Stardew Valley is out now on Switch 2, and with it will be a bunch of new farmers ready to join this wonderful game. But… Starting a new farm in Stardew Valley can feel overwhelming. There is energy to manage, gold to stretch, and a ticking clock pushing you towards Summer. This guide is designed for standard, honest gameplay, aimed at beginners who want to make the most out of Spring without exploits or stressful optimisation. This is not a speedrun. It is a practical, repeatable plan that sets you up for long-term success.
Before we jump into the daily steps, it’s worth saying that this guide isn’t about forcing yourself to grind every square of soil until your farm looks like a spreadsheet. We’ll be using fishing to supplement your income, not just planting, watering, and repeating. Fishing gives you a chance to explore, enjoy the world, and play the game at a comfortable pace. This way, you can still maximise your farm’s potential while actually having fun, because at the end of the day, that’s what gaming is all about.
Now, fishing deserves a quick note. You receive your first basic fishing rod from Willy. This happens very early in Spring, on Day 2, and is a key tool in supplementing your early income. Once you have the rod, you can start building a small but reliable fishing routine alongside your planting and harvesting.
Year 1 Spring
Day 1–2: Planting and Fishing Rod Unlock
Start your Spring by planting Parsnips. These grow quickly and give you an early harvest. Water them every day. You won’t be able to fish yet, so focus on setting up your farm, planting, and exploring a little.
On Day 2, after watering your Parsnips, head down to the pier to get your fishing rod from Willy. Spend the afternoon fishing until about 2 PM. Sell your catch to Willy, or drop it in your shipping box if he isn’t around. Even a short fishing session should give you enough gold to buy your first batch of Potato seeds and if you didn’t catch anything, you can still buy up to 10 with your starting gold. Plant and water them immediately. Fishing is also a fun way to start building your fishing skills while supplementing your income.
Day 3 & 4: Fishing to Fund Potatoes
Parsnips aren’t ready until Day 5, so Day 3 & 4 are all about fishing to increase your gold stash. Fish until around 3 PM, sell your catch to Willy, then head to Pierre’s to buy as many Potato seeds as you can. This sets up your first profitable Potato harvest while keeping your energy spent on enjoyable gameplay rather than repetitive planting.
Day 5: Big Milestone Day
Day 5 is packed: you get your pet, your first crops (Parsnips) are ready to harvest, you’re introduced to the Community Center, and the Mines open. Harvest your Parsnips, put them in the shipping box, and since profits won’t roll in until overnight, spend the rest of the day exploring the Mines. Even getting five levels down is a great start. This is a good mix of adventure and early farm profits.
Day 6: Last Cash Injection
Day 6 is pivotal and is your final cash injection day before planting the last batch of Potatoes. Water your crops in the morning, then spend the day fishing to earn extra gold. Eat seaweed and sea jelly to stretch your energy, and sell your catch to Willy—or drop it in your shipping box if he isn’t around. Use this gold to plant as many Potatoes as possible tomorrow. If you have the materials, craft a scarecrow to protect your crops overnight. This is the last day when planting now will earn you money in time for the Egg Festival.
Day 7: Pre-Festival
Conserve your energy for the next few days. From here on, your focus shifts from planting to banking gold and enjoying the game, letting your crops do the work while you explore, fish, or mine.
Day 8: Social Quest
After watering your crops, take a trip to the Wizard’s Tower south of the valley to meet him. This checks off a “Meet Everyone” objective while still giving you time for other activities. Small social quests like this give coins, friendship points, and a fun break from farming.
Day 10: Harvest and the “4 F’s”
By Day 10, your first batch of Potatoes is ready. Harvest them, put them in the shipping box, and water all your crops. Then enjoy the rest of your day following the four F’s of Stardew Valley: Fish, Farm, Forage, and… Fish. This keeps the gameplay fun while still building gold and progress.
Day 11: Missing Axe Quest & Optional Activities
Head south of your farm to complete the Missing Axe quest and earn some easy gold. After that, fish, mine, or clear space on your farm. By this point, aiming for around 10,000g by the Egg Festival is ideal, but don’t stress if you’re slightly above or below. Use your energy wisely and enjoy the freedom of these few days.
Day 12: Prep Day
Water any crops in the morning, then use the rest of the day to fish, explore, or tidy the farm. This is a holding pattern before the Egg Festival: maintain energy, keep your farm organised, and prepare for your Strawberry purchase.
Day 13: Egg Festival
Day 13 is the Egg Festival. Head to town to buy Strawberry seeds from Pierre as these are your big Spring money-maker. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet townspeople and participate in the mini-game. After planting and watering your Strawberries, enjoy the festival and let your farm do the work while you play.
Days 14–21: Momentum and Mining
With Strawberries growing, the next few days are about maintaining your farm and building momentum. Water crops each morning, then spend remaining energy on:
Fishing – a steady side income
Mines – especially on rainy days, perfect for collecting copper and coal for tool upgrades
Farm improvements – clearing trees, rocks, and debris to prep for Summer crops
Rainy days are particularly valuable for mining since no watering is needed, giving you full energy to collect copper for your first bar smelts.
Day 22: First Strawberry Harvest
Your first Strawberries are ready. Ship them immediately. In my playthrough, this netted around 13,000g, giving your farm a huge cash boost and validating all the early planning and investment.
Day 23: Cave Choice
Demetrius visits your farm and offers a choice for the cave: bats or mushrooms. Pick mushrooms. Mushrooms provide steady, predictable income and useful items without extra effort, setting up a long-term benefit for your farm.
Day 24: Flower Dance
Attend the Flower Dance. This is a social event rather than a profit opportunity. It’s a chance to meet many townspeople at once, hand out gifts, and push early friendships forward. Don’t stress if you don’t have enough hearts to dance, it’s more about participation than winning.
Day 26: Second Strawberry Harvest
Your second Strawberry harvest arrives, netting around 16,000g. There’s no need to water your plants from here, Strawberries won’t last into Summer, so this final harvest represents your last big cash injection from Spring crops.
Spring Wrap-Up
By the end of Spring, your farm is in excellent shape:
Total earned: over 50,000g
Gold in inventory: 33,000g
Farming skill: Level 7 → unlocking crafting recipes for Artisan goods
Fishing skill: Level 5 → making future fishing trips even more profitable
Keep your eyes peeled for the Summer guide, where we’ll dive into new crops, tool upgrades, and all the ways to keep your farm and your wallet growing in your first year.
Enjoyed our Stardew Valley Year 1 Spring Guide?
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