Farm Type Buildable Area Comparison

This guide shows an estimate of the buildable area of each of the five farm types, including how many spaces are available for crops.

Starting a new Farm?

So, your cursor is hovering over that new button. You're about to start a new farm! When you do, you'll find yourself facing a choice between five different layouts. This guide lists an estimate of the building area of each of the layouts, along with how many crops each type supports.

If you like this guide please take a second to click on the thumbs up icon at the top of the page.

This information was gathered using the Stardew Valley Planner[stardew.info]. While this is a great tool, there are some things to keep in mind. The planner is sometimes inaccurate. For example, it allows a user to place crops right in front of the green house, while in game this just doesn't work. Also, I've heard reports that it will in some cases suggest that buildings can be placed in spots that in fact they cannot go in the game.

I've done my best to do an accurate count, but in truth I was just guessing in some spots as to whether crops or buildings could really be placed.

Barring an errors on my part, buildings, paths, fences and any non-crop item can be placed on the areas that I have marked with wooden paths.

Any object, including crops, can be placed I've marked with crops. Crops can only be placed in areas that are clear light dirt. If there is any of the green grass texture, or a "shadow" on the dirt, then crops cannot be placed. This is true even if it is just a small portion of the square that is under consideration.

Fruit trees can be planted in green grass areas. In order for the tree to mature, the eight spots surrounding it must be clear of everything, including tilled soil and paths. Once the fruit tree is mature, you can place objects around the tree and still harvest fruit in season.

If you want to have a closer look at each of the farm, you can click on the pictures I've added to enlarge, or simply visit the link to look at the farms in the planner.

Now, let's have a look at those farm types!

Standard Farm

Objects allowed: 3662
Crops allowed: 3427




View in the Planner[stardew.info]

No suprises here, this farm has a ton of space, most of which if suitable for planting crops. If you want to have the freedom to place plenty of anything pretty much anywhere, this is farm for you.

Riverland Farm

Objects allowed: 2094
Crops allowed: 1578




View in Planner[stardew.info]

This is the farm that is focuses on the fishing skill. In this farm it is possible to catch the same fish that would by fishing in the rivers in the town screens. Is has the smallest buildable area of all the farm maps, though it doesn't come in last in terms of space for crops. Many players on the Steam forums have stated that this is their least favorite map due to the lack of space and having to follow specific paths over bridges to access certain areas of their farm. I've heard this map described as "Stardew's Valley Hardmode Map', and I feel that this is a fair statement.

However, some have said that it is a nice looking map, and if you really like fishing this does give the ability to do so just steps from your house, which is particularly useful for late night fishing.

Forest Farm

Objects allowed: 2903
Crops allowed: 1413




View in Planner[stardew.info]

This map focuses on the foraging skill. It's a bit odd in that while it has the most buildable area next to the standard map, it has the lowest amount of space of all the maps that is available for crops.

It has the benfit of having several hardwood stumps spawing in the grassy areas to the far left of the map. I'm pretty sure that it is possible to build in the hardwood sections, but if you choose to do then the hardwood stumps won't spawn anymore. Various forageable items spawn on this map, including salmonberrys and blackberries in season. People have reported that they been able to fish up a woodskip on this map, which otherwise can only be found in the Secret Forest. This map also features a type of weed that always drops mixed seeds. Many people in the forums have reported that they think this is the prettiest looking of all the farm types.

Hill-Top Farm

Objects allowed: 2578
Crops allowed: 1648




Vew in planner.[stardew.info]

This farm focuses on the mining skill. I'd like to note that the planner is wrong about this map; it suggests that you can plant crops in the quarry area, while in-game testing shows that isn't the case. If you choose to build in the quarry, then the rocks and ores won't spawn any more. There is a fair amount of space for crops, but the tillable areas are more segmented than on the other farm types.

Wilderness Farm

Objects allowed: 2575
Crops allowed: 2131




View in planner.[stardew.info]

This farm focuses on the combat skill. Monsters can spawn at night, which in game means after 6 pm. The level of the monsters scales with the player's combat ability. I've had them spawn on me in the very first night before I could get a weapon. Swinging at them with the scythe does a small amount of damage. This map is the only place in the game to encounter Wilderness golems. In my experience, only three or four monsters will spawn a night, so don't expect to have to fight your way through wave after wave of enemies.

This farm allows for the most crops next to the standard farm. The tillable area is all connected, making it fairy easy to place building and plan crops.

Tl;Dr

So...many...words.

Here's the quick breakdown for each farm. By my estimations:

The standard farm has room for 3662 items, 3427 of which can be crops.

The riverlands farm has room for 2094 items, 1578 of which can be crops.

The forest farm has room for 2903 items, 1413 of which can be crops.

The hill-top farm has room for 2578 items, 1648 of which can be crops.

The wilderness farm has room for 2575 items, 2131 of which can be crops.

Conclusion and Credits

So which is the best farm? If you are simply looking to have the most stuff, then the standard farm wins out by a comfortable margin. The skill benefits of each of the other farms are pretty minimal, and come at the cost of a fair amount of real estate. That said, even on the smallest of the maps there is still room for well over a thousand crops, which is hardly paltry garden size. Pick the farm whose layout and perks interest you most. If you find you've choosen poorly, then you can search these guides and forums for the way to change your map type in your save game folder, or simply start a new game.

Credits

I got the idea for this guide by reading this thread[community.playstarbound.com] in the official forums. The user sunlite actually came up with the idea of using the planner to get the estimates (even though the numbers they came up with for the two farms they did are different than mine). LuthienNightwolf pointed out that the planner is sometimes inaccurate in what can be placed where, something I found to be completely true when I did a few in-game tests.

I hope that this guide is of use to someone. If you happen to see any errors in it or have any questions about the subject matter please let me know in the comments. Good luck and happy farming!

[Turkey]

this is so goddamn usefull

[NanoCE]

It would be cool to see an update for this guide to include the beach farm as well. This is one of the top results when looking for farm size comparisons on google.

[Eddy Eddie]

Thanks for this, I started a Riverland Farm and it's cute, but not the type of gameplay I want.

[abenlen]

Thanks! I thought it turned out pretty good, glad that others find it useful.

[NekoRili]

@Grizzly, I'm guessing it's both. As far as I know (my save is a Hill-top) the area immediately behind the greenhouse is completely unusable. The planner actually doesn't let you put anything there at all.

[MichaMundy]

In Riverland farm, Forest farm, and Hill-top farm, there is a missing space on top of the green house, does this means it's cannot be build in game, or it's because of the planner?

[The Baekin' Company]

I seem to get nothing but trash on the Standard Farm's lakes. They are slightly more useful once you get crab pots but other than that all I end up fishing from those is trash. Once you get a recyling machine you could recycle all that trash you fish up but you definitely have to work for it.

I'm currently messing around with different map types myself atm. You have a well put-together guide here.

[Lermolski]

I could have used this months ago! :P (add me, for when multiplayer comes out! )

[abenlen]

Well, you can always have more than one game going.

[Dr. Clocknik]

I feel like I should've looked at this before starting my game (chose the Riverland Farm, haha) but still helpful nonetheless!