Hay is the everyday fuel that keeps your animals fed in Fields of Mistria, and running out of feed is the fastest way to stall your ranch. The good news is that hay is easy to come by once you know the two main sources: cutting grass with your sword, and buying it outright at Sweetwater Farm. This guide explains exactly how to get hay, how much it costs, how to squeeze more feed out of every swing, and how to use hay to keep your livestock happy through every season — including winter, when fresh grass stops growing entirely.
What Is Hay Used For?
Hay is animal feed. You place it in the feeding troughs inside your barn and chicken coop, and your cows, chickens, ducks, and other livestock eat it to stay healthy and productive. Well-fed animals give better products — including the golden-quality goods that characters like Hayden love — and drop more Shiny Beads, the currency you trade for ranch upgrades. If the feed runs out, your animals go hungry and stop producing, so keeping a steady supply of hay is one of the core loops of ranching in Fields of Mistria. Treat feed the way you treat seeds: always keep more hay on hand than you think you need.
How to Get Hay by Cutting Grass
The most natural source of hay is the grass growing all over town and on your farm. Cut grass with your sword and it has a random chance to drop hay and grass seeds. It is not a guaranteed drop, so cutting a large patch yields a handful of feed rather than a full stack, but grass regrows over time, making it a renewable source. Cutting grass is free, so it is the go-to method whenever the weather is dry and you have energy to spare. Because grass spreads on its own, leaving a few patches uncut lets them multiply for tomorrow, which means more hay the next day.
How to Buy Hay at Sweetwater Farm
When grass is scarce — especially on rainy days when you would rather not swing a sword around — you can buy hay directly. Sweetwater Farm, Hayden's ranch, sells feed for Tesserae, and buying hay is the reliable way to top up your stores before winter, when grass stops growing and your animals still need to eat. Many players stock up on hay on rainy days, since that is when cutting grass is least convenient and a quick shopping trip keeps the troughs full without burning energy.
How Much Does Hay Cost?
Hay costs 50 Tesserae per unit at Sweetwater Farm. For a small herd that is manageable, but the bill climbs quickly as your barn grows, so most ranchers mix buying hay with cutting grass to keep expenses down. Treat bought feed as a supplement, not your only source, and your wallet will thank you — a few free sword-swings a day adds up to serious savings over a season.
Ranching Skills for More Hay
If you find yourself short on feed, look at your ranching skill. Leveling ranching unlocks perks that increase the amount of hay and grass seed you get from cutting grass, which turns your free sword-swinging into a much more productive feed source. Investing skill points into ranching early pays off for the entire game, because every extra drop of hay is Tesserae saved at Sweetwater Farm, and the perks stack with larger grass patches as your farm expands.
How to Feed Animals With Hay
Once you have feed, give it to your animals by placing hay in the troughs inside the barn and the chicken coop. Each trough holds feed for the animals housed there, so keep the troughs topped up and your livestock will eat automatically. You can also feed animals planted crops directly in a pinch, but hay is the staple. Higher-quality feed yields more Shiny Beads, so upgrading what goes into the trough is worth it once your ranch is established and your animals are producing steadily.
Hay Tips
To keep your animals fed without stress:
- Cut grass with your sword whenever it is dry — free hay adds up.
- Buy hay at Sweetwater Farm on rainy days or before winter.
- Level ranching for perks that boost hay drops from grass.
- Keep troughs full so animals never go hungry overnight.
- Stockpile hay before winter, when grass stops growing.
Hay is simple once you build the habit. Cut when you can, buy when you must, and your animals will keep producing all year.