Stardew Valley: 10 Pro Tips to Earn Your First Million Gold in Year One
1. Choose the Riverland Farm for Early Fishing Income
The Riverland Farm offers plentiful fishing spots right from day one. Fishing is one of the most reliable early-game money makers. Focus on catching high-value fish like the Catfish (rainy days) and Largemouth Bass. Sell everything you catch to Willy to fund your first seed purchases.
2. Plant a Mix of High-Value Spring Crops
On Spring 1, buy as many Potato and Strawberry seeds as you can. Potatoes give a good gold/day ratio, while Strawberries (bought at the Egg Festival on Spring 13) yield multiple harvests. Avoid Parsnips except for the initial quest. Use Basic Fertilizer to boost quality – higher quality sells for more.
3. Invest in Blueberries for Summer
Once Summer rolls in, plant Blueberries – they produce multiple berries per harvest and regrow quickly. A single blueberry plant can earn over 200g per season. Combine with Quality Fertilizer for even better profits. Don't forget to save some for crafting into Wine later.
4. Turn Crops into Artisan Goods ASAP
Build a Keg and Preserves Jar as soon as you unlock the farming skill. Place your most valuable crops (like Blueberries, Cranberries, and Ancient Fruit) into Kegs to make Wine, which sells for 3x the base price. Preserves Jars are great for lower-value crops like Corn. Even Honey from Bee Houses becomes Artisan Honey.
5. Befriend Caroline to Learn the Tea Sapling Recipe
On the 2nd day of any season, enter Caroline's sunroom (via kitchen) after 12 PM. She'll give you the Tea Sapling recipe. Tea Saplings sell for 500g each and require only 2 Wild Seeds, 5 Fiber, and 5 Wood. Forage for fiber and wood to craft dozens of saplings – a massive early profit boost.
6. Mine for Sprinklers and Combat Profit
Reach level 80 in the Mines by Summer to get Gold Ore for Quality Sprinklers. With sprinklers, you can automate watering and plant more crops. Also hunt Slimes and Dust Sprites for loot that sells well. Diamonds and Prismatic Shards are bonus big money.
7. Raise Chickens and Cows for Mayo and Cheese
Build a Coop and Barn in Summer. Chickens produce eggs that you can turn into Mayonnaise (sell for 190g each with regular eggs). Cows give milk for Cheese (230g each). Both can be turned into Artisan Goods for extra profit once you have Kegs and Preserves Jars.
8. Fish for Legendary Catches
Throughout the year, try to catch legendary fish: Legend (Spring, rain), Glacierfish (Winter), Crimsonfish (Summer, east side of beach). They sell for 5,000-15,000g each. Also fish for Lava Eels in the Mines – they are valuable and can be turned into Lava Eel Roe.
9. Forage and Craft Seasonal Seeds
Forage each season to collect the required items for Wild Seeds (Spring Seeds, etc.). Craft them into packs that sell for more than the sum of their parts. For example, Spring Seeds (1 pack) sells for 35g but requires 30g in forage, netting 5g – but multiplied over dozens of seeds, it's decent early income.
10. Participate in Festivals for Rare Items
At the Egg Festival (Spring 13), buy Strawberry seeds. At Stardew Valley Fair (Fall 16), use your star tokens to buy Stardrop (permanent energy boost) or Rarecrows. The Night Market (Winter 15-17) has exclusive high-value items like the Pearl. Sell anything you don't need.
By following these tips, you'll have your first million gold by Winter of Year 1. Focus on artisan goods, fishing, and mining for the best returns. Happy farming!