Stardew Valley is a game about a small-town farmer turning their grandfather’s inheritance into a rich land of ripe crops and a close-knit community. Players can build their farms in many different ways, with each in-game season bringing new crops, foraging, and fish to collect.
Just like in real life, fall is a crucial time on the farm. The harvest season has officially begun, and there’s so much to do before that first snowfall signals the coming of winter. Players may find it difficult to get everything done in time. Here are a couple tips for maximizing the fall season in preparation for those cold winter months.
Stardew Valley: 22 Ways To Maximize Winter
It's difficult to farm during winter in Stardew Valley, but there's still plenty to do - here are some tips for getting the most out of wintertime.
9 Take The Animals Outside
Capitalize On That Last Glimmer of Warmth
Grazing is a great way for players to feed their farm animals for free. On sunny days, simply opening the doors to a barn or coop will allow the animals inside to wander out, munching on whatever delicious tall grass they may find. It also raises the animals’ friendship much more quickly than feeding them hay.
During winter, all livestock will always stay indoors to avoid the cold. So, it’s crucial to give them as much grazing time as possible during the fall. Use Grass Starters in their enclosures to ensure they always have some fresh, tasty grass to munch on and make them as happy as can be while it’s still warm out.
8 Build Silos & Harvest Hay
The Grass Won’t Get Any Greener Until Next Year
Speaking of grass and hay, fall is the perfect time to stockpile food for those indoor animals. Players can get Robin to build silos for them by paying her 100G and providing the necessary materials (100 Stone, 10 Clay, and 5 Copper Bars). Each silo can contain 240 pieces of hay.
Stockpiling hay early on is pretty easy. Just use that scythe and start hacking away at the fields of tall grass blanketing the farm. However, this late in the year, most players have at least one coop and one silo. Since they can't eat outside during the winter, many animals will empty a silo in no time. Consider either purchasing hay from Marnie or, more cheaply, using Grass Starters to harvest as much hay as possible for free.
7 Plant Fall Crops
Last Chance To Make Some Real Crop Cash-Grabs
Unlike most seasons, winter doesn’t have many options for crops. The only things players can grow are the Winter Wild Seeds or the newly-added Powdermelons from the 1.6 update. That means fall is the best time to grow and harvest as many crops as possible.
To get the most out of the harvest season, players should stick to the most profitable fall crops, like Pumpkins, Cranberries, and Artichokes. Also, be sure to plant any Rare Seeds, since these only grow during the fall. They take a long time to grow, so plant them by Fall 4 at the latest.
6 Make More Seeds
Invest In A Surplus of Seeds For Spring
Ancient Fruit and Sweet Gem Berries are the most profitable crops in the game, bar none. However, collecting seeds to grow them takes a lot of time and effort. Sweet Gem Berries only grow in fall, and Ancient Fruit grow in every season except winter. So, once fall is over, say goodbye to those hard-earned seeds.
Fortunately, players don’t need to start the search for seeds all over again, come next in-game year. Instead, craft a few Seed Makers after hitting Farming level 9. Players ought to sell off gold and silver-quality fruits, but save the lower-quality ones for creating seeds. Consider it a head start.
5 Foraging
Load Up On Blackberries And Mushrooms
Fall is one of the best seasons for foraging. Hazelnuts can be used in plenty of recipes that villagers love to get as presents, and Wild Plums can be turned into jelly or wine. There’s also blackberry season, where bushes all over the map are brimming with fresh berries.
And thanks to the 1.6 update, Mushrooms have become way more valuable. The Dehydrator turns bushels of fruit and fungus into artisanal dried goods that players can sell for a fortune. So scrounge up as many mushrooms as possible, and consider saving up blackberries to keep those dehydrators busy.
4 Craft Preserves Jars and Kegs
Preserve Profits For The Coming Winter
With all the crops players will be scrambling to harvest during the fall, it can be tempting to pile them all into the shipping bin for some quick cash. However, turning those crops into artisan goods is the slow but steady way to maximize profits. (And thanks to the coming winter, there will be plenty of time for that).
Stardew Valley: Preserves Jar Vs Kegs
Kegs and Preserves Jars are both essential for creating artisan goods in Stardew Valley, but how do they differ? Is one better than the other?
Any lower-quality crops should go into a chest for safekeeping while the player loads up on Preserves Jars and and Kegs. Consider building a shed or two to store them all, or creating a designated artisan goods section on the farm map.
3 Chop Down Trees
Get Them While They’re Still Growing
Both winter and fall tend to use up a lot of players’ building materials. Many players use winter as a chance to redecorate their farms, putting down new pathways, fences, or buildings. Crafting those artisan makers mentioned above uses up a lot of wood, too. So, fall is a great time to bust out that trusty axe and get to logging.
The best way to build up that lumber pile during fall is to have plenty of Tree Fertilizer on hand. Players can either craft it using stone and fiber, or get it randomly from bone mills. After chopping down a tree, wait a few days until the new sapling sprouts, then sprinkle on the fertilizer. This ensures that players can chop down plenty of lumber to prepare for their winter projects.
2 Upgrade Tools To The Max
Prime Gear For Maximum Logging And Mining
If players haven’t fully upgraded their tools already, now is the time to do it. But players ought to prioritize certain tools during certain times of the year. Farming-centric tools like the hoe or watering can are great for earlier seasons, to help get a jumpstart on crops.
However, winter and fall are perfect for material gathering. So, if possible, get the axe and pickaxe upgraded as much as possible. An iridium pickaxe is especially a must-have if players plan to spend most of their winter in the mines.
1 Set Aside Items For The Stardew Valley Fair
The Early Bird Gets The Points
The Stardew Valley Fair takes place on Fall 16. One week prior, on Fall 9, players will get a note in the mail reminding them to set aside some top-quality items to put in their grange display. Winning the best display will help players get cool prizes, including a Stardrop fruit to increase their maximum energy.
To ensure victory, start setting aside the best crops, animal products, and artisan goods as soon as possible. Set aside anything silver or gold-quality in a chest, and replace them with any higher-quality items that come along in the meantime. This ensures that by Fall 16, players will have the true cream of the crop.
Stardew Valley: Fair Guide
Once a year, Stardew Valley's Pelican Town is transformed into a Festive Fall Fair filled with fun minigames and shopping.
