Farming is one of the systems in Hytale that’s already well developed in the current Early Access. With an upgradeable workbench, over a dozen different crops, and plenty of other features, it’s well worth taking a closer look at the Farmer’s Workbench and everything it can do. Today we’re diving into farming in Hytale, because there are already lots of great features you should know about. From the sections of the Farmer’s Workbench and cultivation techniques through to Eternal Seeds, there are plenty of details that will surely be expanded in future updates.
Hytale Farmer’s Workbench: tools, seeds and decorative blocks
To get started with farming, you first need to build the Farmer’s Workbench. Open the tab for all benches on the regular workbench and use 6x logs and 20x plant fibres for the recipe. Place the Farmer’s Workbench anywhere you like, ideally so it can also detect other chests.
The Farmer’s Workbench has six sections with the following functions:
- Tools, animal supplies and garden equipment
- Crafting seed for your fields
- Crafting saplings for new trees
- Converting crops into Essence of Life
- Flower pots
- Decorative blocks such as grass, vines, stones and other natural blocks
Farmer’s Workbench upgrades in Hytale
As you can see, the Farmer’s Workbench is complex and offers many ways to fill Hytale’s world with greenery. Like most benches, you can upgrade it by meeting the requirements shown on the right. There are ten tiers, significantly more than any other bench, so you’ll be busy for a while.
The higher you go, the more functionality you unlock. That’s especially important for a wider selection of seed, but you’ll also gain access to new saplings and tools as you improve the bench.
The first eight tiers generally require:
- Greater Essence of Life, crafted by combining 100x Essence of Life
- Crops in increasing quantities, up to 60x items
- Various wood types in growing amounts, some of which are hard to find
For the final two tiers, you’ll additionally need petals from rare plants. You’ll find Azure, Blood and Storm Petals mostly in other biomes, so you’ll have to travel. In total you’ll need 300 of each.
Set up fields in Hytale: irrigation, layout and light
Let’s look at the basics of farming and how to establish and manage fields in Hytale. Much will feel familiar from other survival games, but some aspects work differently here.
Keep these tools handy:
- Pickaxe or shovel to prepare the field
- Hoe, which can receive upgrades later
- Water bucket for scooping, or found in temples
- Watering can
Also gather Essence of Life to craft your first seed. Collect crops in the overworld, such as grain or maize, which you can find almost everywhere. Use the essence at the Farmer’s Workbench to craft your first seed.
Regular soil can be tilled with the hoe. You can plant your seed immediately. Without two key conditions, however, growth will be very slow. Plants won’t wither, so if that pace is fine, you can just leave them.
First, tilled soil needs water so crops grow faster. You have two options:
- Fill your watering can at a water source and water fields manually.
- Create water holes to automatically irrigate the four directly adjacent plots.
Note that Hytale currently has no infinite water source. If you scoop water with a bucket, it won’t replenish. With a watering can, that’s not an issue — you can draw from a single source indefinitely. We therefore recommend building a well and watering manually with the can. Wet soil stays moist for a while, so plant promptly.
Second, plants need light to grow. Place torches or other light sources so your crops receive plenty of light. You’ll see and hear when they advance a growth stage. You can speed up growth later with fertiliser.
Use crops and craft Essence of Life
Tending fields is a relaxing activity. As you progress through the Farmer’s Workbench tiers, you’ll discover new vegetables and plants time and again. Of course, there’s also a practical benefit.
Use your harvest at the cooking station to make tasty dishes. This is still rudimentary for now, but cooking in Hytale will surely grow more complex with future updates. Always carry a snack to heal yourself. You can trade essences for additional recipes in the Forgotten Temple.
Harvesting also gives you Essence of Life, which you can use to craft new seed. You can invest essence in new tools, saplings for trees, or potions as well.
Getting Eternal Seeds in Hytale
To avoid constantly crafting new seed, there are Eternal Seeds. These remain planted forever and regrow continuously. With each harvest, there’s a 0.5% chance that this green seed drops. As you upgrade the Farmer’s Workbench and progress your memories in the Forgotten Temple, you can craft Eternal Seeds. They are extremely expensive, so expect to work towards them for several hours — but it’s worth it to keep your food supply steady.
Conclusion: optimise Hytale farming and have fun
Farming in Hytale is already more complex than many other Early Access features and offers hours of enjoyment. Grow your crops and use the essences you collect for new seed or other purposes. Completing all tiers is definitely a challenge. Features like animal supplies exist, but are still quite limited — they’ll surely expand in future updates.
If you’d like to cultivate your own idyllic field, rent your own Hytale server from us. You and your friends can play together and build a large farm with thriving fields.
