Stardew Valley Secret Notes Locations and Rewards: Complete Guide
Discover every Stardew Valley secret note location and the rewards you can earn from each one.
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Discover exactly how to get the golden scythe in Stardew Valley with this guide to the Quarry Mine location, steps, and rewards.
One-of-a-kind tool. Can't buy it from Clint. Can't craft it. The only way to get the golden scythe in Stardew Valley is to walk into the Quarry Mine and take it off the altar at the bottom.
Pick it up and it replaces your regular scythe forever. Not a separate item in your inventory. You don't swap back. The old scythe just… vanishes.
Why bother?
If you're out there chopping grass or harvesting wheat for hours, this tool changes your whole routine.
Before the step-by-step, you need the lay of the land. The golden scythe is not in the regular Mines. Not in Skull Cavern either. It lives in the Quarry Mine — a small cave tucked inside the Quarry area.
Once the Quarry is open, finding it is easy:
Never unlocked the Quarry? You'll hit a wall of boulders blocking the path. Deal with those first.
Two ways in:
Either path, the boulders clear and the mine entrance is right there waiting.
Alright. Here's the actual run.
Mandatory. Quarry still closed? You can't reach the Quarry Mine. Crafts Room bundles or Joja payment first.
No quest to start. No cutscene to trigger. Year 1 or Year 10 — the golden scythe sits at the bottom of that cave no matter when you show up.
Quarry Mine isn't the hardest spot in the game, but it's not empty either. A few monsters wander around inside. You don't need endgame gear, but toss these in your bag:
Honestly? The Quarry Mine is pretty chill. I've walked in with the starter sword and a handful of field snacks. Way easier than the lower regular Mines floors.
New player warning: no food = bad time. Pass out in the cave and you lose money and maybe items. Not how you want this run to end.
Inside the Quarry, head to the northwest corner. Cave entrance with a wooden frame, right against the cliff. That's it. Walk in.
Small levels. Straightforward layout. You won't get lost. Ladders and holes show up as you clear each little floor.
Enemies here and there. Keep your weapon out if things get close, but you don't have to fight every single one. Goal is the bottom.
Whole mine takes a few minutes once you know the way. It's not a long dungeon. It confuses people only because most players never realize it exists.
Bottom of the Quarry Mine. Room with a stone altar in the middle. On that altar? A shiny golden scythe.
Walk up. Interact. Done. It swaps straight into your toolbar. Your regular scythe is gone for good.
First time I grabbed it I felt like a grim reaper cosplayer. Tiny hidden area, but the reward makes the trip absolutely worth it.
Another new player warning: when your old scythe disappears, that's normal. That's supposed to happen. The golden scythe is your permanent scythe now.
Most players miss the golden scythe because they're looking in the wrong place. Don't repeat their mistakes.
By far the most common. Regular Mines have tons of loot, but the golden scythe isn't one of them.
Grinding floors 80+ looking for it? Stop. The golden scythe only exists in the Quarry Mine.
New players sprint up to the Quarry at the start of the game, see the boulders, and assume they just need a stronger pickaxe. Nope.
Those boulders can't be broken. Quarry unlocks only through Crafts Room or Joja. No pickaxe trick.
Golden scythe isn't something you stash in a chest, trade, or sell. It's a tool-slot item.
Take it and your normal scythe is gone. The golden one stays in your toolbar. I've seen players panic later thinking they lost it — it's always there.
Enemies live in the Quarry Mine. Walk in with no food and low health? You might pass out.
Passing out costs gold and maybe items. For a reward this cool? Bring snacks.
No big cutscene when you grab the golden scythe. Some players walk out of the cave and don't even realize they have it.
Check your toolbar for the golden icon. Swing it at some grass. You'll know immediately.
Absolutely worth the trip. Here's what you're getting:
Endgame tool for all your grass and crop harvesting. Year 1 or Year 10, you want this.
No. Not required for any Community Center bundle, achievement, or story quest. Purely optional. That said, it's so useful that almost everyone ends up going for it anyway.
No. Once you pick it up, it stays in your toolbar permanently. Can't sell it, drop it, or throw it away. No way to misplace it.
Works exactly like the regular scythe. Use it on scythe crops — wheat, amaranth, fiber. Also cuts grass, weeds, and mixed seeds on your farm.
A little. A handful of enemies, but nothing like late Mines floors or Skull Cavern. Basic weapon plus a few healing items and you're totally fine.
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