Presuming you know what you want ...

Field Mastery 2 (or Sharp Vision 2), King's Yield 2 (or Blessed Harvest 2), and then just whack away at the item I want. One swing clears it, and I then get 5 swings at +2 over the base yield. That's 25 Spruce Logs, or 35 Prickly Pineapples, or however many of whatever item I'm gathering.

There is ZERO point in going for HQ. Serious crafters are taking NQ materials and making HQ finished products, so it is better to go for NQ quantity than to go for HQ.