This Stardew Valley guide focuses on honey production, a profitable yet often overlooked artisan good. This guide is updated for version 1.6.
Bee House Construction
Honey is produced by bees housed in Bee Houses. The recipe unlocks at Farming Level 3, requiring:
- 40 Wood
- 8 Coal
- 1 Iron Bar
- 1 Maple Syrup
Bee Houses can also be obtained from the Fall Crops Bundle (Community Center) or the Mayor's Prize Counter.
Place Bee Houses outdoors (farm, forest, quarry) for honey production every 3-4 days (excluding winter). Ginger Island allows year-round production. Moving a Bee House with an axe or pickaxe drops any ready honey. Bee Houses in the Greenhouse do not produce honey.
Honey Types and Flower Influence
Without nearby flowers (within five tiles), Bee Houses produce Wild Honey (100g, 140g with Artisan profession). Nearby flowers influence honey type and value. This includes flowers in Garden Pots.
The Artisan profession (Farming Level 10) increases artisan good value 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 |
Harvesting flowers before honey collection reverts the honey to Wild Honey. Conversely, wait for desired flower blooms for specific honey types. Wild Seed flowers (Sweet Peas, Daffodils) yield Wild Honey.
Honey Uses
Higher-value honeys are best sold directly. Wild Honey and cheaper varieties serve other purposes:
-
Mead: Honey in a Keg produces Mead. Aging in a Cask increases quality and value.
- Normal: 200g (280g Artisan)
- Silver: 250g (350g Artisan)
- Gold: 300g (420g Artisan)
- Iridium: 400g (560g Artisan) Honey type doesn't affect Mead value; use Wild Honey for maximum profit.
-
Crafting: Wild Honey, Hardwood, and Fiber create a Warp Totem: Farm (Farming Level 8).
-
Community Center: Honey completes the Pantry's Artisan Bundle and some Fish Pond quests.
-
Gifting: Honey is a Liked gift for most villagers (except Maru and Sebastian). Mead is also well-received (avoid Penny, Sebastian, and children).
This comprehensive guide helps maximize honey production and its various uses in Stardew Valley.
