Stardew Valley's Honey Harvesting Guide

This guide explores honey production in Stardew Valley, a surprisingly lucrative and often overlooked artisan product. Honey cultivation is straightforward, offering a profitable avenue alongside farming and animal husbandry. This guide is updated for version 1.6 and covers everything from building bee houses to maximizing honey profits and uses.

Building a Bee House

Honey production relies on bee houses. The recipe unlocks at Farming Level 3, requiring:

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

Alternatively, obtain a Bee House by completing the Fall Crops Bundle (Community Center) or from the Mayor's Prize Counter.

Place the Bee House outdoors – farm, forest, quarry – for honey production every 3-4 days (excluding winter). Ginger Island allows year-round production. Moving the Bee House (axe or pickaxe) drops any ready honey. Greenhouse placement yields no honey.

Flowers and Honey Types

Without nearby flowers (within five tiles, including garden pots), Bee Houses produce Wild Honey (100g, 140g with Artisan profession). Nearby flowers enhance honey type and value:

To obtain specific honey types, avoid harvesting flowers before honey collection. Wild Seed flowers (Sweet Peas, Daffodils) produce Wild Honey.

Honey Uses

High-value honeys are best sold directly. Wild Honey and less valuable types have other applications:

Mead Production

Use honey in a Keg to create Mead. Aging in a Cask improves quality and value:

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

Honey type doesn't affect Mead's value; Wild Honey maximizes profit.

Crafting and Bundles

Honey crafts a Warp Totem: Farm (Farming Level 8) with Hardwood and Fiber. It also completes the Community Center's Artisan Bundle and appears in Fish Pond quests.

Gifting

Honey is a well-liked gift (except Maru and Sebastian), making Wild Honey ideal for building friendships. Mead is also a popular gift (avoid Penny, Sebastian, and children).