Stardew Valley is a game packed full of things to do. Even when you aren't in the mood for farming, you can rest assured that there are plenty of neat little quests to partake in. This holds true in Winter, a season that is known throughout the farming sim universe as one of the most challenging.

Winter is a great time for exploring the local mines, building friendships, and checking in on all those little quests you've wanted to do. Winter is also the season when secret notes will start to appear. Here, we are going to take a look at how to read these notes, as well as what every note in the game says.

Updated April 5, 2024 by Jacqueline Zalace: With the launch of update 1.6 in March 2024, we have new Secret Notes to add! You can now find all 27 notes in the game here.

What Are Secret Notes?

Secret Notes are hidden messages that can be found around the world of Stardew Valley. There are 26 secret notes in total, each containing important information relating to the game. The notes will be numbered, but you can get them in any order.

Some secret notes will have little puzzles that you can solve, while others will provide information about the villagers in Pelican Town. You won't have to worry about storing these notes; they will immediately go into your collection inventory, which is shown above.

How To Read Secret Notes

As soon as Winter arrives, go to the Bus Stop between 6 am to 4 pm to see a cut scene involving a Shadow Person. This can easily be done by leaving your farm in the morning.

After a short cutscene, you'll receive the quest "A Winter Mystery". To complete it, go into town after the figure and follow the footsteps to the bush he's hiding in, just to the left of the playground. Shake the bush to get him to pop out and give you the magnifying glass; this item unlocks the ability to find secret notes.

How To Find Secret Notes

With the magnifying glass, you can now find secret notes. Below, you can see all the activities that have a chance to yield a secret note.

Secret Notes 1-12

Secret Note #1

It's a page from Abigail's Diary

'Things I love: the smell of carved pumpkin, keeping an amethyst under my pillow, chocolate cake, the thrill of spicy eel, and the comfort of Mom's blackberry cobbler (I like to eat!)'

This note details some of Abigail's 'Loved' gifts.

Secret Note #2

It's Sam's holiday shopping list

Everyone's favorites

Sebastian: Frozen Tear, Sashimi

Penny: Emerald, Poppy

Vincent: Grape, Cranberry Candy

Mom: Crispy Bass, Pancakes

Dad: Risotto, Roasted Hazelnuts

Me: Cactus, Maple Bar, Pizza

This note details the loved gifts of the people that Sam is the closest to.

Secret Note #3

It's written in Leah's handwriting

My idea of a perfect dinner would be salad, goat cheese, truffle, and wine. For dessert I'd need a poppyseed muffin. Yum! If someone gave me one of those things, I'd melt.

Here, Leah lists some of her 'Loved' gifts.

Secret Note #4

It's a note of Maru's

Parts still needed for my greatest invention yet!

*Gold Bar

*Iridium Bar

*Battery Pack

*Diamond

*Strawberries

Again, you get a list of an NPC's 'Loved' gifts. This time it's for Maru.

Secret Note #5

It's Penny's handwriting:

I want to get everyone something they love!

Mom: Parsnip, Glazed Yams, NO BEER!

Jas: Fairy Rose, Plum Pudding

Vincent: Pink Cake, Grape

Mr. Mullner: Leek, Fried Mushroom

Granny Mullner: Beet, Tulip

Sweet, helpful Penny lists the 'Loved' gifts of several NPCs.

Mr. Mullner is George, Alex's grandfather, and Granny Mullner is his wife Evelyn. Penny's mom is Pam, and she lists 'NO BEER!' because Penny is trying to help her curb her tendency to drink, but it's actually one of Pam's 'Loved' gifts.

Secret Note #6

Stardrop Saloon Special Orders

Mayor Lewis: Autumn's Bounty (Double order of high-fiber bread on the side)

Marnie: Pumpkin Pie (extra whipped cream!)

Demetrius: Bean Hotpot (Make it spicy)

Caroline: Fish Taco (she wants triple the sauce! Better throw in a few extra napkins...)

This note is probably written by Gus, who owns and operates the Stardrop Saloon, and it also lists the 'Loved' gifts of a few NPCs.

Secret Note #7

It's a page from someone's diary...

...There are only a few 'older' bachelors in town, and none of them are perfect! Harvey is really anxious and weak, but I know he would make a loyal and devoted husband. He likes coffee and pickles.

Elliott is a bit foppish and melodramatic, but he does have a nice chin. He likes crab cakes and pomegranates.

Shane is messy and anti-social. But I think his gruff exterior is a defense mechanism, insulating his softness from the world. He likes Beer, Pizza, and Pepper Poppers.

This note serves not only to tell you about some NPCs loved gifts, but also informs you which are the "older" bachelors in Stardew Valley, and a little about their personalities.

Secret Note #8

To Haley and Emily

Hope you two are doing well! We've sent you your favorite gifts: Pink Cake and Sunflowers for Haley, Gemstones and Wool for Emily!

-Love Mom and Dad

This note is quite interesting because it gives you insight into Haley and Emily's 'Loved' gifts, but it also provides one of the few occasions when we hear from or about the sisters' parents.

Secret Note #9

Alex's Strength Training Diet:

*Complete Breakfast

*Salmon Dinner

(I've learned to love this food... I can feel the protein!!)

Seemingly written by Alex, this note details a couple of cooked meals that are some of his 'Loved' gifts.

Secret Note #10

To receive this Secret Note, you must have completed the quest 'Qui's Challenge' by reaching level 25 in the Skull Cavern.

Someone is

waiting for you

on level 100

in

the

skull cavern...

You'll get the quest "Cryptic Note" after you read this secret note, asking you to get to level 100 of the Skull Cavern.

Once you get there, Mr. Qi will give you Iridium Snake Milk to permanently increase your health by 25 points.

Secret Note #11

[An aged photograph of a young Marnie and Jas on the farm with several animals]

This secret note provides a look at a younger version of Marnie alongside a baby Jas. The note has no information, but it adds to the world-building of the valley.

Secret Notes 12-27

Secret Note #12

I've found some good things by looking in the garbage cans, on lucky days.

Sometimes you'll find the 'dish of the day' behind the saloon... usually fresh!

For dessert, I'll check the Mullners' can for cookies.

For treasures, check the cans by the blacksmith and museum.

This note, probably written by Linus, clues you into the fact that you can interact with the trash cans to loot items (and what you might find in each can).

If you dig in the trash while an NPC is nearby they will be disgusted, and you will lose friendship points with them.

Linus also refers to luck, which tells you that if you loot the garbage on a high-luck day (check with the fortune-teller) you'll be more likely to find the items he's describing.

Secret Note #13

12 o' clock noon SHARP. Last day of the season. Check the bush above the playground.

This note has a solution.

On day 28 in any season, interact with the bush above the playground, which is tucked into a little nook in the cliff. Here, you can find a Junimo Plush that can be used for decoration.

Secret Note #14

I hid something behind the community center.

This note has a solution.

This note alludes to something behind the Community Center. Walk along the back of the building towards the fence until you meet resistance.

Then, use a pickaxe or a hoe and hit the item blocking your path - you'll obtain the Stone Junimo statue!

Secret Note #15

Mermaid Show: 1-5-4-2-3

This note has a solution.

For this note, you will have to wait until the Night Market, which happens every year during the Winter.

When the market is active, go to the far boat to find a Mermaid giving a performance. After the Mermaid's show is finished, click on the shells in the order listed in the note (shown in the image above) and you'll receive a Pearl. This can only be done once per game.

Secret Note #16

[An image of a red X marked above some train tracks and next to a cliff.]

This note has a solution.

This note is directing you to dig up a Treasure Chest. The location you're looking for, which is depicted in the note, is next to a boulder north of the Railroad tracks and the Bathhouse. You can see the location shown in the image above.

Secret Note #17

[An image of a red X marked next to a river, beside a cliff, and near a small bridge.]

This note has a solution.

By digging where this Secret Note tells you to, you'll receive a green Strange Doll, which can be donated to the Museum.

The place you're looking for is easy to find; it's just north of JojaMart, heading just north of the wooden bridge.

Secret Note #18

[An image of a red X marked in a sandy place near a bench.]

This note has a solution.

Once again, this note leads you to treasure in the form of a yellow Strange Doll.

To dig up this treasure, you'll need to gain access to the Calico Desert by completing all the bundles in the Vault room of the Community Center. Then, you can dig in the marked spot in the far south of this area to find the Strange Doll.

Secret Note #19

[An image of a blue house with a series of arrows below it.]

This note has a solution.

This note is a bit different from the past ones. Rather than marking the end location, you will need to follow a cryptic path.

The blue house in the image is 1 Willow Lane (Jodi, Sam, Kent, and Vincent's home). For this, you will need to start directly in front of the door to the house and follow the arrows.

You're not just moving one square in the provided direction, though. You need to go in that direction as far as you can until you hit an obstacle, like a bush, tree, bench, etc. This is the order:

1. Left
2. Up
3. Right
4. Up
5. Right
6. Down
7. Left
8. Down
9. Left
10. Down

When you get to the final destination (behind Mayor Lewis' house, you should just stand on the tile you've landed on and interact with (right-click on PC) the ground.

You'll be rewarded with a statue of Lewis made out of solid gold. It's pretty hilarious.

You can place it anywhere you want, but you can get a special extra secret if you put it somewhere in Pelican Town where a villager will not walk through it. The statue will be replaced with a Rotten Plant the next and you'll get a letter in the mail reading:

In the future, I'd appreciate it very much if you refrained from placing my PRIVATE belongings in town for all to see!

I'm very displeased!

Take this money and never speak of my 'project' to anyone.

The statue will still be around: after you get this letter it has a 90 percent chance of appearing in Lewis' bedroom and a 10 percent chance of appearing in Marnie's bedroom.

Secret Note #20

[An image of a patch of grey, with a red circle surrounding a green circle, and a series of arrows beneath.]

This note has a solution.

This note is similar to the previous one in terms of how to solve it.

What you're looking at is actually Pelican Town's town square. The image is directing you to stand on the center square and follow the arrows to receive a reward.

You want to go in the direction of the arrow for as long as possible. Once you hit an obstacle, move in the direction of the next arrow. In this case, the directions are:

1. Right
2. Down
3. Right
4. Up
5. Right
6. Up
7. Right
8. Down
9. Left
10. Up
11. Left
12. Up
13. Right
14. Up
15. Left
16. Up
17. Left

Following this path will lead you to a truck near JojaMart. Interacting with it will let you talk to the driver, who requests that you bring them a Rabbit's Foot. If you do, you'll get a Special Charm, which permanently increases your luck.

Secret Note #21

[An image of a hand-drawn map to a bush, with a clock and a moon.]

This note has a solution.

This map is leading you to a bush near the bridge in Pelican Town that leads to the beach. Interact with it at exactly 12:40 am (at night), and a surprised Marnie and Lewis will pop out. There's no physical reward - just sweet satisfaction.

Secret Note #22

Greetings [Farmer]...

Have you found my 'secret' in the dark tunnel?

I look forward to meeting you!

-Qi

This note has a solution.

This one is directing you to start the 'The Mysterious Qi' quest. The "secret in the dark tunnel" refers to is in the tunnel out of town that you can get to by going from the bus (which you can take to the Calico Desert) and going west.

If you interact with the wall in the center of the tunnel, you'll complete this Secret Note and start the tunnel.

Secret Note #23

If yoo can reed dis... come to seecrit wuds. Pleez bring may-pal serrup.

This note has a solution.

This note is tied to the "Strange Note" quest. To complete it, just follow the instructions in the note.

Acquire some Maple Syrup and bring it to the Secret Woods (between 6 am and 7 pm). You'll have an interaction with a talking bear and be rewarded with its special knowledge of berries (meaning you can sell Blackberries and Salmonberries for three times as much).

Secret Note #24

It's a page from M. Jasper's book:

...the creatures, known by some as "Forest Spirits" or "Junimos", are said to appear in abandoned buildings after they've "gone to seed".

As a general rule...when humans leave, and nature begins to reclaim her territory, the Junimos will undoubtedly appear.

Folk wisdom holds that the Junimos display some kind of resonant affinity with gemstones that are placed inside their little huts...

Of course, all these claims come from dubious, unverified sources... As far as I know, even the mere existence of these creatures has never been proven!

This Secret Note is meant to tip you off that if you put a foraged mineral, gem, or geode mineral into a Junimo Hut, it will alter the color of the Junimos living there to harvest your crops. Generally, the Junimos will turn the same color as the stone you use.

Secret Note #25

I 'borrowed' a necklace from Mom, but lost it somewhere near the bath house... She's going to freak out if she notices it's missing.

This note has a solution.

To find the lost necklace mentioned in this note, go fishing in that tiny body of water just outside the Spa in any season except for Winter. You'll catch an 'Ornate Necklace' and can then give it to either Caroline (50 friendship points) or Abigail (100 friendship points).

Secret Note #26

Ancient Farming Secrets, line 37:

There's no better helper than a raisin-fed Junimo...

This is the first note added with update 1.6. Through this note, we learn that Junimos like raisins. This isn't just a fun fact though; if you place a bag of raisins in a Junimo hut, there is a chance for them to harvest double the amount of crops as usual.

To make raisins, you simply need to put five grapes in the Dehydrator, which was also introduced with the 1.6 update.

Secret Note #27

My dear grandchild,

By the time you find this note, I expect you'll have been living in the valley for quite some time. I hope things are going well!

I'm honored that you're continuing the family tradition of farming, and through that noble endeavor, bringing greater life and abundance to all of Stardew Valley... a place very dear to my heart.

Keep up the good work!

-Grandpa

P.S. ...I've hidden a very special secret for you somewhere in the valley. You might think of it as a compendium of my greatest discoveries. Someday, when you're ready, you'll find it.

This final note comes from Grandpa and mentions a secret area that you can explore. This refers to the Mastery Cave, which becomes accessible once you master all five skills.

Within the Mastery Cave, you can unlock a variety of unique buffs and items, such as the Treasure Totem or Anvil.