This Stardew Valley guide focuses on honey production, a profitable yet often overlooked artisan good. Honey cultivation is straightforward, offering a path to significant income and farm beautification through flower growing. This guide covers everything from Bee House construction to maximizing honey profits, updated for version 1.6.
Bee House Construction
Honey production requires a Bee House, unlocked at Farming Level 3. The recipe calls for:
- 40 Wood
- 8 Coal
- 1 Iron Bar
- 1 Maple Syrup
Alternatively, a Bee House can be obtained from the Fall Crops Bundle (Community Center) or the Mayor's Prize Counter. Place the Bee House outdoors (not in the Greenhouse) for honey production every 3-4 days (year-round on Ginger Island). Harvesting honey with an axe or pickaxe will drop any ready honey, reverting to Wild Honey if nearby flowers are harvested beforehand.
Flowers and Honey Types
Without flowers within five tiles, Bee Houses produce Wild Honey (100g/140g with Artisan). Nearby flowers (including those in Garden Pots) enhance honey type and value. Remember, harvesting flowers before honey collection reverts the yield to Wild Honey.
The Artisan profession (Farming Level 10) boosts Artisan goods by 40%. Honey prices (base and Artisan):
| Honey Type | Base Sell Price | Artisan Sell Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tulip Honey | 160g | 224g |
| Blue Jazz Honey | 200g | 280g |
| Sunflower Honey | 260g | 364g |
| Summer Spangle | 280g | 392g |
| Poppy Honey | 380g | 532g |
| Fairy Rose Honey | 680g | 952g |
Wild Seeds don't affect honey type.
Honey Uses
Higher-value honeys are best sold directly. Wild Honey and less valuable varieties are useful for crafting and gifting.
Mead: Use honey in a Keg to produce Mead (200g/280g base). Aging in a Cask increases quality and value:
- Normal: 200g (280g)
- Silver: 250g (350g)
- Gold: 300g (420g)
- Iridium: 400g (560g)
Honey type doesn't affect Mead value.
Crafting: Honey, Hardwood, and Fiber craft a Warp Totem: Farm (Farming Level 8).
Bundles: Honey completes the Community Center's Artisan Bundle and appears in some Fish Pond quests.
Gifting: Honey (especially Wild Honey) is a popular Liked gift for most villagers (except Maru and Sebastian). Mead is also a good gifting option (avoid Penny, Sebastian, and children). This guide provides a comprehensive overview of maximizing honey production and utilization in Stardew Valley.
