Stardew Valley's Sweet Success: A Comprehensive Guide to Honey Production

This guide delves into the often-overlooked world of honey production in Stardew Valley, revealing how to cultivate this valuable artisan good and maximize its profitability. Honey is surprisingly simple to produce, offering a lucrative farming opportunity and a beautiful addition to your farm's aesthetic. Whether you aim to establish a honey-making empire or simply supplement your income, this updated guide (incorporating Version 1.6 changes) provides all the necessary information.

Bee House Construction

The key to honey production is the Bee House. This crafting recipe unlocks at Farming Level 3 and requires:

• 40 Wood
• 8 Coal
• 1 Iron Bar
• 1 Maple Syrup

Alternatively, you can obtain a Bee House by completing the Fall Crops Bundle in the Community Center or as a potential prize from the Mayor's Prize Counter.

Place your Bee House outdoors – on your farm, in the forest, or at the quarry. It produces honey every 3-4 days in all seasons except winter. On Ginger Island, production is year-round. You can relocate a Bee House using an axe or pickaxe; any ready honey will drop. Note: Bee Houses do not produce honey when placed inside the Greenhouse.

Flowers and Honey Variety

The type of honey produced depends on the flowers within five tiles of the Bee House (including those in Garden Pots). Without nearby flowers, you'll get Wild Honey (100g, 140g with Artisan profession). Planting flowers significantly increases the honey's value. Remember, harvesting the flower before collecting the honey will revert it to Wild Honey.

Honey is an Artisan Good, so its value is boosted by 40% with the Artisan profession (Farming Level 10). Here's a price breakdown:

Wild seeds (like Sweet Peas or Daffodils) won't change the honey type; you'll still get Wild Honey.

Honey Uses

While higher-value honeys are best sold directly, Wild Honey and less expensive varieties have other applications:

• Mead: Place honey in a Keg to create Mead. Mead's sell price is unaffected by the honey type used. Aging it in a Cask increases its quality and value:

  • Normal: 200g (280g with Artisan)
  • Silver: 250g (350g)
  • Gold: 300g (420g)
  • Iridium: 400g (560g)

• Crafting: Combine honey with Hardwood and Fiber to craft a Warp Totem: Farm (Farming Level 8).

• Community Center: Honey completes the Pantry's Artisan Bundle and appears in some Fish Pond quests.

• Gifting: Honey is a Liked gift for most villagers (except Maru and Sebastian), making Wild Honey an excellent choice for friendship building. Mead is also popular, but avoid giving it to Penny, Sebastian, or children.

By following this guide, you can efficiently cultivate honey, significantly boosting your farm's profits and adding a touch of natural sweetness to your Stardew Valley experience.