Getting Started Guide
TL;DR
Your first day in Stardew Valley should include: planting 15 parsnip seeds, introducing yourself to all villagers, clearing farm land, foraging items, and checking the TV. The watering can is the highest priority tool upgrade, saving enormous energy by watering multiple tiles at once. The Red Backpack upgrade (2,000g) is the best early-game investment. Never miss watering crops - missing a day pauses growth. The Egg Festival (Spring 13) is critical for buying Strawberry seeds, the only opportunity in Year 1. Go to bed by 1:00 AM to avoid passing out and losing gold. The scythe costs zero energy and is essential for clearing weeds efficiently.
Welcome to Stardew Valley! You have just inherited your grandfatherโs old farm plot in Pelican Town, leaving behind the soul-crushing grind of the Joja Corporation. This comprehensive guide will walk you through your first day, your first week, and the essential mechanics every new player needs to understand to thrive in Pelican Town.
What Should I Do on My First Day?
When you arrive at your farm on Spring 1, you will find it overgrown with rocks, trees, weeds, and debris. The path forward may seem overwhelming, but following a structured approach on your first day sets the tone for the entire season.
Step 1: Check Your Mail and Plant Parsnips
Lewis sends you 15 parsnip seeds in the mail on Spring 1. Before doing anything else, clear a small 5x3 patch of land near your farmhouse. Use your hoe to till 15 tiles of soil, plant all 15 parsnip seeds, and water them with your watering can. This takes approximately 15-20 minutes of game time and uses very little energy.
Step 2: Introduce Yourself to Everyone in Town
Walk around Pelican Town and speak to every NPC you can find. This is critical because speaking to a villager for the first time gives you a small friendship boost and adds them to your social menu. You do not need to give gifts on the first day. Make sure to visit:
- Pierreโs General Store - Meet Pierre and check his seed prices
- The Saloon - Meet Gus (the bartender) and any villagers inside
- The Clinic - Meet Harvey
- The Library/Museum - Meet Gunther
- The Blacksmith - Meet Clint
- Willyโs Fish Shop - Meet Willy
- The Beach - Meet Elliot (if he is there) and check the tide pools
Step 3: Clear Additional Farm Land
Use your axe, pickaxe, and scythe to clear more space on your farm. Focus on creating enough room for your next round of crops after the parsnips harvest. Save the wood, stone, and fiber you collect - you will need all of it for crafting and building later.
Step 4: Forage for Items
Walk around the map and pick up any wild items you find. In spring, you can find Daffodils, Leeks, Dandelions, and Wild Horseradish near the southern exit of town, in the forest, and along paths. These can be sold for extra gold or eaten to restore small amounts of energy.
Step 5: Check the TV Before Bed
Before going to sleep, check your television. The TV has several channels that provide valuable information:
| Channel | Information Provided | When to Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | Tomorrowโs weather forecast | Every night |
| Fortune Teller | Your luck level for the next day | Every night |
| Sauce (Queen of Sauce) | Cooking recipe (repeats on Sundays) | Odd-numbered years: Wed/Sun, Even years: Sun/Thu |
| Ranch | Animal tips | Every 7th day of the season |
| Living Off the Land | Farming tips | Every 3rd day of the season |
How to Manage Energy Effectively?
Energy is your most limited resource, especially in the early game. You start each day with 270 energy (unless you have eaten a Stardrop). Every action costs energy, and running out means you cannot do anything productive for the rest of the day.
What Activities Cost Energy?
| Activity | Energy Cost |
|---|---|
| Hoeing soil | 6 energy |
| Watering (basic can) | 4 energy per tile |
| Chopping a tree (axe) | 2-10 energy depending on tree size |
| Breaking a rock (pickaxe) | 2-8 energy depending on rock size |
| Using scythe | 0 energy (scythe costs no energy!) |
| Fishing attempt | Varies (no energy cost for casting) |
| Mining swing | 2-6 energy |
What Items Restore Energy?
| Item | Energy Restored | Health Restored | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daffodil | 13 | 5 | Spring foraging |
| Leek | 25 | 8 | Spring foraging |
| Dandelion | 25 | 8 | Spring foraging |
| Wild Horseradish | 33 | 13 | Spring foraging |
| Parsnip | 25 | 0 | Farming |
| Fried Egg | 50 | 22 | Cooking (Egg) |
| Salad | 113 | 45 | Cooking (Dandelion + Leek) |
| Beer | 50 | 0 | Saloon (400g) |
| Espresso | 30 | 0 | Coffee (cooking) |
| Meal (any cooked dish) | Varies | Varies | Cooking |
What Are Key Energy Tips?
- Use the scythe for weeds. The scythe costs zero energy and clears weeds quickly.
- Eat foraged items as you work rather than returning home. Every bit of energy saved matters.
- Stop working when energy drops below 50. At very low energy, you risk passing out, which costs gold and items.
- Go to bed by 1:00 AM. Staying up past 2:00 AM causes you to pass out and lose gold and items.
- Upgrade your watering can first. Higher-tier watering cans water more tiles at once, saving enormous amounts of energy.
What is the Tool Upgrade Priority?
Tool upgrades are performed by Clint at the Blacksmith (open 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Each upgrade takes 2 days. During the upgrade, you cannot use that tool.
| Tool Tier | Material Cost | Gold Cost | Days Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 5 Copper Bars | 2,000g | 2 days |
| Steel | 5 Iron Bars | 5,000g | 2 days |
| Gold | 5 Gold Bars | 10,000g | 2 days |
| Iridium | 5 Iridium Bars | 25,000g | 2 days |
What is the Recommended Upgrade Order?
- Watering Can (highest priority) - Upgrading to Copper waters 3 tiles at once, Steel waters 5, Gold waters 9, and Iridium waters 13. This is the single biggest energy saver in the game.
- Pickaxe - Essential for mining efficiency. Higher tiers break rocks in fewer hits and can access harder ore nodes.
- Axe - Important for clearing trees quickly. Steel axe can chop large stumps, Gold axe can chop large logs.
- Hoe (lowest priority) - The hoe is used less frequently than other tools. Upgrade it last unless you are doing extensive tilling.
Important: Plan upgrades around your schedule. Do not upgrade your watering can during a growing season unless you have enough sprinklers to cover your crops. Winter is the ideal time for tool upgrades since you have no crops to water.
How Does the Shipping Bin Work?
The shipping bin is located to the right of your farmhouse porch. Any item placed in the shipping bin before you go to bed will be sold at its base value overnight. You receive a report the next morning showing total earnings and individual item sales.
Key Shipping Bin Facts
- Items placed in the bin before 6:00 PM are sold that night. Items placed after 6:00 PM may or may not be sold (place them before sleeping to be safe).
- The shipping bin accepts all sellable items: crops, forage, fish, animal products, minerals, artifacts, and artisan goods.
- Quality matters. Silver quality items sell for 1.25x, Gold for 1.5x, and Iridium for 2.0x the base price.
- Profession bonuses apply. The Artisan profession (+40% to artisan goods) and Agriculturist profession affect shipped items.
- You cannot retrieve items once placed in the shipping bin. Be careful not to accidentally ship items you want to keep.
- Shipping items is generally better than selling to shops because you get the full value. Pierre buys items at a lower price than the shipping bin.
How to Manage Inventory Effectively?
You start with 12 inventory slots. This is extremely limiting, so expanding your inventory should be one of your first priorities.
What Backpack Upgrades Are Available?
| Upgrade | Cost | Slots | Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Backpack | 2,000g | 24 slots | Pierreโs General Store (always available) |
| Blue Backpack | 10,000g | 36 slots | Pierreโs General Store (always available) |
Buy the Red Backpack as soon as possible. At 2,000g, it is the single best early-game investment. The Blue Backpack at 10,000g is worth buying once you have steady income.
What Are Inventory Organization Tips?
- Stack identical items. Most items stack up to 999.
- Use chests early. Craft chests (50 wood each) and place them near your work areas. A chest near the farm, one near the mine entrance, and one near the fishing spots saves enormous travel time.
- Sort by purpose. Keep tools in the same slots every day so you can switch quickly.
- Leave 2-3 slots empty for unexpected finds while exploring.
What Are My First Week Goals?
Your first week in Stardew Valley sets the trajectory for the entire year. Follow this structured plan:
Day 1 (Spring 1)
- Plant all 15 parsnip seeds
- Introduce yourself to every villager
- Clear additional farm space
- Forage for spring items
- Check TV before bed
Day 2 (Spring 2)
- Water parsnips
- Repair the beach bridge (300 wood) if you have enough
- Start fishing with the Bamboo Pole (Willy gives it to you)
- Continue clearing the farm
- Sell any extra forage
Day 3 (Spring 3)
- Water parsnips
- Visit the mine (north of town) and start clearing level 1
- Continue fishing and foraging
- Save wood and stone
Day 4 (Spring 4)
- Water parsnips
- Continue mining and fishing
- Check Pierreโs shop for seed prices
Day 5 (Spring 5) - First Harvest!
- Harvest parsnips (sell for 35g each = 525g total)
- Buy potato seeds (50g each) and cauliflower seeds (80g each) with your earnings
- Plant as many potatoes and cauliflowers as you can afford
- Continue watering, foraging, and fishing
Days 6-7
- Water crops daily
- Continue clearing farm land
- Mine for copper ore (you need 5 copper bars for your first tool upgrade)
- Fish for additional income
- Buy the Red Backpack upgrade (2,000g) if you can afford it
What Are Common Beginner Mistakes?
1. Not Watering Crops Every Day
Crops only grow on days they are watered. Missing even one day of watering delays growth by one full day. If you miss watering on a multi-harvest crop, the regrowth timer also pauses.
2. Upgrading the Watering Can During a Growing Season Without Sprinklers
If you send your watering can to Clint for 2 days and you have no sprinklers, your crops will not be watered and will lose a day of growth. Either wait until winter or ensure you have enough sprinklers to cover your farm.
3. Selling Your First Parsnip Seeds
Do not sell the parsnip seeds Lewis sends you. Plant them, harvest the parsnips, and sell the parsnips. The seeds are worth far more planted than sold.
4. Ignoring the Community Center
On Summer 5 (Year 1), enter Pelican Town from the eastern path between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM to trigger the Community Center cutscene. If you miss this, you will not be able to start the Community Center bundles.
5. Not Foraging
Forage items provide free energy restoration and income. Picking up every forageable you see is essentially free money. Spring forage items also contribute to the Community Centerโs Spring Foraging Bundle.
6. Going to Bed Too Late
Staying up past 2:00 AM causes you to pass out. You lose 10% of your gold (up to 1,000g) and some items from your inventory. Always go to bed by 1:00 AM at the latest.
7. Not Talking to Villagers Daily
Speaking to a villager gives 10 friendship points per day. Over time, this adds up significantly and prevents friendship decay (which is 2 points per day for villagers you ignore).
8. Spending All Your Gold Immediately
It is tempting to buy every seed and upgrade available, but saving gold for key purchases (backpack upgrade, sprinklers, tool upgrades) is more important in the long run.
How to Make Money Early in the Game?
Foraging (Spring 1 onward)
Spring forage items are free money. Pick up everything you find.
| Item | Energy Restored | Sell Price |
|---|---|---|
| Daffodil | 13 | 30g |
| Leek | 25 | 60g |
| Dandelion | 25 | 40g |
| Wild Horseradish | 33 | 50g |
Fishing (Spring 2 onward)
Even with the basic Bamboo Pole, fishing provides steady income. Cast your line into any body of water and catch fish. Common spring fish sell for 15-60g each.
Mining (Spring 3 onward)
Breaking rocks in the mines yields copper ore, stone, and geodes. Copper ore can be smelted into bars (5 ore = 1 bar) and sold for 30g per bar, or used for tool upgrades.
What is the Best Crop Rotation Strategy?
| Week | Plant | Harvest | Profit per Plant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (Day 1) | Parsnip (15 free seeds) | Day 5 | 15g net |
| Week 1-2 (Day 5) | Potato | Day 11 | 30g net |
| Week 1-2 (Day 5) | Cauliflower | Day 17 | 95g net |
| Week 2 (Day 13) | Strawberry (Egg Festival) | Day 21, 25, 28 | 260g net (3 harvests) |
What is the Egg Festival and Why is it Important?
The Egg Festival is your first festival and one of the most important events in Year 1. It takes place in the town square from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
What is the Egg Hunt?
The egg hunt is a competition where you search for colored eggs hidden in the town square. You need to collect at least 9 eggs to win. The reward is a Straw Hat.
Why Are Strawberry Seeds Critical?
During the Egg Festival, Pierre sets up a shop selling strawberry seeds for 100g each. This is the only way to get strawberry seeds in Year 1. Buy as many as you can afford. Even if you only have 1,000g, spending it all on strawberry seeds is worthwhile because:
- Strawberries produce multiple harvests (every 4 days after the initial 8-day growth)
- Planted on Day 13, you get harvests on Day 21, Day 25, and Day 28 (3 harvests)
- Each harvest yields at least 120g, for a total of 360g per plant minus the 100g seed cost = 260g profit per plant
- Strawberry seeds cannot be purchased again until next yearโs Egg Festival
What Should I Do Each Day?
Establishing a consistent daily routine maximizes your efficiency:
- Wake up and check TV (weather and luck)
- Water all crops (or check sprinklers)
- Harvest any ready crops and place in shipping bin
- Forage around the map
- Do your primary activity (mining, fishing, or socializing)
- Talk to villagers you encounter
- Return home and place items in chests or shipping bin
- Check TV again before bed
- Go to sleep by 1:00 AM
By the end of your first week, you should have a small but growing farm, some gold saved up, a basic understanding of the daily routine, and a clear plan for the rest of Spring. The most important thing to remember is that Stardew Valley is designed to be forgiving. There is no time limit, no fail state, and no wrong way to play. Take your time, enjoy the world, and learn at your own pace.
Data Sources: All game data in this guide is based on the official Stardew Valley Wiki and verified against game version 1.6.