Foraging in Stardew Valley is the most important skill to max out early on. In the first year, daily foraging is an amazing way to make extra gold. Chopping down trees is the fastest way to gain foraging XP, but you’ll want to keep all the wood you gather for buildings and upgrades. This is where foraging for items around the map becomes very useful.
Foraging for items is a good way to make extra gold in the first few weeks, but it can be time-consuming before you start leveling up. Foraging the right items can earn you fast XP. Once you hit your first skill milestone and choose the “gathering” profession, you will start finding more items and gaining gold faster. Choosing the “botanist” profession at level ten will ensure you always gather iridium quality items. Then you really start making gold!
This list will go over my favorite items to forage. I am addicted to foraging in Stardew, especially to make gold early on. This guide will go over various items that are great for gold, friendship, recipes, artisan goods and XP. Pretty soon, you will be a foraging addict too.
10) Dandelions
Dandelions are a popular item in Cindersap Forest!
Dandelions are a great flower to forage your first spring. They spawn in abundance in Cindersap Forest and can be used for so many different things. You can straight up sell them for extra gold, or you can use them to craft wild spring seeds to obtain even more forgeable items. They can also be used to make salads, to complete “Help Wanted” jobs, or for the spring foraging bundle.
Overall, I love dandelions early on to use as gifts and to make extra gold. If you forage every day, finding them in abundance will be very easy. When I can gather a ton of dandelions in the spring, I will sell 75% of them and use the other 25% for gifts and recipes.
Why Are They Great?
- Used in the salad recipe, which is liked by almost everyone and loved by Leah.
- Can be used for “Help Wanted” jobs for 120g and 150 friendship points.
- Used in the spring foraging bundle at the Community Center.
- Sell for extra gold, especially iridium quality dandelions.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 40g
- Silver quality: 50g
- Gold quality: 60g
- Iridium quality: 80g
Where To Find?
- Most often in Cindersap Forest.
- Can also be found at the bus stop and railroad.
- Will spawn on the Forest Farm.
What Season?
- Spring
9) Coral
Coral can be found all over the beach, but don't forget to check the tide pool!!
I absolutely love beach combing no matter what point I am in the game. Coral isn’t worth the most gold as far as beachcombing goes but it is the most abundant item. I try hard to hit the beach every day after I fix the small bridge to the tide pool. Selling a ton of coral is a good way to make extra gold, but it can also be used in two very useful recipes.
Gathering coral is also a great way to gain XP towards your foraging skills. Early on, I sell all the coral I find instead of saving it for recipes since it can be found year-round.
Why Are They Great?- Sell for extra gold.
- Found in abundance quite often.
- Used to make Speed Gro.
- Used to craft Beach Totems.
- Seven foraging XP per coral foraged.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 80g
- Silver quality: 100g
- Gold quality: 120g
- Iridium quality: 160g
Where To Find?
- All over the beach and tide pool area.
What Season?
- Year-round
- Summer, days 12-14, extra coral and shells will spawn.
8) Rainbow Shells
Find these gorgeous shells all over the beach during Summer.
Rainbow shells are one of my favorite items to forage because, not only are they pretty, they’re worth a lot of gold. Unfortunately, they can be harder to find than other foraged beach items. Beach combing every single day in the summer is extremely vital to foraging as many as you can.
Rainbow shells are also used in the Mysterious Qi quest. The first summer, I will hit the beach every day to forage for all beach items and look for rainbow shells. I will then keep one to use for the Qi quest and sell the rest for extra gold during the first year.
Why Are They Great?- Sell for a good amount of gold.
- Demetrius will send you one when you befriend him.
- Used in the Mysterious Qi quest.
- Can be used to dye clothing.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 300g
- Silver quality: 375g
- Gold quality: 450g
- Iridium quality: 600g
Where To Find?
- All over the beach, during Summer.
- Can spawn anytime on the beach farm.
What Season?
- Summer
- During days 12-14 in Summer, extra shells will spawn.
7) Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts can be foraged all over, I find a lot in the Backwoods area!
Hazelnuts are one of my real-life favorite nuts, so they are one of my favorite things to forage in Stardew. Hazelnuts are easy and fun to find in the fall.Hazelnuts can be sold for extra gold or used in a recipe that provides a great defense buff. They are also used in a Community Center bundle and for “Help Wanted” jobs.
Hazelnuts are used in one of my favorite mining dishes- stuffing. When fall starts, I search for hazelnuts every day, this includes shaking maple trees after the 15th. Once I am a botanist, I sell hazelnuts but until that point, I will use them to make stuffing for mining. They are incredibly useful!
Why Are They Great?- Used in the fall foraging bundle at the Community Center.
- Used in a stuffing recipe that provides 170 energy and a (+2) defense buff.
- Can be used for “Help Wanted” jobs for 270g and 150 friendship points.
- Used in the super simple roasted hazelnuts recipe, which provides 175 energy.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 90g
- Silver quality: 112g
- Gold quality: 135g
- Iridium quality: 180g
Where To Find?
- Most often in the Backwoods and Mountains.
- Can also be found at the bus stop and railroad.
- If you shake maple trees between days 15 to 28 of Fall, you might get a hazelnut.
What Season?
- Fall
6) Crystal Fruit
Crystal fruit can be found all over during the winter, I always find a bunch in the railroad area!
Winter is the best season to spend a lot of time foraging. In the winter you won’t be tending to a ton of crops, so that time is well spent on foraging. Crystal fruit is the best item to search for. Selling crystal fruit can be a quick, easy way to make extra gold in the winter. It’s also used in a Community Center bundle, to craft wild winter seeds, and to complete “Help Wanted” jobs.
By the time winter rolls around, you should hopefully have both a keg and a preserves jar. Crystal fruit can be used to make wine and jam, which is an excellent way to make extra gold in the winter. Foraging every day in the winter is a vital way to keep making gold and get ready for your second spring.
Why Are They Great?- Use them to make wine and jam for a good amount of gold.
- Used in the winter foraging bundle at the Community Center.
- Can be used to craft wild winter seeds.
- Can be used to complete “Help Wanted” jobs for 450g and 150 friendship points.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 150g, wine: 450g
- Silver quality: 187g, wine: 562g
- Gold quality: 225g, wine: 675g
- Iridium quality: 300g, wine: 900g
- Jelly: 350g
Where To Find?
- Most often at the railroad.
- Sometimes found in Cindersap Forest or the Mountain.
- Less often found at the bus stop and Backwoods.
- Rarely found in Pelican Town.
What Season?
- Winter
5) Salmonberries
Salmonberries will be literally everywhere the 15th to 18th of spring, they are a blast to pick!
At first glance, salmonberries seem worthless. Each berry is only worth a tiny bit of gold, but if you are vigilant, you can gather a huge amount of them. If you can level up your foraging skill to four by the end of the second week, you’ll be able to harvest 100s of berries during the first spring.
Salmonberries can be sold in bulk for extra gold, but they are also a great free gift for the villagers that like them. They can also be used to make wine and jelly. These products won’t make you much gold when sold, but they are great gifts that are free to make. When salmonberry season hits, they will be everywhere and are a ton of fun to gather!
Why Are They Great?
- Foraged in bulk so they can still get a decent amount of gold.
- Easy gift for villagers.
- Can be turned into wine and jelly to give villagers for a no cost gift.
- Can gather 400 the first year if your foraging skill is level four by spring, day 15.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 5g, wine: 15g
- Silver quality: 6g, wine: 18g
- Gold quality: 7g, wine: 22g
- Iridium quality: 10g, wine: 30g
- Jelly: 60g
Where To Find?
- Days 15-18 of Spring, they can be found all over Stardew.
- The farm cave if fruit bats are chosen.
What Season?
- Spring
4) Blackberries
Blackberries are so fun pick, and can be found everywhere the 8th-11th of Fall.
Blackberries are a great way to make extra gold the first year. Over three days, blackberries will spawn on bushes all over Stardew. They aren’t worth a ton of gold, but when you forage 100s of them, they are worth it. If you can reach foraging level eight by the second week of fall, you will gain multiple blackberries from each bush.
I think harvesting berries is a super fun activity in Stardew, especially when you start harvesting multiple berries at a time. Blackberries can be made into both wine and jelly, which can be sold for some extra gold. Though, these items aren’t worth much, instead, these items are great for a no-cost gift to make friends with.
Why Are They Great?- Sell in bulk for extra gold.
- Craft into wild fall seeds.
- Used to complete “Help Wanted” jobs for 60g and 150 friendship points.
- Make wine and jelly to give to villagers.
- Make into blackberry cobbler for an energy boost of 175.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 20g, wine: 60g
- Silver quality: 25g, wine: 75g
- Gold quality: 30g, wine: 90g
- Iridium quality: 40g, wine: 120g
- Jelly: 90g
Where To Find?
- Days 8-11 of Fall, they can be found all over Stardew.
- In the farm cave if fruit bats are chosen.
What Season?
- Fall
3) Grapes
Grapes can be found all over in the fall, but I find them in abundance in the Backwoods area.
Grapes are one of the best items to forage because they are also a crop! Foraged grapes can be sold for gold or turned into wine and jelly for even more gold. Once you have a seed maker, you can turn grapes into seeds and start a little vineyard. After grape vines grow in, they will regrow grapes every 3 days,perfect for extra gold.
Grapes are also super useful for multiple other reasons. They are used in the summer foraging bundle at the Community Center, for “Help Wanted” jobs and can be used to craft wild summer seeds. Grapes are absolutely worth taking the time to forage every day of Summer.
Why Are They Great?- Worth decent gold for a foraged item.
- Using the seed maker, you can make grape seeds to grow in Fall.
- Gain seven XP per grape foraged.
- Used to complete “Help Wanted” jobs for 240g and 150 friendship points.
- Can be made into wine and jelly for gifts or extra gold.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 80g, wine: 240g
- Silver quality: 100g, wine: 300g
- Gold quality: 120g, wine: 360g
- Iridium quality: 160g, wine: 480g
- Jelly: 210g
Where To Find?
- Most often found in the Backwoods and Mountain.
- Sometimes found at the bus stop or railroad.
- Can spawn on the forest farm.
What Season?
- Summer as a foraging item.
- Fall as a crop.
2) Purple Mushrooms
Once I hit level 80 in the mines, I find a crazy amount of purple mushrooms!!
Purple mushrooms can be hard to find early on. Once you are able to find them, they have multiple uses and can make a lot of extra money. Getting deep into the mines is essential to finding purple mushrooms. Once you get deep enough, you can find them while mining and potentially get them from trash cans.
Purple mushrooms can be used for two Community Center bundles and as part of “Help Wanted” jobs. Aside from selling purple mushrooms, their best use is as an ingredient in Life Elixir. Life Elixir restores you to full health and energy, so it is great to make once you are rolling in mushrooms.
What Makes Them Great?- Worth a lot of gold.
- Can be used in two Community Center bundles.
- Used to make Life Elixir.
- Used to complete “Help Wanted” jobs for 750g and 150 friendship points.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 250g
- Silver quality: 312g
- Gold quality: 375g
- Iridium quality: 500g
Where To Find?
- Abundant in the Mines after level 80.
- Trash cans after reaching level 40 in the Mine.
- Farm cave if mushrooms are chosen.
What Season?
- Year-round
1) Common Mushrooms
Common mushrooms can be commonly found in the Secret Woods.
Common mushrooms are my absolute favorite foraging item because they are SO easy to find. They can be foraged over every season depending on the choices you make. They aren’t worth a lot but since they are so abundant, they can still make a decent amount of gold. They are also used in a recipe that is great for mining, in the fall foraging bundle, and to complete “Help Wanted” jobs.
When you are given the choice to fill your farm cave, choosing mushrooms is a great way to gather over 100 common mushrooms a month. The mushroom cave will also provide you with an ample amount of purple, red, morel and chanterelle mushrooms each season. All mushrooms are great for using in recipes or selling for extra gold.
What Makes Them Great?- Can be sold in bulk, especially if mushrooms are chosen for the farm cave.
- Used to make fried mushrooms, which offer a (+2) attack buff.
- Can be put in the seed maker to make 1-3 wild fall seeds.
- Used to complete “Help Wanted” jobs for 120g and 150 friendship points.
How Much Gold?
- Base quality: 40g
- Silver quality: 50g
- Gold quality: 60g
- Iridium quality: 80g
Where To Find?
- Most often found in Cindersap Forest and Secret Woods.
- Less often found in the Backwoods and the Mountain.
- Farm cave if mushrooms are chosen.
What Season?
- Fall: all over Stardew Valley
- Fall and summer: Secret WoodsAll year: farm cave if you choose mushrooms.
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