Guide for Stardew Valley – General Hints and Tips

This section will cover a few things that will help you get ahead during your first year.

Please note that this outline doesn’t NEED to be followed, it’s merely an outline you CAN follow. It was comprised of my personal way of playing, as well as input from the Stardew community.

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Areas of Interest (Year 1)

Hot Spring (northern most section of map)

• Can be accessed on Day 3 of Summer, replenishes Stamina and Health when standing in the hot tub

Mines (north of the town, east of Hot Spring)

• Can be accessed on Day 5 of Spring, can dig up relics for Museum, ores for construction and upgrades, obtain weapons and items, contains monsters. Consists of 120 floors

Blacksmith (east side of town)

• Can crack open geodes and upgrade tools

Library/Museum (east side of town, juts south of the Blacksmith)

• Can donate rare or unique items found during mining, can obtain rare items from Gunther for donating

Community Center (just north of town)

• Can be accessed on Day 5 of Spring, when the weather is sunny. Walk in to town from your farms side to trigger a scene. Donating the requested items opens more requests and additional items to unlock

JojaMart (north of the Blacksmith)

• Similar to the Community Center, but requires the player to purchase the upgrades instead of donating items. A more money driven playstyle

Spring Year 1

The first few days act as a tutorial for you, teaching how to play and various mechanics. Use this time to get familiar with the game, explore and learn the map (some areas can’t be accessed right away), and meet the townsfolk.

When you’re able, you’ll want to buy as many Cauliflower seeds from the General Store as possible, this is the most profitable spring crop you can grow right away. On the 13th of spring, you can buy strawberry seeds from the Event vendor for 100G. You should buy as many of these as well, as they provide a large amount of income and regrow after harvest.

It’s also a good idea to start mining when the mine becomes available on the 5th as well. Collect a good amount of coal and copper ore for the Furnace (obtained from Clint after obtaining 1 copper ore). These can be smelted into copper bars and used for farm and tool upgrades, as well as other crafting items.

You may also find the artifact, “Ancient Seed” while mining. If you do, bring it to Gunter ASAP. Your reward will be an said seed, and this seed will continue to grow until winter, assuming you water it. It will take 1 month to grow, but then bares fruit again every 7 days, and is worth 550G. I suggest saving one or two for the seed maker later.

Summer Year 1

At this point, you should have quite a bit of money saved up, and be able to buy the extra bag (which gives an extra row in your inventory) from the General Store for 10,000G.

You’ll want to buy and plant as many Blueberries as you can as quickly as you can. These little guys will net you $150 per harvest, and regrow until the end of summer. Do this until you have a sizable amount saved to repeat again in the fall, this will be your money crop for the summer.

I also suggest upgrading your house to get the kitchen, and if possible, bedroom. The kitchen is a must for exploring deeper in to the mines as it will allow you to cook meals that really restore health and stamina, as well as grant other perks depending on what you make.

Upgrade your pickaxe so you use less stamina in the mines, and try to get to 50 and save as much iron ore as you can, and upgrade your tools.

By the end of summer, you should have shipped 15,000G easily. This can be checked in the Player Menu.

Players have reported that the money achievements can glitch, causing them to not unlock. It is not known why or how to fix these. I had to make a new save and earn the required amount again to unlock the achievements, so if one or more does not unlock, you will be forced to try again on your second playthrough.

Fall Year 1

For the fall, you can grow either pumpkins or cranberries, both of these will get you massive amounts of money, so get as many seeds of one of them as you can (cranberries regrow after harvest).

At this point, you should have the steel pick, and a decent weapon (I had the Bone Sword), and have no issue reaching the 90th floor. Save as much gold ore and upgrade when possible.

After doing the above, if you can, buy either a coop or a barn, so you can raise chickens or livestock for the winter.

Winter Year 1

During the winter, nothing will grow aside from wild plants from the winter wild seeds pack, all of which can be found via foraging.

You’ll want to spend a fair amount of time getting as deep as you can in the mines. It is possible to reach the bottom before the end of the year. It’s advised to have at least steel equipment, but gold would be ideal.

You can also use this time to raise your fishing skill.

If you were able to buy any, focus on raising any livestock you have as well and potentially make artisan goods.

By the end of the year, you should easily have enough to earn the Cowpoke Achievement and near 100,000 G.

Once you’ve hit Farm Level 6, you can really expand by making Quality Sprinklers, which waters everything around it. Pairing this with certain crops can make you a ton of money, so that’s a good place to aim for during the first year as well so you can begin using Quality Sprinklers as soon as possible.

Year 2+

After this, you should be focusing on the story and either bringing in items for bundles, or buying the upgrades via Joja Cola. Also, you should work towards expanding the amount you plant and harvest to boost revenue.

By the end of the 2nd year, you should have at least a quarter of a million, assuming you’ve focused on money crops.

Year 3+

In year 3, your farm will be graded based on several factors, including money and achievements earned, friendships, community center progress, total skill points, and other factors. If the players scores at least 12 points, they can examine Grandpa’s Shrine (found in the NW corner of the farm) for a ‘Statue of Perfection’ (which gives Iridium each day) and can be re-evaluated at any time by placing a diamond on the shrine.

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