Getting Started
In Stardew Valley, new players should adopt a relaxed and patient approach to the game, following key Stardew Valley Tips and Tricks to ensure a smooth start. The game is all about discovery and immersion, so there’s no need to rush through tasks. Instead, take time to explore the world, interact with the townsfolk, and enjoy the slower-paced lifestyle. By immersing yourself in the day-to-day activities, you’ll learn the ropes of farming, fishing, mining, and foraging without the pressure of completing everything as quickly as possible.
One of the first things you should do is pay attention to the television in your house. Watching it daily provides valuable information like the weather forecast, which helps you plan your farming, as well as fortune teller readings that can guide your decisions, cooking recipes to enhance your meals, and farming and foraging tips that will improve your productivity. Another important tool is the calendar outside Pierre’s shop, which will keep you updated on upcoming festivals, birthdays, and special quests. If you prefer to have this information inside your house, you can purchase a calendar from Robin, which will make it easier to remember birthdays and stay on top of important events.
Managing your energy is vital, and it’s one of the most important Stardew Valley Tips and Tricks—since you start each day with a limited amount, be sure to pay attention to your energy levels. Eating food or resting in bed will restore your energy, but be mindful that sleeping will also advance you to the next day. For improved tool accuracy, activate the “Always Show Tool Hit Location” feature or hold the SHIFT key while using your tools, which will help you see exactly where you’ll interact with the environment.
Lastly, remember that the game operates on a seasonal system, with each season lasting 28 in-game days, and each season presents different crops, activities, and events to take advantage of. Planning ahead and making use of each season’s opportunities is a key element of Stardew Valley Tips and Tricks that will ensure a successful and enjoyable farm life.
Farming
When you first arrive in Stardew Valley, your farm will be covered with debris such as stones, trees, bushes, and grass. Start by clearing these using an axe for trees, a pickaxe for stones, and a scythe for bushes and grass. Initially, clear only as much debris as necessary to save energy, but over time, make sure to clear the entire farm.
General maintenance is important, especially as seasons change, as new debris will appear. Regarding crop selection, it’s wise to plant the 15 parsnip seeds you start with and consider investing in other seeds like cauliflower, turnip, and potato early on. Kale is a great option for both farming experience and profit, as it provides better daily farming experience and is more profitable than potatoes. Focus on crops that regrow, such as strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries, which can significantly increase your profits.
Strawberries are available during the Egg Festival in early spring, and you should aim to get at least 40 strawberry seeds. Remember, each season has unique crops, so plan your farming according to what is available. When purchasing seeds, take note of when the crops will be ready for harvest. Additionally, there is a small chance (0.5%) to obtain ancient seeds from the seed maker, particularly when using blueberries and cranberries as input crops.
To ensure your animals stay happy in the fall, plant grass starters on the 28th of Fall and be sure to cut it into hay before winter. You can also leave mature crops unharvested for a few days (ensuring they are watered) to allow them to fuse, increasing your crop yield. For cauliflower, melons, and pumpkins, plant them in 3×3 squares for a chance to grow giant crops that occupy all nine squares.
Watering is another essential aspect of farming. Refill your watering can at any water source, and it’s a good idea to upgrade your watering can early to save time and energy. Upgrade it by gathering copper bars and 2,000g and visiting the blacksmith. The upgraded watering can will allow you to water three tiles at once. Upgrading it the day before it rains is especially beneficial. Fertilizers like Speed-Gro can help speed up crop growth, allowing for additional harvests like a third strawberry harvest. You can buy Deluxe Speed-Gro from the Oasis on Thursdays, and be sure to prepare the ground by watering and hoeing it before leaving for the day.
Scarecrows are important for protecting your crops from crows, so build one after planting up to 15 crops. Weeds can also damage your crops, so stay vigilant and clear them when necessary. Each season lasts 28 days, so plan your planting accordingly. To save time during season transitions, leave crops planted that will die at the start of the next season. For example, in the transition from winter to spring, use inexpensive winter seeds that you don’t mind losing. For giant crops, plant cauliflower, melons, or pumpkins in 3×3 squares, and leave them alone while focusing on other tasks like caring for your animals. If they are left undisturbed, there’s a chance they will become giant crops overnight.
Before cutting grass, be sure to build a silo to store the hay you’ll need to feed your animals. Cutting grass with a silo will automatically turn it into hay, saving you money as you won’t have to buy it from Marnie. Make sure to leave some grass behind when you chop it to allow more to grow. Before Fall ends, chop all the grass into hay as it will die on Winter 1.
Each animal requires 28 pieces of food to last the month. Finally, sprinklers can be crafted to water your crops automatically. You can craft sprinklers using copper and iron bars, which water four adjacent tiles. For more efficient watering, you can upgrade to quality sprinklers or iridium sprinklers, which water eight and 24 tiles, respectively.
Making Money
Making money in Stardew Valley is essential for expanding your farm and achieving long-term success. One of the best ways to earn money early on is by investing in crops. Start by planting the 15 parsnip seeds you begin with, then invest in cauliflower, turnips, and potatoes. Cauliflower seeds cost 80g, but they yield much more once harvested, while potatoes cost 80g each and have a chance of yielding another potato when harvested.
Potatoes only take six days to grow, making them a quick and profitable option. Each season offers unique crops, and the most reliable money-makers are strawberries in the spring, blueberries in the summer, and cranberries in the fall. These crops don’t require replanting after harvest, making them less labor-intensive. However, strawberries are only available during the Egg Festival in early spring, and you should aim to buy at least 40 strawberry seeds to maximize your profits. Save up for the Greenhouse, as it allows you to grow crops year-round, even in winter.
Foraging is another way to make money. Items you find on the ground require no energy to collect and can be a great source of both energy and income. Forage in the desert, where even low-quality coconuts can sell for a decent price. Fishing is another profitable venture. Early in the game, you’ll receive a fishing rod from Willy.
Once you reach fishing level three, purchase a fiberglass rod from him, which allows you to use bait. At level 7, you can upgrade the fiberglass rod to an iridium rod. Save most of your fish for when you reach level 5 of fishing, which grants the Angler perk, increasing your profit from fish by 25%. To catch fish faster, aim for bubbles in the water. You can sell fish directly to Willy for instant cash or use the shipping box to sell items overnight.
Mining is a highly lucrative activity, as it provides valuable resources, including ores, minerals, and bars, which can be sold to Clint. An unexpected source of income is clay, which sells for 20g each. You can find clay by using your hoe on dirt or sand. Additionally, you can sell items like weapons, shoes, and other mine loot at the Adventurer’s Guild. Animals can become a profitable part of your farm once you’ve built the necessary infrastructure. While it’s tempting to invest in livestock early, it’s better to wait until you’ve accumulated more gold. Milk and eggs are valuable for both economic gain and fulfilling requirements for the Community Centre.
Other tips for making money include repairing the bridge on the beach once you have 300 wood, granting access to the Tidal Pools where valuable items like coral and sea urchins can be sold. Check the bulletin board outside Pierre’s shop for help wanted requests that provide extra income. Sandy, who runs a shop in the desert, also sells unique seeds that are unavailable anywhere else.
One of the best early investments is the backpack upgrade, which can be purchased from Pierre’s shop for 2000 gold. With more space in your inventory, you’ll be able to store more items, increasing your potential to earn money. Additionally, processing coconuts and cacti in machines like the preserves jar can yield extra profit. Make sure to visit the Oasis on Thursdays, as it offers Deluxe Speed-Gro, which can significantly boost your crop growth.
While focusing on crops and foraging, don’t neglect your wood supply. Chopping down trees will provide valuable wood, a resource necessary for crafting new buildings and items. Stockpiling wood instead of selling it will pay off in the long run as you unlock more upgrades and build storage chests.
Community and Relationships
Building relationships in Stardew Valley is key to unlocking various benefits and progressing in the game. Befriending the villagers is an essential part of this. Be kind and interact with everyone you meet, and you’ll find that your relationships grow. Take the time to talk to your neighbors and bring them gifts from your farm.
Pay attention to what they like and dislike to maximize your friendship gains. As you befriend people, they’ll share their lives with you and even offer helpful tips and items. Animals also respond positively to your kindness; for example, petting a cow every day will improve the quality of its milk, and chickens that are well cared for will produce larger eggs. Building relationships with the townsfolk can provide many perks, such as unlocking new recipes and items as your friendship levels rise.
One of the easiest ways to increase friendship is through gifting. Giving a villager a gift they love, especially on their birthday, will earn you double the amount of friendship points. You can give gifts once a week, and birthday gifts can be given regardless of how many gifts you’ve already given. It’s a quick and effective way to boost your relationships, particularly when preparing for events like the Spring Dance. Some villagers prefer certain types of gifts, so it’s helpful to keep track of their preferences to maximize your efforts. Villagers will also appreciate the star quality of gifts, which makes your gestures even more meaningful.
As your relationships improve, you’ll find that villagers may request your help through quests. These can be found in your journal, and completing them not only earns you gold but also strengthens your bond with the townspeople. A great way to earn money and make friends is by checking the help wanted ads on the bulletin board outside Pierre’s shop. These quests often require simple tasks, and fulfilling them will give you valuable rewards.
Marriage is another rewarding aspect of building relationships. You can marry any eligible villager once you reach 10 hearts of friendship with them. To propose, you’ll need to buy a bouquet of flowers as an engagement gift. You can give everyone a bouquet and experience their heart events without penalty before choosing one person to marry.
Be cautious, as getting caught dating multiple people at once will lead to a negative reaction from the villagers, but if you carry a rabbit’s foot, the situation will be handled in a more positive way. After marriage, if you maintain a good relationship with your spouse and have been married for at least 7 days, there’s a small chance they will ask if you want to have children. Going to bed before your spouse increases the likelihood of this event occurring.
The Community Center plays a significant role in the game, and contributing to it will unlock several perks, including bus travel to the desert, mine carts for fast travel, and a greenhouse that lets you grow crops in any season. Make sure to visit the traveling cart on Fridays and Sundays, as it can offer items that are difficult to obtain elsewhere.
When working on Community Center bundles, pay attention to the number of empty squares in each bundle, as that tells you how many items are needed. It’s also helpful to track your progress in the bundles menu, which can be accessed at any time, so you don’t have to visit the Community Center itself. You can lock items into the bundle slots as you collect them, making it easier to manage.
In addition to focusing on your relationships, there are some other helpful tips to consider. Robin sells a calendar that can be placed in your house to help you remember important birthdays. Once a villager’s heart meter is full, it will no longer decay over time, allowing you to focus on other relationships. While it’s tempting to sell all your crops, fish, and foraged items, saving some of these for completing bundles, quests, and cooking recipes is important.
You can also place chests and machines in various locations around town, but make sure to store them away from NPC paths, as they will destroy anything in their way. Lastly, don’t forget about foraging in the trash bins around town. Just be cautious, as looking in the trash when someone is nearby can cause them to lose friendship points, especially if that person has max hearts with you.
Ultimately, building relationships with the people of Pelican Town is one of the most rewarding aspects of Stardew Valley. By taking the time to interact with the villagers and participating in events, you’ll uncover heartwarming moments and unlock valuable benefits that will help you on your journey. Prioritize nurturing these connections whenever possible, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a thriving farm and a fulfilling life in Stardew Valley.
Exploration and Mining
Exploration and mining in Stardew Valley are key elements that offer both rewards and challenges. The mines are located in the northern part of the mountain, and on the fifth day of Spring in your first year, you’ll receive a letter informing you that the stones blocking your access have been removed. Inside the mines, you can find valuable resources and fight monsters, but it’s crucial to be prepared. You’ll be given a rusty sword to defend yourself, and it’s a good idea to bring your pickaxe for mining and food to restore health and energy. Mining can be physically demanding, as both monsters and the act of mining itself will drain your resources.
The mines consist of 120 levels, with a checkpoint every five levels. The deeper you go, the better the rewards, so it’s important to keep pushing forward while managing your health and energy. As you mine, use your hoe to dig in the dirt and your pickaxe to break rocks. You’ll uncover items, as well as ladders that lead to the next level. Along the way, you’ll face various monsters, so be ready to defend yourself with your sword. These monsters can drop useful items, such as geodes and slimes, which can be used for crafting or other purposes.
When exploring the mines, you should be aware of the potential risks. Your energy and health can deplete quickly, especially if you don’t bring enough food to heal. If you run out of energy or health and pass out in the mines, you’ll lose some of the items you’ve gathered and 2,000 gold. To help avoid this, keep a stock of food on hand to restore your health and energy. If you’re unsure of where to strike, enable the “Always Show Tool Hit Location” option to see exactly where your tool will hit. This can help prevent misfires when breaking rocks or attacking monsters.
A useful tip to watch out for is the shadow beneath rocks. If a rock doesn’t have a shadow, it’s likely a crab, which will attack you once you hit it. The Adventurer’s Guild, located in Pelican Town, is another important location. It offers gear for purchase, an item recovery service, and the opportunity to earn rewards for defeating monsters. As soon as you can, make sure to visit the Adventurer’s Guild and take advantage of these services.
Inside the mines, you can also find resources like copper and iron ores. These ores can be smelted into bars using a furnace, which is essential for upgrading your tools. To craft a furnace, you’ll need 20 copper bars and 25 stones. Furnaces can be placed in the mountain cave, so you can smelt bars while continuing your exploration. Keep in mind that the game’s fortune teller can influence your mining experience. Checking the TV for fortune readings will let you know whether it’s a lucky or unlucky day. On lucky days, mining yields better results, so you may want to focus your efforts on the mines.
The Skull Cavern, located in the desert after unlocking it, is another challenging but rewarding area. It’s home to iridium, a rare and valuable resource, but it’s also filled with dangers. If you’re looking for an opportunity to farm iridium, you can reset the levels by re-entering the cavern. Additionally, killing large slimes in the Skull Cavern will help you obtain the Slime Charmer Ring, which protects you from harm when near slimes.
Other useful tips include tilling the soil in the mines to uncover artifacts, cave carrots, clay, and geodes. You can also find coal from minecarts, which can be used for smelting and other crafting needs. If you want to redesign your farm, using bombs is an efficient way to clear out space. Just be careful, as explosives can destroy certain items, so if you want to preserve something, remove it manually. Also, remember that you can sell any weapons, shoes, or loot from the mines at the Adventurer’s Guild, turning your efforts into a profitable venture.
Exploring the mines and other locations is an exciting and rewarding part of Stardew Valley, but it’s important to be prepared and cautious as you delve deeper. By bringing the right tools, managing your resources, and keeping an eye out for useful items, you can make the most of your mining adventures.
Time Management
Time management in Stardew Valley is crucial to making the most of each day as you manage your farm and complete various tasks. Days in the game last for 20 in-game hours, which equates to about 15 minutes of real-world time. You start each day at 6:00 AM, and if you don’t make it to bed by 2:00 AM, you’ll pass out from exhaustion. As time passes quickly, it’s important to prioritize tasks to avoid running out of time or energy. Thoughtful planning will help you stay productive and accomplish your goals, whether it’s tending to crops, checking on animals, or exploring the mines.
The game’s seasons are 28 days long, and as the season changes, so do the crops you can grow. Be sure to plan ahead and harvest your crops before the season ends, as unharvested crops will wither when the new season starts. It’s wise to avoid planting crops late in the season, as you may not have enough time to harvest them. When it comes to energy management, physical activities like swinging tools and fighting monsters can tire you out quickly. Eating food can restore your energy, with cooked meals providing more energy than raw food. If you run out of energy early, focus on low-energy tasks like organizing your inventory, chatting with villagers, or exploring the town.
Sleep is essential, and there’s no way around it. The day ends once you go to bed, and you must sleep every night to reset and prepare for the next day. If you’re upgrading tools, consider timing it so that the upgrade won’t affect your daily tasks. For example, upgrading your watering can at the end of fall won’t be a problem, as you won’t need to water crops during winter.
Rainy days are your opportunity to take a break from farming. You won’t need to water your crops, so you can focus on other activities like exploring, meeting villagers, or gathering resources. These days offer a welcome respite and can be used to catch up on tasks that don’t require tending to crops. However, it’s easy to get caught up in tasks, so be mindful of how quickly the day can pass by. If you find yourself low on time, you can always pass out, which will cost you 1,000 gold but won’t cause you to lose any items.
The calendar in the game is a helpful tool to keep track of important events like festivals, birthdays, and quests. It’s located outside of Pierre’s shop and will help you stay organized. If you find yourself walking too slowly, you can speed things up by stocking up on coffee or saving up for a stable and a horse to make travel quicker.
While time management is important, it’s also essential to take your time and enjoy the game at your own pace. Don’t rush through everything; instead, focus on the enjoyment of your farming adventure, the people you meet, and the beauty of Stardew Valley’s world.
Animals
In Stardew Valley, acquiring animals is a key part of farming, and it all starts with building a barn or coop. Once these structures are constructed, animals like chickens, goats, and cows can be purchased from Marnie. To care for these animals, you need to feed them daily and keep them happy. Providing a heater during the winter, which can be bought from Marnie, helps increase their friendship, and a higher friendship leads to better quality animal products.
Hay is essential for feeding animals, and it can be obtained by cutting grass with a scythe, growing wheat from seeds purchased at Pierre’s shop, or buying it directly from Marnie. Before winter, make sure to store enough hay in a silo since wheat cannot be grown during the winter.
Animals provide valuable products like milk, eggs, and wool, which can be turned into various goods such as cheese, mayonnaise, and oil. These products are crucial for your farm’s economy. To house your animals, you need to purchase and upgrade buildings through Robin. A Deluxe Coop, which can hold more animals and provide additional features, costs 20,000 gold, 500 wood, and 200 stone, while the Deluxe Barn costs 25,000 gold, 550 wood, and 300 stone.
One of the best ways to store hay is by building a silo. When you chop tall grass on your property, the grass will turn into hay if you have a silo. It’s essential to leave some grass behind in each area, as it will regrow. Be sure to gather all the grass before the start of winter, as it will die when the season changes. Each animal needs 28 pieces of hay to get through the month, so plan accordingly. Additionally, placing a chest next to the feed bin inside the barn or coop will allow you to store hay easily without needing extra silos.
When handling animals, approach them carefully and use tools like the bucket for cows or shears for sheep to avoid them walking away. The hitbox for cows is located at the bottom of their sprite, so aim low when trying to milk them. If animals are blocking your way inside the barn or sleeping in inconvenient spots, exit and re-enter the barn to change their positions. For a more efficient farming experience, consider using mods like Better Ranching on PC, which can improve animal interactions.
Finally, you can choose the color of the animals you purchase from Marnie, adding a personal touch to your farm. Make sure to manage your animals well by feeding them, keeping them happy, and taking care of their needs to maximize their productivity and the benefits they bring to your farm.
Additional Tips
When you start playing Stardew Valley, it’s a good idea to adjust your settings to enhance your gameplay experience. One key setting is the “Always Show Tool Hit Location” option. This will display a red box on the square that your tool will interact with, helping you place your tools more accurately. You can toggle this feature temporarily by holding the SHIFT key while using a tool, even if the setting is turned off.
Chests are a great way to store your items, and you can place them not only on your farm but also in other locations like the mines. After crafting a chest, you can store anything you need, and it’s especially helpful in places where you’ll be away from home, like the mines. To craft a chest, all you need is 50 pieces of wood.
Fishing plays an important role in Stardew Valley, as it provides a steady income and ingredients for recipes. Right after receiving your fishing rod from Willy, it’s a good idea to purchase the training rod for 25 gold, as it makes catching fish easier. Once you reach level 5 fishing, you can sell fish for a 25% higher profit thanks to the Angler perk, so save the majority of your fish for after you’ve reached this milestone.
Building relationships with the townsfolk is an important aspect of the game. Completing quests and delivering gifts on birthdays will increase your friendship with villagers. Gifts given on a villager’s birthday will earn you double the friendship points. You can give flowers to female villagers, and different villagers have different preferences for gifts. Be sure to give gifts once a week, as you can only give one gift to each villager per week. Once you reach 10 hearts with a villager, you can marry them if they are single.
For farming, it’s best to plant all 15 parsnip seeds you start with, as they grow quickly and help you level up your farming skills. Additionally, strawberries, which can be purchased at the Egg Festival in spring, are a great investment for making a profit.
When exploring the mines, it’s essential to bring snacks that restore energy and health. You can also place furnaces inside the cave to smelt ores while mining. After every five levels, return to your furnaces to collect the bars, then dive deeper into the mines.
Selling items can be done by placing them in the shipping box outside your farmhouse or selling them directly to Pierre. Early in the game, Mayor Lewis will introduce you to the shipping box, where you can sell items to be sent to the market.
Regarding tool upgrades, it’s best to wait until you have sprinklers before upgrading your watering can, as it becomes less useful once you can automate watering. However, if you do decide to upgrade it, do so during the last two days of the season to minimize the impact on your farming tasks. Additionally, holding down the button for upgraded tools, like the watering can, increases the area of effect, which can save you time.
Foraging is an easy way to gather free resources like food and valuable items. It also helps you level up your foraging skill, which improves the quality of the items you gather. Keep an eye out for foragables as you explore the map.
The television in your house provides useful information every day, including weather forecasts, fortune-telling, and cooking recipes. Make sure to check it regularly for tips and guidance.
Clay can be a surprising source of income, as it sells for 20 gold per piece. You can find clay by using your hoe on dirt or sand patches around the map.
Seasons in Stardew Valley last only 28 days, so be mindful of the time when planting seeds. The season’s remaining days will be displayed in the menu in the upper-right corner of the screen. Prepare the ground by watering and hoeing it before planting seeds, and leave some unfertilized spots for better crop placement.
Lastly, it’s important to think about how to organize your farm early on. Plan out spaces for crops, animals, trees, and buildings to ensure you’re using the land efficiently and maximizing your farm’s productivity.
