How to Get Pigs in Stardew Valley: A Comprehensive Guide

Pigs in Stardew Valley are a valuable asset to any farm, providing a steady source of Truffles, which can be sold for a substantial profit or used to create Truffle Oil. If you’re wondering how to get pigs in Stardew, this guide will walk you through the process, from building the necessary structures to maximizing your pig’s truffle production. We’ll cover everything you need to know about incorporating these adorable and profitable animals into your Stardew Valley farm. Understanding how to get pigs in Stardew Valley is just the first step; managing them effectively is key to a thriving farm economy.

Preparing Your Farm for Pigs

Before you can bring pigs onto your farm, you’ll need to ensure you have the proper infrastructure in place. This primarily involves building a Barn and upgrading it to the Big Barn.

Building a Barn

The first step in how to get pigs in Stardew is constructing a Barn. This can be done by visiting Robin at the Carpenter’s Shop, located north of your farm. The basic Barn requires the following materials:

300 Wood
100 Stone
25 Copper Bars

Once you have the materials, Robin will build the Barn for you. The construction takes three days. The initial Barn can house up to four animals, but to get pigs, you’ll need to upgrade it.

Upgrading to the Big Barn

To house pigs, you must upgrade your Barn to the Big Barn. This upgrade also requires a visit to Robin at the Carpenter’s Shop. The Big Barn upgrade requires:

450 Wood
200 Stone

Upgrading to the Big Barn allows you to house up to eight animals and enables you to purchase pigs. This upgrade also adds a feeding trough inside the barn, simplifying the feeding process. Now that you know how to get pigs in Stardew Valley, let’s look at where to buy them.

Purchasing Your First Pig

With the Big Barn constructed, you can now purchase pigs from Marnie’s Ranch, located south of your farm in Cindersap Forest. Marnie sells pigs for 16,000g each. This is a significant investment, especially early in the game, but the long-term returns can be substantial.

Visiting Marnie’s Ranch

Marnie’s Ranch is open most days of the week, but she sometimes closes for personal appointments or festivals. It’s best to check the calendar outside her shop to ensure she’s available before making the trip. Once you’re there, interact with Marnie inside the shop and select the option to buy animals. You’ll see the pig available for purchase, provided you have the Big Barn.

Naming Your Pig

After purchasing your pig, Marnie will ask you to name it. Choose a name you like, and the pig will be transported to your Big Barn. The pig will start as a baby and take some time to mature into an adult that can find truffles.

Caring for Your Pig

Once you have your pig, proper care is essential to ensure it grows into a healthy, truffle-producing animal. Here’s what you need to know about caring for your pig:

Feeding Your Pig

Pigs, like other farm animals, need to be fed daily. You can feed them hay, which can be obtained by cutting grass with a scythe and storing it in a Silo, or by purchasing it from Marnie’s Ranch. During the warmer months (Spring, Summer, and Fall), if you open the barn door, pigs will wander outside and eat grass, saving you hay. However, during Winter, you must provide hay inside the barn as grass doesn’t grow.

Increasing Friendship

Increasing your friendship with your pig is crucial for maximizing truffle production. Higher friendship levels result in more truffles and higher quality truffles. You can increase friendship by:

Petting your pig daily
Ensuring your pig is fed
Letting your pig outside to graze (when possible)

Avoid neglecting your pig, as this can decrease friendship. A happy pig is a productive pig!

Truffle Hunting

The primary reason for raising pigs is their ability to find Truffles. Truffles are valuable items that can be sold or processed into Truffle Oil, which is even more profitable. Here’s how truffle hunting works:

How Truffles are Found

Once your pig is an adult and you let it outside, it will begin searching for Truffles. Pigs will wander around the farm, digging up Truffles and leaving them on the ground. You can then collect these Truffles. Pigs will not find truffles in the winter since they stay inside the barn.

Maximizing Truffle Production

Several factors can influence the number of Truffles your pigs find:

Friendship: Higher friendship levels lead to more Truffles.
Happiness: A happy pig is more likely to find Truffles.
Space: Pigs need space to roam and search for Truffles. Ensure they have enough room to move around.
Weather: Pigs will not find truffles in the rain.

Clearing obstacles like rocks, weeds, and trees from your farm can also improve truffle production by giving your pigs more space to search. [See also: Stardew Valley Farming Guide]

Dealing with Truffles

Once you’ve collected Truffles, you have a few options:

Selling: Truffles can be sold directly for a good profit.
Truffle Oil: Processing Truffles into Truffle Oil using an Oil Maker significantly increases their value.

Truffle Oil is one of the most profitable artisan goods in the game, making it a worthwhile investment to create an Oil Maker. The Oil Maker recipe is unlocked at Farming Level 8 and requires:

50 Slime
20 Hardwood
1 Gold Bar

Advanced Tips for Pig Farming

Here are some advanced tips to optimize your pig farming operation:

The Gatherer Profession

If you choose the Gatherer profession at Foraging Level 5, there’s a 20% chance that you’ll find double the foraged items, including truffles. This can significantly boost your truffle yield. At Foraging Level 10, the Botanist profession will ensure that all truffles you find are of iridium quality, resulting in higher selling prices.

Using Fences

While pigs can roam freely, using fences to contain them in a specific area can make it easier to collect Truffles. Fences also prevent them from wandering into areas where they might get stuck or be at risk. [See also: Stardew Valley Fence Guide]. Remember that fences need regular repair as they decay over time.

Automating Truffle Collection

While there isn’t a direct way to automate truffle collection, strategically placing fences and pathways can help guide your pigs to areas where truffles are easier to gather. This reduces the time you spend searching for them. The Automate mod allows you to automatically collect truffles and place them into a chest.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When learning how to get pigs in Stardew and manage them, it’s easy to make mistakes. Here are a few common pitfalls to avoid:

Forgetting to Feed Your Pigs: Always ensure your pigs are fed, especially during Winter.
Ignoring Friendship: Neglecting your pig’s friendship will result in fewer and lower-quality Truffles.
Not Providing Enough Space: Pigs need room to roam. A cramped space will limit their truffle-finding ability.
Selling Truffles Directly Too Early: Invest in an Oil Maker to maximize the value of your Truffles.
Not Clearing the Farm: Leaving debris on your farm reduces the area where pigs can find truffles.

Conclusion: Profiting from Pigs

Raising pigs in Stardew Valley can be a highly profitable venture. By understanding how to get pigs in Stardew, caring for them properly, and maximizing truffle production, you can significantly boost your farm’s income. Remember to invest in the necessary infrastructure, prioritize friendship, and optimize your farm layout for truffle hunting. With a little effort, your pigs will be a valuable asset to your Stardew Valley farm.