Choosing the Right Farm Can Make or Break Your Stardew Valley Experience

In peaceful Stardew Valley, not all farms are created equal. Each farm comes with a different set of challenges. Whether you have your heart set on wooing that special someone or raising a chicken army, choosing the right farm offers a huge head start in fulfilling your Stardew Valley dreams.

5. The Riverland Farm

Water surrounds the Riverland Farm for convenient fishing--at the expense of space.

If you love to fish, Riverland Farm is the place to be. Surrounded by the river, your farm includes a series of islands and plenty of beautiful blue water.

Pros: With a farm in the middle of the river, there are tons of opportunities for crab pots and fishing. The map is refreshingly different from the Standard Farm, which makes it a great option if you want something unique.

Cons: Although the fishing is plentiful on Riverland Farm, the fish are the same ones you find in town. So, while you may be saving a bit of time by having the river on your doorstep, you’ll still have to travel to snag a variety of fish. The river also limits space for farming and animals. Technically it has plenty of tillable tiles, but watch out when harvesting crops or chopping down trees. Unless you have a magnet ring, the precious crops you planted near the edge will fall in, lost forever.

If you’ve already played through Stardew Valley and want something different, this is the farm for you. It provides a challenge and a change in scenery for seasoned players, and it forces you to plan your space.

Farm Score: 50/100

4. The Hill-Top Farm

Resources sprout up everywhere on the Hill-Top Farm, but finding room for your animals might be tough.

The Hill-Top farm is located in the heart of mining country and offers a small quarry. Although water divides the map, it also offers easy fishing access.

Pros: The quarry on the Hill-Top farm is a nice plus. It’s a convenient source of ore and geodes. You can fish right outside your doorstep with lots of room for crab pots, and the penned area south of your farmhouse cuts down on the need to build fences. Stones broken on this farm also have a chance of dropping geodes, including frozen and magma geodes.

Cons: Although the quarry is a nice feature, it has a low spawn rate. You’ll still have to mine for ore elsewhere. Access to the quarry and other portions of the map can be blocked in the beginning by giant logs that spawn, and those can’t be cleared until you upgrade your tools. This means the quarry may not even be accessible in the beginning. There is limited space on the Hill-Top Farm as well, so if you are looking to raise animals you may run into trouble.

This farm would be perfect for players who aren’t comfortable with going into the mines yet, as it gives them a second source for ore and geodes. On the other hand, if you are a mining addict this may be the farm for you as well. The Hill-Top Farm and its quarry won’t replace the mines, but it is a decent supplement to them.

Farm Score: 60/100

3. The Wilderness Farm

If you don't mind sharing your evenings with monsters, the Wilderness Farm makes a beautiful and spacious home.

Scenic cliffs and ponds border the Wilderness Farm, but don’t be fooled by its beauty. Monsters lurk here and attack at night.

Pros: If space is important to you, the Wilderness Farm has plenty. You’ll have no problem building or raising animals, and this makes it an excellent alternative to the Standard Farm. If you are tired of the Standard Farm, or if you just want something different, the Wilderness Farm offers similar room and flexibility. It comes in handy for quests with easy access to monster items, too.

Cons: Although this farm makes it easy to get your hands on monster items, you will have to fight for them. Every night monsters will come out and attack—whether you’re sufficiently armed or not. Being thrown into combat right away may be more stressful than fun for beginners, especially since you do not start with a sword. You’ll have to defend yourself with farm tools when starting and hope for the best.

If you want something similar to the Standard Farm and would like a bit of a challenge, you’ll love this farm. It can be geared toward any style of playing and is different enough to be refreshing.

Farm Score: 65/100

2. The Standard Farm

Basic, but beautiful, the Standard Farm can evolve in any way you wish.

The Standard Farm is just that: standard. It’s geared toward farming and provides no special perks or challenges, which makes it excellent for beginners.

Pros: Need space? This is the farm for you. The Standard Farm has more space than most people know what to do with, which means lots of room for crops and animals. As the default map, it doesn’t have any specific challenges. That means you don’t have to stress over being attacked by monsters, planning your layout, or mastering fishing overnight.

Cons: Although the Standard Farm has few downsides, it doesn’t offer any special benefits either. Apart from space, there are no advantages. That means no head start in any skills and no special resources here.

If you’re new to Stardew Valley and you don’t know where to begin, this is a great farm to start with. It gives players a feel for the game without any curveballs and offers lots of flexibility. It’s also a great map for those of you with big plans for raising animals. With the Standard Farm, you can build to your heart’s content.

Farm Score: 70/100

And that brings us to our best farm for Stardew Valley...

1. The Forest Farm

Spacious and beautiful with tons of resources, you'll be hard-pressed to find a downside to the Forest Farm.

The Forest Farm sits among the trees, surrounded by natural bounty. Berries, seeds, and so much more are waiting to be found, and nearly endless wood is at your disposal.

Pros: If you’re looking to get a head start, the Forest Farm offers exactly that. With berries, mushrooms, and much more spawning here, your foraging skill will level up fast. This helps line your pocket with extra gold, which means you can spring for that pomegranate tree you’ve been eyeing a little bit sooner.

Berries aren’t all the forest offers. Special weeds spawn which, when cut, drop “mixed seeds.” These seeds really help get your farm off the ground. Even if you spent your last gold on that backpack upgrade, you can continue to grow crops.

With trees at every corner, you’ll have all the wood you need—and not just regular wood, but hardwood, too. This means access to building materials right away, so you don’t have to hunt for trees in order to build another chicken coop. Chopping down trees also earns seeds to plant more. So, if you’ve hoarded plenty of wood already, you can tap trees for sweet maple syrup, resin, or tar. And, if fishing is your jam, you’ll be delighted to hear that this farm has easy access to secret woods fish.

Cons: The Forest Farm seems daunting because there are so many trees. It gives the impression that space is limited—but it’s not. You’ll have to put in extra work to clear space for buildings and crops, though. Speaking of space, there is less available here than in the Standard Farm, but only by a bit. If you are looking to capitalize on animals, there is plenty of room on the Forest Farm, but the Standard Farm still offers more.

Whether you’re a beginner or long-time Stardew Valley player, this farm is a treat to play on. It’s flexible enough to work for a variety of styles and there are no downsides. It has almost as much space as the Standard Farm and a long list of perks. Whatever your playing style is, the Forest Farm is the best by far.

Farm Score: 90/100

Have you already played Stardew Valley? If so, what is your favorite farm? Let us know in the comments below!

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