To get hay in Stardew Valley, you can build a silo and harvest grass or wheat with a scythe. You can also buy hay from Marnie’s Ranch or the Desert Trader, or get up to 30 pieces for free as a gift from Marnie once you’ve earned some friendship points.
Similar to other Stardew Valley resources, Hay is important in Stardew Valley because it is a vital food source for all coop-dwelling and barn-dwelling animals.
These animals consume one hay per day as food when there is no fresh grass available. Therefore, it’s necessary to have sufficient hay stored in silos or chests for the winter season when all grass disappears on the farm.
Without hay, the animals will become unhappy and their productivity will decrease.
Additionally, hay can be used as a dye and in tailoring, and 10 Hay are required for the Fodder Bundle on the Bulletin Board.
How to Get Hay in Stardew Valley
There are several ways and methods that you can apply in order to acquire hay in the game.
Primarily they consist of building silos, harvesting grass or buying hay from Marnie’s Ranch or the Desert Trader. Let’s take a closer look at each method.
Building a Silo
To get hay in Stardew Valley, you need to build a silo first. You can do this by following the steps below.
First, visit Robin’s shop, then select “Construct Farm Buildings.” Scroll through the options until you see the silo option and choose it.
You’ll need 100g, 100 Stone, 10 Clay, and 5 Copper Bar to build it. Once you have all the necessary items, select “Build.” Choose where to build the silo on your farm, and Robin will start working on it the next morning.
It will take Robin two days to build the silo. Remember, if you don’t have a silo, cutting grass won’t produce hay.
Also, keep in mind that one silo can store 240 pieces of hay, so you might want to build multiple silos if you need more storage.
Harvesting Grass or Wheat
Another way to obtain hay is by harvesting grass or wheat, harvesting grass or wheat does not only solves the problem of obtaining hay, but it also provides a feeding ground for your animals.
To do that, you can utilize the natural grass that spawns and spreads on your farm. However if you wish to increase the amount of grass, you can buy grass starter or grass starter blueprint from Pierre’s.
For this, you need to go to Pierre’s shop north of the town square between 9am and 5pm, except on Wednesdays.
Once there, talk to Pierre to start shopping, and scroll down the list to find the “Grass Starter”. Select it, then go back to your farm to plant it.
After you’ve planted the Grass Starter, you’ll want to let it grow and spread by leaving it for a few days. This will guarantee that you’ll get a good amount of hay when you cut it a Scythe or Golden Scythe.
Remember, if you use another weapon to cut the grass or wheat, it will not produce hay.
So, when it’s time to harvest the hay, use a scythe to cut the grass or wheat. It’s important to note that harvesting grass or wheat will also allow your animals to pasture, which can obviate the need to make hay in the first place.
Use a Haymaker Enchanted Weapon
In Stardew Valley, you can obtain hay by cutting weeds with a weapon that has the Haymaker spell. This method of obtaining hay is a bit different from the other methods since it involves using a weapon instead of a scythe.
The Haymaker enchantment gives a 1/3 chance for each cut weed to produce a hay, which can be a bit more unpredictable compared to harvesting grass or wheat.
However, this method can be useful if the player is running low on hay and doesn’t have time to wait for grass to grow or to plant new wheat.
Additionally, hay obtained through this method will go directly into the player’s inventory if cut outside of the farm, making it a convenient option for players who want to collect hay while exploring the game world.
But if the player cuts the weeds on the farm, the hay obtained this way will go directly into the silos. This can be an advantage since silos can store a large amount of hay, and players may want to keep their inventory space free for other items.
It’s important to note that the Haymaker enchantment is not available at the beginning of the game. It becomes available once the player reaches level 9 in combat skill and unlocks the Combat profession.
To enchant a weapon with Haymaker, players will need to purchase a Prismatic Shard from the traveling cart, donate it to the Museum, and then wait for the blacksmith to offer the service to them.
Overall, while harvesting grass and planting wheat are reliable methods of obtaining hay, using a weapon with the Haymaker enchantment to cut weeds can be a convenient option for players who need hay quickly or want to explore the game world while collecting hay.
Buying Hay from Marnie’s Ranch or the Desert Trader
If you wish to save time and are willing to spend a bit of gold, you can opt to purchase hay from Marnie’s Ranch.
This is by-far the faster way to obtain hay in stardew Valley.
To get purchase hay you’ll need to head to Marnie’s Ranch, which is located south of your farm in Cindersap Forest. Here’s how you can do it:
- Head over to Marnie’s Ranch and speak to her.
- Select the “Supplies Shop” option.
- You’ll see that hay is the first item on the list.
- Simply select the hay and purchase it for 50g per piece.
However, keep in mind that buying hay from Marnie can become expensive, especially in the early game when money is tight.
So, if you want to save some gold, consider harvesting hay instead. To do this, you’ll need to build a silo on your farm, which will allow you to cut down grass and store it as hay.
How to Get Hay In Winter In Stardew Valley?
Getting hay in winter in Stardew Valley can be a challenge since the grass doesn’t grow during this season. However, there are still a few ways to obtain hay for your livestock in winter.
Stockpile Hay in Advance:
One of the best ways to ensure that you have enough hay to last through the winter is to stockpile it in advance.
Make sure to cut as much grass as possible during the fall season and store the hay in a chest or silo.
The more hay you have saved up, the easier it will be to feed your animals during the winter season.
Purchase Hay from Marnie:
If you run out of hay during the winter, you can always purchase it from Marnie’s Ranch. Marnie sells hay for 50g per piece, which can add up quickly, so it’s best to purchase only what you need.
Trade with the Desert Trader:
Trading is another method to obtain hay in Stardew Valley. You can trade an Omni Geode with the Desert Trader on Mondays to get three pieces of hay.
The Desert Trader is located in the Calico Desert, which is accessible through the bus stop once you have repaired it.
This method is an excellent way to save resources in your inventory while running errands. It’s especially useful for players who have an abundance of Omni Geodes and want to exchange them for hay.
Use a Heater:
If you have a deluxe barn or coop, you can install a heater to keep your animals warm during the winter. With a heater installed, your animals won’t need as much hay to stay healthy, allowing you to stretch your hay supply further.
In summary, getting hay in winter can be challenging, but it’s possible to obtain it by stockpiling it in advance, purchasing it from Marnie, trading for it with the Desert Trader, or using a heater to reduce the amount needed for your animals.
Gifts from Marnie:
Receiving hay as a gift is also one of easiest way to obtain hay in Stardew Valley. Once you have developed a good relationship with Marnie, who is the owner of the local ranch, you may receive 30 pieces of hay for free.
The amount of hay you receive as a gift depends on your friendship level with Marnie. While this method is easy and requires no effort, it’s not a reliable way to get hay.
You may not receive hay from Marnie regularly, which makes it difficult to plan ahead for your livestock’s feeding needs.
Also Read: How To Save In Stardew Valley Switch
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several ways to obtain hay in Stardew Valley. The fastest and easiest way is to purchase it from Marnie’s Ranch, but this can quickly become expensive, especially in the early game when money is scarce.
You can also obtain hay by cutting weeds with the Haymaker enchantment, but this method is not as reliable as harvesting grass.
The most cost-effective way to obtain hay is by building a silo and cutting grass or wheat with a scythe.
This allows players to stockpile hay for the winter without spending a lot of money.
Ultimately, the method of obtaining hay that works best for each player will depend on their individual playstyle and priorities.
