How to Get a Pig in Stardew Valley: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
Embarking on a farming adventure in Stardew Valley offers a myriad of opportunities, and among the most profitable and rewarding is raising pigs. These charming creatures aren’t just adorable additions to your farm; they’re truffle-hunting machines, capable of significantly boosting your income. Imagine strolling through your farm each day, discovering valuable truffles hidden beneath the soil, ready to be sold or transformed into lucrative truffle oil. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough on how to get a pig in Stardew Valley, ensuring you’re well-equipped to make the most of these delightful, profit-generating animals. So, if you’re ready to take your Stardew Valley farm to the next level, let’s delve into the world of pig farming!
Why should you consider getting a pig? The answer is simple: profits. Truffles, found by pigs, are one of the most valuable foraged items in the game. With a little investment and care, your pigs will consistently unearth these treasures, contributing substantially to your farm’s overall success. Whether you’re a seasoned farmer or just starting your Stardew Valley journey, adding pigs to your livestock is a worthwhile venture.
Prerequisites: Preparing for Your Piggy Pal
Before you can welcome a pig to your farm, certain preparations are necessary. Owning a pig requires more than just a whim; it requires a strategic investment in your farm’s infrastructure.
Upgrading Your Coop
The first, and perhaps most important, step is upgrading your coop. Pigs require a Deluxe Coop to live in. The basic coop and even the Big Coop won’t cut it. A Deluxe Coop offers ample space and the necessary facilities for your pigs to thrive.
Upgrading to a Deluxe Coop requires a visit to Robin at her Carpenter’s Shop, located north of Pelican Town. She’s usually available most days, so make sure to check her opening hours on the sign outside.
Gathering the necessary materials is crucial before heading to Robin. You’ll need a generous supply of hardwood, stone, and gold bars. Hardwood is obtained by chopping down large stumps and logs found in the Secret Woods or on your farm if you choose the Wilderness Farm. Stone is acquired by mining in the Mines or breaking rocks on your farm. Gold bars require gold ore, which can be mined in the deeper levels of the Mines, combined with coal in a furnace.
Be prepared for the financial aspect of the upgrade too. Upgrading to a Deluxe Coop costs a significant sum of gold. Save up diligently by selling crops, foraged items, or processed goods.
Once you’ve provided Robin with the necessary materials and gold, she will begin construction immediately. The upgrade takes a few days to complete, so be patient. Robin will notify you once your Deluxe Coop is ready. This is when your farm begins to change for the better.
Farming Skill Level
While there isn’t a specific farming level required to own a pig, raising other animals first can give you a head start in understanding animal care, which will be helpful. The higher your farming skill, the better you will be at animal husbandry.
Money Matters
Beyond the coop upgrade, you’ll need money to actually purchase a pig. Make sure you have enough gold saved to cover this expense. Think of it as an investment that will yield high returns in the long run. Before purchasing your pig, double check that you have enough money to do so.
Buying Your Pig
Now that your farm is properly equipped, it’s time to acquire your pig. The process is simple but requires a visit to a specific location.
Visiting Marnie’s Ranch
Marnie’s Ranch is where you’ll purchase your pig. It’s located in the southwest of the valley, near the Cindersap Forest. Marnie sells a variety of farm animals, including chickens, cows, sheep, and, of course, pigs.
Marnie’s shop has set opening hours, so you will need to visit when she is behind the counter. She also has a habit of taking days off, sometimes without warning. If you arrive and Marnie isn’t there, double-check the calendar in town for any festivals or appointments she might have. You may need to try again another day.
Purchasing the Pig
Once inside Marnie’s Ranch, interact with her at the counter. A menu will appear displaying the available animals for purchase. Select the pig. You’ll then be prompted to give your new pig a name. Choose wisely; this is the name that will appear whenever you interact with your pig.
Finally, you’ll need to select which Deluxe Coop you want your pig to live in. If you have multiple coops, make sure to choose the correct one. After confirming your purchase, your new pig will be transported to its new home.
Caring for Your Pig
Owning a pig comes with responsibilities. Providing proper care is essential for ensuring your pig’s happiness and productivity.
Daily Care
Pigs need to be fed daily. They can eat either hay or grass. Hay is obtained from cutting grass with a scythe and storing it in a silo. Grass can be grown by planting grass starters on your farm. If you don’t provide hay, your pig’s happiness will decrease, and they won’t find as many truffles.
Make sure your pig has access to the outdoors. Pigs need to roam freely outside to find truffles. Keep the coop door open during the day so they can wander around and forage.
Pet your pig daily to increase its happiness. Interacting with your pig boosts its affection, leading to more truffles and better-quality truffles. A happy pig is a productive pig.
Weather Considerations
Pigs are sensitive to the weather. They do not venture outside during the winter months and remain inside their coop. You’ll need to feed them hay throughout the winter.
On rainy days, pigs also tend to stay indoors. Plan accordingly and stock up on hay to ensure they are properly fed during inclement weather.
Happiness and Affection
A pig’s happiness directly impacts its ability to find truffles. The happier the pig, the more truffles it will discover, and the higher the quality of those truffles.
Maintain high happiness levels by petting your pig daily, providing adequate food, and ensuring it has access to the outdoors.
Truffles: The Key to Profit
Truffles are the main reason for raising pigs. These valuable foraged items are the key to boosting your farm’s income.
How Pigs Find Truffles
Pigs naturally forage for truffles. When allowed to roam outside, they will sniff around and dig up truffles from the soil. The process is automatic; you don’t need to do anything special.
The more outdoor space you provide for your pigs, the more truffles they will find. Make sure to clear any obstacles, such as rocks or trees, to maximize their foraging area.
Collecting Truffles
Truffles are easy to spot on your farm. They appear as small, brown objects lying on the ground. Simply walk up to them and interact to collect them.
If you’ve chosen the Gatherer profession, you have a chance to collect double the amount of truffles.
Selling and Processing Truffles
Truffles can be sold directly for a substantial profit. However, processing them into truffle oil significantly increases their value.
Truffle oil is made using an oil maker. Simply place a truffle into the machine, and after a few hours, it will be transformed into valuable truffle oil. Truffle oil sells for considerably more than raw truffles, making it a worthwhile investment of your time and resources.
If you’ve chosen the Artisan profession, the value of truffle oil increases further, maximizing your profits.
Optimizing Truffle Production
To maximize truffle production, consider the following strategies.
Farm Layout
Design your farm layout to provide ample outdoor space for your pigs. Create a dedicated area where they can roam freely and forage for truffles.
Avoid placing obstacles in their path, as this can hinder their ability to find truffles.
Number of Pigs
Experiment with the number of pigs you own to find the right balance between cost and profit. The more pigs you have, the more truffles you’ll find. But also, you’ll need more hay and space.
Consider the size of your farm when determining the optimal number of pigs. Too many pigs can lead to overcrowding and reduced truffle production.
The Forager Skill Tree
The Forager skill tree can significantly impact your truffle yield and quality. The Botanist and Tracker professions are especially useful for truffle farming.
The Botanist profession ensures that all foraged items, including truffles, are always iridium quality, maximizing their selling price.
The Tracker profession reveals the locations of forageable items, making it easier to find truffles on your farm.
Troubleshooting and Common Issues
Even with the best planning, you may encounter some common issues while raising pigs.
“My Pig Isn’t Finding Truffles!”
If your pig isn’t finding truffles, check the weather. Pigs don’t forage outside during winter or on rainy days.
Ensure your pig is properly fed. A hungry pig won’t have the energy to forage for truffles.
Make sure your pig has access to the outdoors. If the coop door is closed, it won’t be able to roam freely.
Also, make sure your pigs are not fenced in. If they are, they can only search the area that they are fenced in. If that area runs out of truffles, you won’t see any more until some respawn.
Marnie Isn’t Selling Pigs
If Marnie isn’t selling pigs, check her schedule and location. She may be away on an errand or attending a festival.
Try visiting her on a different day to see if she is available.
Coop is Full
If your coop is full, you won’t be able to purchase any more pigs. Consider upgrading your coop or building an additional coop to accommodate more animals.
Conclusion
Getting a pig in Stardew Valley is a rewarding investment that can significantly boost your farm’s income. By upgrading your coop, providing proper care, and optimizing truffle production, you can transform your farm into a truffle-generating powerhouse.
Pigs aren’t just profitable; they’re also adorable additions to your farm. Their charming antics and valuable truffles make them a worthwhile investment for any Stardew Valley farmer.
So, are you ready to embark on your pig-farming adventure? Follow this guide, and you’ll be well on your way to reaping the rewards of truffle-filled success. Now go and experience the joy of raising pigs and watching your profits soar! And be sure to check out some of our other Stardew Valley guides to learn more about how to make the most of your farming experience!
