Guide
Stardew Valley first-year guide: a simple plan for spring to winter
A relaxed roadmap for your first in-game year in Stardew Valley: what to plant, when to unlock the mines and how to avoid burning out on chores.
Stardew Valley has no real deadline, which makes it easy to feel unsure about priorities. This season-by-season outline keeps the first year relaxed and productive.
Spring: build the routine
Start with a small plot of parsnips and cauliflower, and save cauliflower for the bigger payoff later in the season. Talk to every villager to learn their schedules, and give gifts on birthdays. Fishing and foraging are good ways to earn early cash without spending energy on the farm.
Summer: scale up
Berries and melon-style crops give strong returns, and a few sprinklers save hours of watering. This is a good season to start visiting the mines to gather ore for tool upgrades.
Fall: prepare for winter
Pumpkins and cranberries are reliable earners. Build storage and a barn or coop now, because winter offers little farm income. Keep a few crops back for community center bundles.
Winter: mines, fishing and friends
With the fields dormant, winter is the time for mining, deeper fishing and building relationships. Progress on the community center also moves along nicely in this season.
General tips
- Sleep at a reasonable hour; passing out costs money and time.
- Upgrade the watering can and pickaxe before buying luxuries.
- Do not try to complete every bundle in year one. The game rewards a steady pace.
Games in this guide
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