One of the first real decisions in a new save is which farm type you should choose in Stardew Valley. The eight maps each rework your farm’s layout to favor a different skill, and the choice is locked in at character creation, so it’s worth understanding what each one is good at before you commit.
Quick answer
| Farm type | Best for |
|---|---|
| Standard | Maximum crop and animal space; large-scale farming |
| Riverland | Fishing without leaving the farm |
| Forest | Foraging, hardwood, and free mixed seeds |
| Hill-top (Mountain) | Mining ore on your own farm |
| Wilderness | Combat and night-time monster fighting |
| Four Corners | Co-op multiplayer (one quadrant per player) |
| Beach | Fishing and foraging; extra supply drops |
| Meadowlands | Animal farming from day one |
Standard Farm
The Standard Farm offers the most open, tillable space of any map. There are no rivers, mining zones, or forageable clutter taking up room, so if your goal is large-scale crop fields and big animal operations, this gives you the most room to build exactly the layout you want. It’s the default for a reason and remains the safest pick for a first playthrough.
Riverland Farm
The Riverland Farm replaces much of the usable land with water, splitting the farm into islands connected by bridges. The water lets you fish from the farm itself, and the fish you catch here are the same type found in the town river rather than the standard pond fish. The tradeoff is obvious: far less space for crops and buildings. Pick it if fishing is a core part of how you want to play.
Forest Farm
The Forest Farm trades some farmable land for foraging value. The western edge has eight large stumps that respawn daily; each requires a Copper Axe or better to clear and yields hardwood plus foraging experience. Seasonal forageables spawn across the map, and the farm has a special weed type that always drops mixed seeds when cut. If you like steady free resources and a greener, busier farm, this is the foraging-focused choice.
Hill-top (Mountain) Farm
The Hill-top Farm includes a dedicated mining area: a raised, rocky section where ore nodes (and the occasional geode) spawn directly on your farm. That means a small, reliable trickle of mining materials without descending into the mines. The mining zone eats into your plantable space, so you’re giving up farmland in exchange for on-site ore.
Wilderness Farm
On the Wilderness Farm, monsters spawn on the farm at night (this is the “spawn monsters on the farm” option, enabled by default for this map). They appear after around 7 PM, so working outside after dark carries risk but also gives you something to fight without leaving home. It’s the combat-flavored map, best for players who enjoy the danger and the extra loot that comes with it.
Four Corners Farm
The Four Corners Farm is split into four quadrants, each modeled on a different map: a Forest-style block with trees and stumps, a Standard open-farmland block (which holds the farmhouse), a Riverland block with a pond for fishing, and a Hill-top block with ore-spawning raised areas. It was designed for multiplayer, with the idea that each of up to four farmers takes a quadrant. It works solo too, but its real strength is co-op.
Beach Farm
The Beach Farm offers ocean fishing and beach forageables right on the property, plus periodic supply drops of extra items that wash up. The major catch is irrigation: sprinklers do not function on the sandy soil that covers most of the map. There is a small patch of normal soil (near the bottom, partly buried under hardwood that you’ll need an upgraded axe to clear) where sprinklers do work. This makes large-scale crop farming awkward, so the Beach map leans into fishing and foraging instead.
Meadowlands Farm
Added in update 1.6, the Meadowlands Farm is built for animal husbandry. You start with a coop and two named chickens, and you receive hay instead of starting seeds. The map features chewy blue grass that animals love; it grows on the farm and gives your livestock a special food source from the very beginning. It’s the strongest early start for anyone who wants animals to be the heart of the farm rather than crops.
Which should you pick?
- Pure farming / max space: Standard.
- Fishing: Riverland (or Beach if you also want ocean fish and foraging).
- Foraging and free resources: Forest.
- Mining on the farm: Hill-top.
- Combat: Wilderness.
- Co-op with friends: Four Corners.
- Animal-focused start: Meadowlands.
Choose based on the activity you’ll actually spend the most time on. There’s no wrong answer for a casual run, but the map you pick shapes how much space and what bonuses you’ll have for the rest of that save.
Farm together
If you want to play with friends, the Four Corners map shines on a shared world. A Stardew Valley server from XGamingServer keeps the farm running so everyone can drop in whenever they like, and our documentation walks through getting set up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my farm type after creating my character?
No. The farm map is chosen when you start a new game and cannot be changed in-game once selected. Switching afterward requires editing the save file or using mods, which is not an official feature.
Which farm type has the most space for crops?
The Standard Farm has the most open, tillable land because it isn’t carved up by water, mining zones, or forageable terrain.
Why don’t my sprinklers work on the Beach Farm?
Sprinklers don’t function on the sandy soil that makes up most of the Beach Farm. There’s a small patch of regular soil where they do work, but otherwise you’ll be watering by hand, which is why the map favors fishing and foraging over big crop fields.
What’s the best farm type for multiplayer?
Four Corners. It’s divided into four themed quadrants so up to four players can each take their own corner while staying close together.
What does the Meadowlands Farm start with?
You begin with a coop and two chickens, plus hay instead of starting seeds. The map also has blue grass that your animals can eat, making it the best map for an animal-focused start.
Ready to play?
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