Your first Summer in Pelican Town is just around the corner, but not sure how to make the most of it? Don’t worry - this guide has you covered! From maximizing your farm’s profits to making big moves at seasonal festivals, here are the absolute best things to do during your very first Summer in Stardew Valley.
Crops
As the new season arrives, you want to plant new crops. But which ones are the best?
Most importantly, you should get a couple of corn seeds since you need 5 corn with gold quality for the community center. You don't necessarily have to focus on corn though. It's a multi-season crop which also grows in fall. Getting a few seeds and applying fertilizer should do.
However, if you want to maximize your earnings, get a lot of blueberry seeds! They're continuing producing once they've matured. A single Blueberry sells for at least 50g, even more depending on the quality. The best thing: This crop drops at least 3 blueberries when being harvested. That makes up to at least 150g per tile! Considering they reproduce & cost only 80g per seed makes this very valuable.
I also recommend getting a few of the remaining Summer Seeds (Melons, Hot Pepper and Tomatoes for the Summer Crops Bundle. Additionally you'd need 5 Melons with golden quality for a different bundle.
Luau
The Luau is a great festival for boosting friendship. Especially early game, this is very useful since you need at least 8 hearts in order to date a bachelor or bachelorette. The best response possible awards +120 points to every villager.
Here is a list with good items that are already obtainable (should be at least gold quality):
- Cauliflower (Spring)
- Melon
- Catfish (Spring & Fall)
- Sturgeon
Fish
Summer is a great season for fishing allowing to catch both rare and valuable fish. You should focus on catching the fish required for the Fishing Bundle in the Community Center. That's the Pufferfish (caught at the Beach), Sturgeon (caught in the Mountain Lake), Tuna (Ocean) & Red Snapper (Ocean).
If you aim to make money by fishing, these are the most lucrative fish for Summer:
- Crimsonfish (1500g, Legendary fish, specific location, requires Fishing Level 5)
- Sturgeon (200g but very valuable for Fish Roe, Mountain Lake)
- Catfish(200g, River or Secret Woods)
Important Upgrades & Crafting
- Upgrade Your : Summer brings heavy rainstorms! Keep an eye on the weather forecast. The day before it rains, hand over your Watering Can to Clint for a Copper/Steel upgrade—the rain will water your crops the next day, so you won't miss a single day of watering!
- Craft Quality Sprinklers: Summer is when your farm expands rapidly. Reaching Farming Level 6 unlocks Quality Sprinklers ($3 \times 3$ grid), which frees up tons of energy and time every morning.
Summer Foraging & Secret Woods
- Fiddlehead Ferns: Make sure to unlock the Wooden Bridge to the Secret Woods (requires a Steel Axe). Fiddlehead Ferns only grow here during Summer and are required for the Chef’s Bundle in the Community Center.
- Sweet Peas & Spice Berries: Collect these daily for easy early-game gifts and free energy.
Lightning Rods & Batteries
- Craft Lightning Rods (Foraging Level 6): Summer is famous for thunderstorms. Placing Lightning Rods protects your crops from getting destroyed by lightning and yields Battery Packs, an essential mid-game material for Quality Sprinklers and iridium crafts.
The Night Market / Dance of the Moonlight Jellies
- August 28th Festival: Remind readers to head to the Beach on the final night of Summer (10 PM) for a cozy visual treat that marks the transition into Fall.
Level Up Your Summer with CurseForge Mods
Want to streamline your Summer routine? Whether you’re looking to save energy or track down hard-to-find fish, downloading a few quality-of-life mods from CurseForge can make your first year much smoother:
- Automate: Link your chests directly to furnaces, crab pots, and preserve jars to process items without lifting a finger.
- Lookup Anything: Press a key to instantly see a villager’s favorite gifts, when your blueberries will be ready to harvest, or what fish are in season.
- Tractor Mod: Makes clearing land and planting mass crops like Summer Blueberries a breeze once you hit mid-game!
Browse the CurseForge Stardew Valley Hub to discover custom farm layouts, UI tweaks, and gameplay mods!
Armed with these tips, you’re well on your way to turning a modest Year 1 patch of dirt into a bustling, profitable farm. Summer goes by fast, so dive in, make the most of those sunny days, and get ready for Fall!