This Stardew Valley guide delves into the often-overlooked profitability of honey production. Honey is a valuable artisan good, easily cultivated, and offers a compelling reason to enhance your farm's aesthetics with flowers. Whether you aim to establish a honey-making empire or simply maximize the output of a few bee houses, this guide, updated for version 1.6, provides all the necessary information.
Bee House Construction
Honey production hinges on the Bee House, crafted at Farming Level 3. The recipe requires:
- 40 Wood
- 8 Coal
- 1 Iron Bar
- 1 Maple Syrup
Alternatively, obtain a Bee House by completing the Fall Crops Bundle (Community Center) or as a Prize Counter reward. Place Bee Houses outdoors (farm, forest, quarry) for honey production every 3-4 days (excluding winter). Ginger Island allows year-round production. Relocate Bee Houses using an axe or pickaxe; harvested honey will drop. Greenhouse placement yields no honey.
Flowers and Honey Varieties
Proximity to flowers (within five tiles, including garden pots) dictates honey type and value. Absence of flowers results in Wild Honey (100g base, 140g with Artisan profession).
The Artisan profession (Farming Level 10) boosts artisan goods by 40%. Prices (base/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 |
Harvesting flowers before honey collection reverts the honey to the Wild variety. Conversely, wait for desired flower blooms before harvesting honey. Wild seeds (Sweet Peas, Daffodils) produce Wild Honey.
Honey Applications
High-value honeys are best sold directly. Wild Honey and less valuable varieties serve in crafting and gifting.
Mead Production
Age honey in a Keg to create Mead. Artisan profession applies. Cask aging enhances quality and value:
- Normal: 200g (280g)
- Silver: 250g (350g)
- Gold: 300g (420g)
- Iridium: 400g (560g)
Honey type doesn't affect Mead value; use Wild Honey for maximum profit.
Crafting and Bundles
Combine honey, hardwood, and fiber to craft a Warp Totem: Farm (Farming Level 8). Honey fulfills the Artisan Bundle (Community Center) and appears in Fish Pond quests.
Gifting
Honey is a well-liked gift for most villagers (except Maru and Sebastian). Wild Honey is an excellent choice for friendship building. Mead is also a popular gift (avoid Penny, Sebastian, and children).
