I agree that the initial changes to gardening weren't balanced. However, the subsequent modifications seem to be fair, and with a dash of guano gardening can be as enjoyable as before (possibly more).
So, for those who are vertically challenged and detest chasing bats around for guano, Faereluth and I have found the following technique to be helpful:
1. Find a poop buddy and venture to the caves. Kajuu and Alakol have nice caves too, with gentle slopes.
2. One player 'grabs' the bat by selecting it with the enter button. The bat will stay stationary!
3. Second player can continuously feed the bat and collect guano without having to chase after it.
4. ?
5. Profit.
The beauty is that the bat will hang above the player who grabs it indefinitely making for a simplified, disgusting, guano-filled adventure! You can either alternate the role of grabber and feeder/collecter, or divide the poopy proceeds equitably. I also suggest wearing a nice, sturdy boot and not sandals. Definitely not sandals.
After doing this with a few players, consensus is that this method makes guano collection tolerable, and gardening at least as good as it was before.
If anyone needs a partner to test and perfect the technique, let me know. I'm happy to help!