4 equal sides, and the pole at each corner is shared between the two sides that meet there. Step 2: With 32 poles placed along each side (including both corner poles at its ends), the poles that belong uniquely to one side (excluding one shared corner pole) number 32 - 1 = 31. Step 3: Total poles = 4 × 31 = 124, since each corner pole is counted only once instead of twice. So the farmer needed 124 poles in total.