In Stardew Valley, players move to a small countryside town where they must learn to live off the land. They can raise animals and grow crops, which can be harvested for profit or used in food preparation. Crops are the main source of income for players, especially when they’re just starting out.
However, if there are over 15 crops growing in one field, they’re at risk of being attacked by crows. In the absence of scarecrows, crows can eat the crops and destroy them. It’s such a hassle to fly these crows away each time they pay a visit to the farm. To protect crops from being eaten, it’s best to craft Scarecrows to keep the fields safe from any unwanted visitors. Here's a look at the process of making a scarecrow in Stardew Valley.
How to Craft a Scarecrow
In Stardew Valley, a Scarecrow prevents crows from attacking any crops that fall inside its radius. To craft scarecrows, players first need to reach Farming Level 1, at which time they will learn the Scarecrow crafting recipe. Luckily, reaching Farming Level 1 is an easy goal to accomplish. The first harvest of Parsnips (planted from the seeds the player receives at the beginning) allows players to hit level 1 and unlock the recipe for crafting Scarecrows.
The ingredients required to build a Scarecrow are 50 Wood, 20 Fiber, and 1 Coal. These items are fairly easy to find. Fiber is available all across the farm – players can simply use their Scythe to clear weeds, which have a 50% chance of dropping 1 Fiber when cut. Chopping down trees with an Axe yields plenty of wood. Coal can be obtained in multiple ways, primarily by breaking rocks in the Mines. Players can even purchase Coal from Clint at the Blacksmith’s Shop.
Once players have everything they need, the Scarecrow will be highlighted in the Crafting Menu. Clicking on it turns the materials into a Scarecrow, which can then be placed on the farm to protect the crops.
What is the Range of a Scarecrow?
A single scarecrow won't protect tne entire farm, but their range is significant. They are capable of protecting their surrounding area within an 8-tile radius in all directions, for a total of 248 squares. This offers protection to a decent amount of crops in the field.
The range has a hexagonal shape, which is why there will be spaces on the farm that aren’t protected. To avoid this, it’s advisable to place multiple Scarecrows that overlap with each other.
Stardew Valley is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.