Using your crops to craft artisan goods in Stardew Valley is one of the most lucrative ways to boost your in-game earnings. While it's typically at higher levels that players set up extensive systems for producing Jelly and Wine, Preserves Jars are accessible much earlier in the game, offering a significant advantage to even novice players.

Preserves Jars offer a wide range of possibilities, allowing players to produce various artisan goods that can enhance their profits from fruits and vegetables. They also play a crucial role in making Fish Ponds more profitable. Here’s a comprehensive guide on everything Stardew Valley players need to know about utilizing Preserves Jars effectively.

Updated on January 11, 2025, by Demaris Oxman: With Stardew Valley's 1.6 update, the game introduced an exciting new feature for farmers: the ability to pickle a diverse array of new items. From common foraged items like Dandelions to rare treasures like Purple Mushrooms, these can now be transformed in a Preserves Jar to increase their value. This guide has been updated to include detailed information on these new ways to maximize the utility of this essential farm item.

Where to Get Preserves Jars in Stardew Valley

To craft a Preserves Jar, players need to reach Farming Level 4, where they will unlock the recipe. The materials required are:

• 50 Wood
• 40 Stone
• 8 Coal

These materials are readily available, making Preserves Jars an excellent choice for players eager to produce artisan goods quickly. Wood is obtained by chopping down trees, Stone is found by breaking rocks with a pickaxe, and Coal can be gathered from the Mines, primarily by defeating dust sprites.

In addition to crafting, players can obtain one Preserves Jar as a reward for completing the Quality Crops Bundle (or the Rare Crops Bundle in remixed mode) at the Community Center. They may also be found in the Prize Machine in Mayor Lewis' house.

What Are Preserves Jars Used For in Stardew Valley?

Preserves Jars can transform a variety of items into artisan goods, each yielding different products with varying sell prices and health/energy benefits. If players select the Artisan profession at Farming Level 10, the sale price of the artisan goods increases by 40%.

Item	Product	Sell Price	Health/Energy	Processing Time
Fruit	Jelly	2x (base fruit value) + 50	For edible fruit: - 2x base fruit energy - 2x base fruit health For inedible fruit (e.g., Coconut): - Health: 0.5x base fruit value - Energy: 0.225 base fruit value	2-3 in-game days
Vegetable, Mushroom, or Forage	Pickles	2x (base item value) + 50	For edible items: - 1.75x base item energy - 1.75x base item health For inedible items (e.g., Pumpkin): - Energy: 0.625x base item value - Health: 0.28125 base item value	2-3 in-game days
Sturgeon Roe	Caviar	500g	- 175 Energy - 78 Health	4 in-game days
Any Other Fish Roe	Aged Roe	60 + (base fish price)	- 100 Energy - 45 Health	2-3 in-game days

Only Mushrooms and Forage items that provide positive energy when consumed, such as Chanterelles or Winter Roots, can be processed in a Preserves Jar. Items like Red Mushrooms and Holly, which are poisonous and reduce energy, cannot be pickled.

The sell price of the artisan goods is based on the base value of the item placed in the jar, not considering item quality. Therefore, using lower-quality produce in Preserves Jars can maximize profit gains. For instance, a Jelly made from a gold-quality Apricot will have the same value as one made from a normal-quality Apricot.

Preserves Jars or Kegs?

Players often debate whether to use Preserves Jars or Kegs for their artisan goods. Preserves Jars are more profitable for fruits with a base value under 50g and vegetables/forage items under 160g, thanks to the pricing formula. Additionally, Preserves Jars process items much faster than Kegs. High-yield, low-value crops like Eggplants, wild berries, Corn, and Tomatoes are ideal candidates for turning into Jelly and Pickles.

Preserves Jars are also the only method to convert Fish Roe into artisan goods, making them essential for maximizing the profits from Fish Ponds. Mushrooms, which cannot be processed in Kegs, also benefit from being pickled in Preserves Jars, often providing a better profit margin than using a Dehydrator.