A survival game like Minecraft requires its players to figure out ways to collect as many resources as they can to sustain themselves in its world. This includes creating a farm that will output a solid rate of items so that the player may never run into a situation to look out for it again.
One of the more common Minecraft factories that are created in survival is an iron farm. This requires players to get iron golems to spawn at a decent rate to gather their iron. Taking on these creatures individually can be part of the solution, but it's better to create a system that does this on its own.
6 Build A Structure For The Farm
Any iron farm must be created eight blocks above the surface to avoid golems spawning on the ground. Players should use building blocks to create a decent size box where villagers can live in. This area must have two blocks of space in it to let villagers in but not enough room for golems to fit.
Once the farm starts, golems should spawn on top of the villager box. This is where water should be placed to push iron golems in the direction of their death and fences/walls to prevent escaping golems or water. Hoppers and chests should be used to collect whatever they drop, and a lot of them should be used in case the farm is very productive.
5 Gather Villagers
The hardest part of any farm is getting mobs to cooperate with the operation. Luckily, villagers are the only necessary mob for an iron farm to work, and they aren't too difficult to corral. Players should find a village and collect civilians by placing boats for them to hop into.
From there, ride in the boat with a villager to the farm site where players could then try to use a mine cart to get the villagers up and into the box. Players should try to get five villagers in the box, either by transporting all five or breeding a couple. It's important to note that there should be beds in there for both breeding and for spawning iron golems.
4 Zombies May Increase Output
As mentioned earlier, players only need villagers to get an iron farm functioning. However, there are various tips and tricks that players can try that can help them get one that is super efficient. One of the more complex ideas out there is using a zombie to startle the villagers, but not kill them.
Players can build a pod that is a few blocks away from the villagers but can't reach them. If villagers have eye contact with the zombie, they will squirm to the point that more golems can spawn. Finding a zombie is easy, but players must make sure they protect it from the sun (with a block or helmet) and name tag it to keep it from despawning.
3 Set Up A Method To Kill Golems
With most of the structure built, players will need to think of a way to kill a golem in the most effective way. There are a few routes to go with on this front. One idea is to make their water path lead to a steep hole that will send the iron golems falling to their death.
Another method is setting up lava a few blocks above the hoppers so that way their feet touch the hopper, but they still get burned to death. Players can levitate lava using wooden signs (they won't burn), which allows for the items to drop and not be burned up. Other methods include just punching them after severe fall damage or even cacti.
2 Prevent The Farm From Breaking
It's nice to have the farm set up and ready to function, but there is always a risk that things could go wrong and repairs need to be made to the farm. One of the first things that should be done after creating the structure is lighting everything up. Golems don't need darkness to spawn, so don't risk destructive mobs spawning as well.
There is also the case where iron golems could get caught on ledges or may see something that causes them to not go down the water path. Make sure any obstacles are dealt with, like replacing blocks with walls or getting rid of a zombie that is getting unnecessarily targeted by the golem.
1 Create An AFK Space
Players will want to be present as their farm is functioning, but it's hard to just stare at the screen doing nothing waiting to collect a hefty reward. That's why making a safety box where mobs can't get in should be a priority in building a farm and keeping it going.
Some AFK spaces may just require a lit room with a bed. But if the farm only functions during daylight as some farms tend to do, players may want to look into setting up a system where players can automatically sleep each time darkness arrives.
Minecraft is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, and many other platforms.