Complete Stardew Valley Foraging Guide 1.6 — Every Foragable by Season, Wild Seeds & Botanist vs Gatherer
Complete stardew valley foraging guide: every foragable by season, Wild Seeds profit, and Botanist vs Gatherer profession choice. Updated for patch 1.6.
Foraging is the skill you level up by accident — just pick stuff off the ground. But knowing what's valuable, which season to stock up on, and picking the right professions at level 5 and 10 can turn this "side skill" into a decent income stream.
Quick Summary
- Spring: Wild Horseradish, Daffodil, Leek, Dandelion + the Salmonberry bush event in mid-Spring. Salmonberry is the first big gathering event.
- Summer: Spice Berry, Sweet Pea, Grape.
- Fall: Common Mushroom, Wild Plum, Hazelnut, Blackberry + Blackberry season (Fall 8–11).
- Winter: Winter Root, Crystal Fruit, Snow Yam, Crocus, Holly.
- Professions: Gatherer (lvl 5) → Botanist (lvl 10) is the strongest combo.
- Wild Seeds: A good way to turn spare foragables into more forage and Foraging XP. Plant only if you have spare land.
Seasonal Foragables — Full Table
| Season | Foragable | Sell Price | Energy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Wild Horseradish | 50g | — | — |
| Spring | Daffodil | 30g | — | — |
| Spring | Leek | 60g | +40 | — |
| Spring | Dandelion | — | +25 | Spring Foraging Bundle item |
| Summer | Spice Berry | — | — | — |
| Summer | Sweet Pea | — | — | Gift item; used in a Community Center bundle |
| Fall | Common Mushroom | — | +15 | Secret Woods, Mushroom Trees, Farm Cave (mushroom option) |
| Fall | Wild Plum | 80g | — | Fall Foraging Bundle item |
| Fall | Hazelnut | 90g | +20 | Foraged in Pelican Town and the Bus Stop area |
| Fall | Blackberry | — | +25 | Bush event Fall 8–11; per-bush yield scales with Foraging level |
| Winter | Winter Root | 70g | +25 | Dug up from artifact spots |
| Winter | Crystal Fruit | 150g | +25 | Among the most valuable foragables |
| Winter | Snow Yam | 100g | — | Dug up from artifact spots |
| Winter | Crocus | 60g | — | Gift item |
| Winter | Holly | — | — | — |
The takeaway: Crystal Fruit in Winter is among the most expensive foragables at 150g base — right up there with Fall's Chanterelle (160g, Secret Woods). With Botanist, foragables always come out at the highest quality, which raises their sell price further. If you're free in Winter, gathering Crystal Fruit is a solid side hustle.
Salmonberry vs Blackberry Season — Which One's Worth It?
There are two seasonal bush-foraging events each year:
- Salmonberry (mid-Spring): Berry bushes across the map fill with Salmonberries for a few days. Higher Foraging levels mean more berries per bush. The base price is low, so these are more of an energy source than a money-maker.
- Blackberry (Fall 8–11): Same bush mechanic in Fall. Per-bush yield scales with your Foraging level.
Pro tip: Jelly sells for twice the fruit's base price plus 50g, so processing pays best on high-base fruit — on cheap berries the jar adds a flat 50g-ish margin. Don't build your economy on berry Jelly; sell high-value fruit as Jelly instead.
Wild Seeds — Are They Worth It?
Wild Seeds are craftable from foragables. Each season has its own variant:
- Spring Seeds: Wild Horseradish + Daffodil + Leek + Dandelion
- Summer Seeds: Spice Berry + Grape + Sweet Pea
- Fall Seeds: Common Mushroom + Wild Plum + Hazelnut + Blackberry
- Winter Seeds: Winter Root + Crystal Fruit + Snow Yam + Crocus
Worth it? Wild Seeds recycle spare foragables into new forage and steady Foraging XP. But compared to profitable regular crops, they fall short per tile. Plant Wild Seeds when: (1) you have spare land, (2) you need Foraging XP, or (3) it's Winter and regular crops won't grow outdoors.
Winter Seeds are the exception: Winter is the only season without outdoor crops. Winter Seeds are your only option for outdoor farming, and each one grows into a random one of the four winter forageables — including Crystal Fruit at 150g base.
Foraging Professions — Which to Pick
Foraging has two main branches, and the choice at level 5 sets your path:
| Level | Profession | Effect | Pick This? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Forester | Wood+25% | Only if you're a heavy wood farmer |
| 5 | Gatherer | 20% double harvest for foragables | Best pick — gather 1 get 2 |
| 10 | Botanist | Foragables are always the highest quality | Strongest — top quality every pickup |
| 10 | Tracker | Shows foragable locations on the map | Convenient but doesn't boost profit |
The meta combo: Gatherer (lvl 5) → Botanist (lvl 10). Gatherer gives you a 20% chance of double harvest on every pickup — about +20% average yield — and Botanist pushes everything to the highest quality.
When to go the other route? If you're building a wood-heavy farm layout, Forester → Lumberjack (rare wood types drop extra) is a valid pick. For 95% of players though, Botanist wins hands down.
Foraging Tips by Stage
Early Year 1 — Pick up everything you pass
Early on, grab every forage you walk past — it's free energy and Foraging XP with no energy cost to collect. Sell what you don't eat.
Salmonberry Season (mid-Spring) — Don't Skip It
Spend the bush-event days clearing bushes across the map and use the berries as your energy supply for the coming weeks. No need to hoard for next year.
Mid Year 1 — Level Foraging for the later Wild Seeds
Wild Seeds recipes unlock as you level Foraging — Spring Seeds arrive first (level 1) and Fall Seeds at level 6. In Fall, plant Fall Seeds aggressively for XP. Then spend Winter planting Winter Seeds for forage income.
Winter — Winter Seeds + Crystal Fruit
Winter is a forager's paradise. Each Winter Seed grows, over 7 days, into a random one of the four winter forageables — Crystal Fruit among them at 150g base, more with Botanist's top quality. Plant densely and Winter stops being a dead season.
Related on StardewHub
- Best Crops for Profit by Season — How Wild Seeds compare to regular crops.
- Year 1 Gold Roadmap — Where foraging fits in your money plan.
- Stardew Valley Sprinkler Guide — Automate watering to free up time for foraging.
Bottom line: Foraging won't make you rich by itself, but it's the cheapest early-game energy source and a reliable XP earner. Master Salmonberry runs, Winter Seeds, and the Botanist profession, and this "side skill" will pull its weight.
Updated for Stardew Valley 1.6.