Harvest moon back to nature Game Basics FAQ

          The following are the most frequently asked questions about Harvest Moon: Back to Nature. Take a few moments to read through this chapter and learn how everything works. This will give you a big advantage in your endeavors to save your grandfather’s farm, even if you’ve played Harvest Moon in the past.

How do I upgrade my tools and buildings?

           Saibara the Blacksmith can upgrade your tools for you. Upgrading is expensive,but it’s well worth it. Upgraded tools save a lot of time in caring for your field, so upgrade them as soon as you can afford to.
         Each time you upgrade a tool, Saibara will keep it for three days. Know your schedule and plan accordingly before you give up one of your tools for upgrade.

           You can also upgrade each of your farm buildings. First, gather Lumber by cutting up Stumps and Branches. Then work on earning enough Gold. Talk to Gotz the Carpenter to find out
exactly how much you’ll need.
           Upgrading the Chicken Coop and the Barn allows you to care for
twice as much livestock. Increasing the size of your House gets you a Kitchen so you can cook and a Bedroom so you can marry the girl of your dreams. You can even build a Hothouse so you can grow
crops out of season.

Where do I find the ore to pay for upgrades?

         Saibara requires rare types of ore before he’ll upgrade tools.The lower you go into a mine, the more valuable the ore you’ll find.

Winter mine

         Two mines are available to you. You may enter the one behind the waterfall near the Hot

Spring during all seasons. You’ll find Junk, Copper,Silver, Gold, and Mystrile Ores inside. The Winter Mine lies in the center of the lake at the base of Mother’s Hill. You can reach it only after the lake freezes over. It holds Junk, Mystrile, Orichalc, and Adamantite Ores. You can also find a Power Berry in each mine.

How do I work my way through the mines?

       Mining requires a lot of effort, but you can

milk the experience for all it’s worth with

the proper tools. Purchase a Basket from the

Supermarket as soon as you can afford to. The

Basket holds 30 pieces of ore, so you can carry more

back to your farm with each trip. You can make

good use of a Large Rucksack as well.

Your Hoe is your only mining tool. You can mine

only one square at a time, even with an upgraded Hoe.

   As you mine each level, you’ll come to a hole in the floor. There you’ll find the ladder to the floor below. To descend, step on the hole, then choose to go down. To exit the mine, climb a ladder or go out the door at the top. Once
you’ve gone down a level, you cannot climb
back to the previous floor.

NOTE : If you accidentally leave your Basket on a floor above, you must exit the mine, then reenter and work your way back down
to the floor where you left it.

How do I get the Lumber I need?

     You must collect Lumber to upgrade buildings and create Fences. To get Lumber, chop up the Branches and Stumps you find on your farm and other places.

        You’ll find Stumps and Branches on your farm at the beginning of the game. Once you chop them up, they’re gone for good.

You can find additional Branches when you go fishing, but the big payoff is the Stumps you find here and there. There are two next to the Hot Spring, two on Mother’s Hill, and several more next to Gotz’s House. These Stumps regenerate every day, so they’re your

best source for Lumber.

To cut up a Branch, chop it up with your Basic Axe. Stumps require at least a Copper Axe. An upgraded Axe saves wear and tear on your character. After you upgrade to the Mystrile Axe, a single poweredup

hit will turn even the mightiest Stump to kindling.

      After you chop up a Branch or a Stump, the Lumber automatically transfers to your

Woodbin next to the Barn. Take single pieces from the bin to build Fences. Gotz will take what he needs from the bin when

you ask him to upgrade a building.

How do I take care of my animals?

 

     As your farm grows, you’ll want to begin raising animals there. You can raise a Dog, a Horse,Chickens, Cows, Fish, and Sheep on your farm. Although raising all types of livestock is pretty similar, there are some differences. Read on to learn how to take care of your animals and how to get the best results from them.
You begin the game with a Puppy. Although it won’t earn you any extra money, it can help you out on the farm after it grows. It takes about three months for your Puppy to mature to a Dog.



        It’s important to spend time with    
your Dog every day to improve
your relationship with it. Pick it up
daily (stand next to it and press U).
These hugs help increase your Dog’s
affection toward you. Because you
don’t need to feed your Dog, having
one costs you nothing more than a
bit of time.


           
       During spring of the first year, you can get a Pony for free when you visit Yodel Farm for the first time. Raising a Horse earns you no extra money, but will allow you to participate in the spring Horse Race once your Horse matures.

   




 To care for your Horse, you need only a Brush, which you can purchase at the Blacksmith’s Shop for 800 Gold. Talk to your Horse every day and brush it to increase its affection toward you. You needn’t feed your Horse at any time.

       Aside from your Dog and your Horse, Chickens are the easiest and least expensive animals to keep on your farm. You can purchase Chickens for 1,500 Gold each at the Poultry Farm. This may seem like a lot of money at first, but it’s really very affordable. You should be able to purchase
a Chicken within the first season.

        Chickens are a great source of income, and they’re relatively low-maintenance compared to other livestock. Begin raising Chickens right away so you have a constant source of income and Eggs for presents and recipes.

        Cows are the most expensive animals you can
keep, but they’re a great source of income.
Happy, healthy, adult Cows produce Milk every
day that you can sell, give as gifts, use in recipes,
or turn into Cheese with a Cheese Maker.

It takes time to save up the money you need to buy a Cow. You can purchase them at Yodel Farm for 6,000 Gold a head—quite a bit of cash for a novice farmer to come up with. You should be able to purchase your first Cow in the summer or fall of the first year. After you buy a Cow, it will automatically appear in your
Barn. Begin taking care of it right away.

       

       At first, your Barn can hold a combination of 10 Cows and Sheep. The local carpenter, Gotz, can expand the Barn to hold 20 animals; this isn’t cheap, but it’s worthwhile.The larger Barn allows you to breed more Cows, which you can sell back to Yodel Farm for a healthy sum.

       Sheep should be your third livestock investment. You can sell the Wool for a tidy profit, or breed the Sheep and sell them back to Yodel Farm. Purchase Sheep from Yodel Farm for 4,000 Gold. Any Sheep you purchase automatically appear in your Barn. You must begin caring for your new animals the day they arrive.


     Caring for your Sheep involves talking to them and brushing them every day. Shear the Sheep using Clippers you can purchase at the Blacksmith’s Shop for 1,800 Gold. The amount
of Wool you get—Small, Medium, or Large—
depends on the Sheep’s mood and affection
level. You can get the Grand amount of
Wool only from a Sheep that wins the
fall Sheep Festival. Once sheared, a
Sheep’s Wool regrows to its full length
in seven days.

How do I catch Fish?

    

    

       Collect and breed Fish in your farm’s Fish Pond.You’ll need a Fishing Rod you can get in the spring from Greg the Fisherman if you visit the dock between 6 and 9 a.m.

        Catching Fish requires a lot of patience. Stand facing a body of water with the Fishing Rod equipped. Press and hold - to cast the line.Continue holding - until you see the bobber snap under water or your character strain against a tug on the line. Quickly release - ; if you’re lucky, you’ll catch a Fish (or a useful object). If you’re unlucky, you’ll end up with an empty hook or some worthless

garbage.