Ok just got it today (literally an hour and a half ago) tried reading the wiki but can't solve such, questions I'm sure are extremly simple and on there.
1) How do I start a farm (designated one outside)?
First, you have to have outdoor plants to start a farm outside. All the seeds you can bring when you first start a fort are underground plants, so they can only be planted underground. So, first, you must dig out a chamber in soil, then (b)uild a farm (p)lot in it. Then, you must have a dwarf with the farming labor active to build it (to activate it or check if it is active on someone, hit v, then scroll over the desired planter, hit p, then l, then use +/-/*// to scroll up and down on that page to the Farming labor, then hit enter to activate it if it is dark grey; white is active). Then, you must select the crop that will be planted during each season, using abcd to switch seasons; I suggest Plump Helmets year-round to start with. Once this is done, your farmer will plant seeds automatically, they will eventually mature to plants, and they will be harvested automatically. Make sure you have a food stockpile for the crops to be moved to!
2) Why won't anyone gather the shrubs I designated so I can start a still?
Wait I think it won't build because I need a block for the still?
You don't need a block for a still; a wood log or stone will work just as well. To build a still, you use the (b)uild menu, the (w)orkshop submenu, and then the sti(l)l option. You also need someone with the Brewing labor active in order for the construction to actually be carried out.
To gather shrubs, you need someone with the Plant Gathering labor enabled.