All of the dozens of crops in Stardew Valley have different costs, grow times, and uses, but none is more important than the first crop you get in the game: the humble parsnip. After reading this complete guide, you will know everything you need to farm parsnips properly, and utilize the harvests effectively so you can start out your playthrough the right way.
Description
Parsnips are a tuber closely related to carrots. It has an earthy taste but is full of nutrients. They are only plantable outside in the spring season. Parsnips are classified as vegetable crops in Stardew Valley and will count as such for the grange display at the Fair.
These simple tubers are the first-ever crop you receive in the game. At the start of your first day, you find a package from Mayor Lewis containing 15 parsnip seed packets. This is the very beginning of your farming journey and taking the profits from harvesting that first crop cycle is extremely important.
 | A Stardew Valley Parsnip |
Parsnips can be sold at a base price of 35 gold. As you increase in quality, the gold per parsnip increases as well with silver parsnips selling for 43 gold. Gold quality parsnips are 52 gold, and iridium quality parsnips are 70 gold per parsnip. Also, if you have the Tiller profession then your prices increase by 10%.
Planting Parsnips
Parsnips have a relatively short growth cycle with only 4 growth stages before harvest, taking place over 4 days time. Harvesting will produce 1 parsnip per plant. Also, there is no chance of producing giant parsnips.
Parsnips’ quick harvest time allows you to not only gain some start-up cash at the beginning of the game but also to quickly boost your farming levels.
Stardew Valley Parsnip Seeds
Purchasing Seeds
You can obtain seeds through many different methods. Of course, you get the free 15 seeds from Mayor Lewis at the start of the game, after you can buy them from different places throughout Pelican Town.
 | A packet of parsnip seeds |
Pierre’s General Store and from the Magic Shop Boat at the Night Market are the cheapest places to buy your Parsnip seeds. Here you can snag a seed packet for 20 gold. If you would rather give your money to JojaMart, you are looking at 25 gold per seed packet. Lastly, if you want to buy in the off-season you can purchase seeds from the Traveling Cart, but it will cost you anywhere from 100 to 1,000 gold per seed packet.
| Pierre’s General Store | 20 gold |
| Magic Shop Boat at the Night Market | 20 gold |
| Joja’s Supermarket | 25 gold |
| Traveling Cart | 100-1,000 gold |
Producing Seeds Yourself
If you already have parsnips, you can place one inside a seed maker machine and receive 1-3 parsnip seeds, or 1-4 mixed seeds, or 1 packet of ancient seeds. The chance of getting normal parsnip seeds is the most likely option, with a 97.5% chance of receiving an average of 2 parsnip seeds from inputting one parsnip. If you do happen to get mixed seeds it is not a bad thing though, as mixed seeds planted in spring have a 33.3% chance of producing parsnips too.
 | Seed Maker Machine |
Adventuring
The last method of obtaining parsnip seeds is actually from mining adventures. Occasionally in treasure rooms, inside the Skull Cavern, you might stumble across 5 to 20 parsnip seeds.
Growth Stages of a Stardew Valley Parsnip
As mentioned previously, Stardew Valley parsnips have 4 growth stages before they are able to be harvested. When they are first planted on tilled soil that is their day one or first growth stage. From the day that you plant parsnips, you will have to wait four days for them to be harvestable. Thus, if you plant a parsnip on the first Monday of spring, and replant one every day as soon as the previous was harvested, you can ideally have 6 harvests before spring is over. This is without any bonuses to plant growth.
| First Stage (Day 1) | Second Stage (Day 2) | Third Stage (Day 3) | Fourth Stage (Day 4) | Harvestable (Day 5) |
 |  |  |  |  |
If you want to know the most effective use of your farming time, check out our definitive farming guide here.
What to do with a Stardew valley parsnip
Since parsnips are crops, there are a multitude of different uses normally and even extra for this special starter crop.
We recommend focusing on parsnips as your main crop at the beginning of the game. Though they are not quite as profitable as other spring crops they are the fastest way to level up your farming skill. Add this on top of needing parsnips for two different bundles (described in more detail below) and it is easy to see why parsnips are so important early game.
After you have enough farming levels, and 5 gold quality parsnips, then you can move on to more profitable crops like either the potato or cauliflower.
Eating
Consuming a raw parsnip will give you 25 energy points and 11 health points.
Crafting
Cooked Dishes
Parsnips are used in two different cooked dish recipes. The most important parsnip dish is Farmer’s Lunch. This dish is said to “keep you going”, which it does do what is advertised because it restores 200 energy points and 90 health points. It also adds a +3 buff to your farming skill and only costs an egg, milk, and a parsnip. Overall, Farmer’s Lunch is not a dish to forget about.
 | Farmer’s Lunch |
The second dish parsnips are used in is parsnip soup. It is described as being fresh and hearty, and restores 85 energy points and 38 health points. The recipe includes a parsnip, milk, and vinegar. This dish costs a little extra to produce and does not give nearly as good buffs in return when compared to Farmer’s Lunch.
 | Parsnip Soup |
Artisan Goods
Parsnips are used to produce two different artisan goods: juice and pickles. Juice is made by putting parsnips into a keg for 6,000 minutes. Pickles are made by putting parsnips into a preserves jar for 4,000 minutes.
 Parsnip Juice |  Parsnip Pickles | |
| Base Price | 78 gold | 120 gold |
| Price with Artisan Profession | 109 gold | 168 gold |
Tailoring
Lastly, parsnips can also be used to craft a dyeable shirt and belt using the sewing machine, or as yellow dye in the dye pots. Both of these are located inside Emily and Haley’s Home inside Pelican Town, 2 Willow Lane.
 | The Shirt and Belt crafted using a parsnip. |
Gifting
Only one villager loves receiving parsnips as a gift, Pelican Town’s resident bus driver: Pam. This crop is an excellent way to quickly level up her friendship in the first month of the year.
Everyone else likes getting parsnips as presents, except for Abigail, Haley, Jas, Sam, and Vincent.
Bundles
Parsnips are mandatory items in two different bundles for the Community Center.
In the Pantry, a parsnip of any quality is used in the Spring Crops bundle. Completing this bundle gives 20 Speed-Gro as a reward, a perfect prize to help you start your summer season crops. This bundle is easier to complete before moving onto the Quality Crops bundle which requires 5 gold-quality parsnips.
Not only do you need to have higher quality products, but you also need crops from different seasons to complete the Quality Crops bundle. After you finish your year of quality crops, you will get a preserves jar in return.
The real prize occurs after you complete all the Pantry bundles. This restores the dilapidated Greenhouse on your farm, unlocking the ability to crow crops and fruit trees year-round.
Quests
Parsnips will be utilized in the first quest of the game: “Getting Started”. For this, you will be tasked to cultivate and harvest a parsnip from the seeds given to you for free by Mayor Lewis.
The only other quests parsnips are used for are Help Wanted quests. They can be requested during the spring season from the Help Wanted board. This board is located on the front of Pierre’s General Store, next to the calendar. Completing requests for parsnips give 105 gold and 150 friendship points to the villager who requests the crop.
