Where Can I Mine Stardew Clay?
Clay is an essential resource in Stardew Valley that is gathered primarily by tilling dirt tiles. Clay has a variety of important uses, especially in the early game. Silo construction requires clay, which is critical for storing hay to feed your animals during the winter. Retaining soil also requires clay, allowing you to permanently prevent tile deterioration for your crops. Many crafting recipes at the furnaces use clay as an ingredient. Overall, obtaining a steady supply of clay enables farming and crafting expansions for your farm.
Beach
The beach is one of the most reliable places to find clay in Stardew Valley. Clay often spawns along the coastline of the beach. Simply walk up and down the beach each day, checking the ground carefully, and you will likely discover multiple clay deposits waiting to be picked up (source: https://gamezo.gg/stardew-valley-how-to-get-clay-easily/). The beach is an ideal spot because the clay tends to respawn daily, giving you a renewable source. Keep in mind that the beach may occasionally spawn artifacts or other forageable items instead of clay, but it still remains a prime location. Walk the entire stretch of sand from the tide pools up to Willy’s shop to cover the most possible ground. With a little patience and regular checks, the beach can provide a steady supply of clay for whatever projects you have in mind.
Secret Woods
The Secret Woods is an area in Stardew Valley that becomes accessible after you upgrade your axe to steel and chop down the large log blocking the entrance in Cindersap Forest [1]. Inside the Secret Woods, you can find a variety of foragable items and resources.
One of the resources you can obtain in the Secret Woods is clay. Clay primarily appears in the Secret Woods by digging up worm spots scattered around the area. These worm spots have a chance to produce clay when you hoe them with your hoe tool. The worms will wiggle up out of the ground and you will see clay added to your inventory [2].
So if you are looking for a good source of clay in Stardew Valley, spend some time exploring the Secret Woods and digging up worm spots. With some luck and patience, you can stock up on a good amount of clay from this hidden forest area.
Fishing Treasure Chests
One way to obtain clay in Stardew Valley is by fishing up treasure chests. While fishing, there is a small chance that the player will hook a treasure chest instead of a fish. When this happens, the chest will contain various random items, including clay. According to the Stardew Valley Treasure Chest Guide, the chance of finding clay in a fishing chest is around 10%.
The treasure chests themselves have a 2% chance of appearing when the player goes fishing. So it requires some patience and persistence to collect clay this way. But it can be a nice surprise bonus while fishing for profit or completing the Fishing bundles. Just be aware that the contents of each chest are randomized, so there’s no guarantee you’ll get clay each time. Overall, fishing up treasure chests can provide a nice supplementary source of clay alongside other mining and foraging methods.
Hoeing Soil
One of the best methods for obtaining clay is by using your hoe on dirt patches around Pelican Town and the surrounding areas. The player can use any type of hoe, but the upgraded versions work more efficiently. Simply equip your hoe and start tilling the soil. Patches that produce clay will make a distinct ‘thunk’ sound when struck.
Some of the best spots to hoe for clay include:
- Around the mountain lake north of the Carpenter’s Shop
- The dirt patches south of the community center and museum
- Around the train station and bus stop
- The path leading from Pelican Town to the beach
This method can yield 1-4 pieces of clay each time. While hoeing does consume energy, it is reliable and renewable. The soil patches respawn each morning, allowing the player to return and hoe the same areas repeatedly. With some patience, mining the land can produce plenty of clay for crafting and construction needs.
Geodes
Geodes found while mining have a chance to contain clay when opened. Geodes can be found by breaking rocks while mining in the mines. The further down you go in the mines, the more likely geodes are to contain clay when opened. Geodes can be opened using a Geode Crusher or taken to the Blacksmith to be opened. According to the Stardew Valley Wiki, geodes have a 25% chance to contain 2-5 clay when opened.
Focusing your mining efforts on levels 80-120 will provide the highest chance of obtaining geodes containing clay. It’s recommended to save geodes until having the Geode Crusher to open them quickly. Opening geodes is one of the most reliable methods for obtaining a steady supply of clay.
Tilling Soil
One of the most common ways to obtain clay in Stardew Valley is by tilling soil on your farm. When using a hoe on untilled dirt, there is a small chance it will produce clay. The chance of getting clay from tilling is around 1-2%, so it requires patience and persistence.
It’s recommended to hoe large open areas like the north of your farm where few crops are planted. Repeatedly hoe over the same spots day after day. Over time, you’ll accumulate a decent supply of clay along with other foraged items like geodes and cave carrots.
Some players have had success tilling in set patterns to maximize their clay yields. However, many feel the pattern method was patched and no longer works. Regardless, tilling soil across your farm remains a reliable clay source. Just be prepared for it to take many in-game days of effort.
For more details, see: https://hackernoon.com/6-ways-to-get-clay-in-stardew-valley-and-how-to-use-it
Artifact Spots
One way to obtain clay in Stardew Valley is by digging up artifact spots scattered around the map. Artifact spots appear as worm-like mounds of dirt with small brown dots. When an artifact spot is dug up using the hoe, there is a chance it will contain clay along with other random foraged items like books, Lost Books, Ancient Seeds, and more.
Artifact spots have set locations that remain the same each day. However, only a certain number will spawn per day. Some of the most common locations to find artifact spots are along the beach, around the mountains to the north of Pelican Town, in the forest west of Marnie’s ranch, and around the Calico Desert. Diligently checking these areas each day and digging up any artifact spots found can result in obtaining a good supply of clay over time.
According to the Stardew Valley Wiki article on clay, the chance of finding clay from an artifact spot is around 8% on average. With some persistence and luck, farming artifact spots can become a decent renewable source of clay.
Clint’s Special Orders
Another way to obtain clay in Stardew Valley is by completing special orders for Clint the blacksmith. Clint will occasionally post requests on the bulletin board outside Pierre’s General Store for various resources and items he needs. If you complete the requested order and return the items to Clint within the specified time limit, he will reward you with items like ore, bars, or clay.
For example, one of Clint’s special orders may ask you to collect and deliver 10 copper ore within 3 days. If you complete this request and bring him the 10 copper ore within the time limit, Clint will thank you and give you a reward that can include 3-5 clay. Check the special order board regularly for opportunities to earn clay this way.
According to this Stardew Valley clay farming guide, completing Clint’s special orders can be a reliable way to stock up on clay, especially once you’ve progressed further in the game and have access to more resources that Clint may request.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several key ways to obtain clay in Stardew Valley. The beach is a great place to dig up clay from the sand. The Secret Woods can provide clay when the soil is tilled with a hoe. Fishing treasure chests have a chance of containing clay as well. Hoeing regular dirt on your farm has a chance to produce clay too. Geodes, both regular and omni, can contain clay when cracked open. Tilling artifact spots with the hoe can also provide clay. Completing special orders for Clint may reward clay. Lastly, visiting Ginger Island allows you to mine clay nodes at the island’s dig site.
Clay is an essential resource in Stardew Valley, especially in the early game. It is used to craft silos, which allow you to store hay. Retaining soil also requires clay, which helps preserve watered status on crop plots. Having a steady supply of clay will make many parts of farm development easier. The locations mentioned above ensure you’ll have renewable sources of this important material.