Harvey Stardew Valley Guide

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Seth Christmus

Seth is a writer for SDew HQ. As a kid, one of Seth’s favorite games was Harvest Moon 64. He’s always enjoyed playing indie games, too, so this led to a natural love of Stardew Valley and how it built upon games like Harvest Moon. He has written guides, reviews, and news articles for a number of gaming sites in the past.

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Stardew Valley, the 2016 indie video game hit, is a great way to unwind and destress from a day filled with the constant pressures of today’s working world. That’s one of the game’s core themes: escaping from your cubicle prison in the big city to a life of plowing fields and raising farm animals. If I had to choose between the two lifestyles, I find myself leaning towards moving somewhere rural.

That’s the same decision that Harvey, Pelican Town’s local doctor, faced before he moved to Stardew Valley. Desiring a small-town atmosphere and an approach to medical treatment that wasn’t just coldly prescribing treatment and pills, he chose to pack up and move to Pelican Town after finishing school. He’s happy with his new life and with the fact he can build personal friendships with his patients.

That’s not to say that all parts of his decision have been rosy. In addition to worrying about the health of every person in town, he also has to worry about the business side of his clinic. Harvey has a difficult time finding enough patients to scrape by, a fact he confides in you. It’s a tough position, but part of the trade-off.

He remains devoted to caring for the town, despite the challenges he faces. As you get to know him, you may find a kindred spirit in Harvey. It’s the same kind of spirit that drove your character to Stardew Valley in the first place.

If you’re looking to learn more about Harvey, this guide will give all of his essential information. From his hobbies to the best gifts for him, you’ll find all you need to know here about Harvey and building a friendship with him. Let’s get started – the doctor will see us now!

Bottom Line Up Front

• Harvey is a doctor who works and lives in Pelican Town. He runs the town’s clinic.
• He is one of 12 characters you can marry in Stardew Valley.
• He cares about the health of the townspeople and conducts annual checkups for them.
• Harvey’s essentials:
  • Age – ???
  • Appearance – brown hair and mustache, rounded-square frame glasses, green blazer, white button-up dress shirt, tan necktie
  • Temperament – caring, reserved, friendly
  • Family – ???
  • Friends – Maru
  • Best Gifts – Coffee, Wine, Pickles, Truffle Oil, Super Meal
  • Birthday – Winter 14

Appearance, Personality, and Hobbies

Appearance

Harvey is a doctor and dresses the part as he looks more business-like than your average townsperson. He wears a green blazer with a white button-up dress shirt and a tan tie. He wears rounded-square frame glasses over his greenish-brown eyes. He has brown hair that he wears the majority of in a part to the right.

Lastly, he has a mustache that makes me think he’s a little older, maybe in his 30s. This can be backed up by some of Harvey’s comments that he went to medical school for 8 years.

Personality

Harvey is professional and polite when you first meet him. After you get to know him a little better, he expresses a desire to be friends with you and puts the doctor-patient relationship to the side. He’s shy and has a tough time putting away the metaphorical stethoscope, but he always means well in everything that he says and does.

From the beginning, it’s obvious that Harvey is a doctor who really cares for his patients. He mentions feeling responsible for the health of everyone in the valley, a sign that he takes his obligations as the only doctor in Pelican Town seriously. The fact that he’s the one person who can help during a medical emergency weighs on him and can make him come off as stressed at times. That said, he’s never impolite to you or any of the other villagers.

Hobbies

Before he became a doctor, Harvey wanted to be a pilot. This dream was taken away from him due to his bad eyesight. Instead, he now works on model planes as a hobby. He even has a working aircraft radio he can use to contact pilots.

His love for aviation doesn’t stop at planes; reach 10 Hearts with Harvey and he’ll take you on a hot air balloon ride. It seems the man knows how to treat a date, so I’d say romance is one of his hobbies, too.

Family and Friends

Harvey doesn’t have any family that’s mentioned in the game, either by himself or by other characters. Maru, who works in his clinic as an assistant, is his friend. Both pieces of information make sense, as Harvey sees Maru nearly every day and mentions that he’s not from Stardew Valley, though he never says how long ago he moved there.

Maru

Maru is a friendly woman who is also an eligible bachelorette. When she’s not working with Harvey in the clinic, she’s tinkering on her inventions or is helping out her dad, Demetrius, in his lab. If you don’t pursue either Harvey or Maru, these two can be seen together at a couple of events in the valley.

At the Luau, Harvey and Maru stand together near the fire pit on the beach. If you speak to Harvey, he’ll wonder if Maru needs any sunscreen on her shoulders, which suggests that he has at least somewhat of a crush on her. The other event we see Harvey and Maru at together is the Flower Dance. Here, if the player doesn’t dance with either character, they will dance together in the final cutscene of the event.

Schedule

Tuesdays and Thursdays are the easiest days to find Harvey, as he spends the entire day in the clinic or upstairs in his home. You can find him downstairs as soon as the clinic opens at 9 AM. He returns to his room at 6 PM.

He’s easy to track down on Fridays, too. Unless it’s raining, he’ll work at the clinic until noon and then go to Pierre’s General Store until 3 PM. He returns home after this. On Saturdays, Harvey goes to the museum at 8:30 AM and returns home at 3 PM.

Outside of those days, Harvey keeps a different schedule depending on the season, though the only thing that changes is the location of his afternoon walk. In Spring, he goes to the small grassy area to the left of the town square. Summer finds him going to the fountain by the Community Center. In Fall, he spends time walking to the tree by the bridge leading to the beach. Finally, in Winter, he stays inside, opting to return to his apartment above the clinic.

On rainy or snowy days, Harvey never leaves the building that contains the clinic and his home. He spends the first half of the day working at the clinic, then returns to his room to mess with his radio or read. His Tuesday or Thursday schedule will override this since he has to give checkups to patients.

Harvey’s Clinic

Harvey’s Clinic is where the townspeople go for a checkup or when they’re feeling ill, but it’s also my favorite place to buy healing items for the Mines. The clinic only offers two items for sale: Energy Tonic and Muscle Remedy.

Both items work well for when you want to travel deep into any of the dungeons in Stardew Valley. They also aren’t super expensive as they both sell for 1,000g. Energy Tonic heals you for 500 Energy and 200 Health when you use it.

Muscle Remedy will heal you too, but only for 50 Energy and 22 Health. The main use of Muscle Remedy is to remove Exhaustion, which occurs when you expend all of your energy. This is extremely easy to do when mining if you aren’t paying attention.

Best Gifts for Harvey

Coffee

Ah, the hot caffeinated beverage that has kept civilization going for centuries. Harvey enjoys a good cup of joe and it’s easy for you to indulge him to raise his Friendship level. The easiest way to get coffee is to buy some from the Stardrop Saloon for 300g.

Coffee can be obtained in a few other ways. If you’re growing coffee beans on your farm, placing 5 of them in a keg will produce a cup of coffee after 2 in-game hours. Players that happen to have a Coffee Maker in their home will get a free cup of coffee every morning. Another way to get a cup of coffee is to get one for free every night from the Desert Trader when the Night Market is in town (Winter 15 – 17).

Wine

While most characters enjoy receiving beer, it’s better to give Harvey wine since it’s his alcohol of choice. You can make wine by putting any kind of fruit into a keg. It takes a week for the fruit to ferment into wine.

If you’re looking for options outside of making your own wine, it’s possible to buy it from the Traveling Cart. You may also receive a bottle as a gift at the Feast of the Winter Star, the celebration that takes place on the 25th of Winter.

Pickles

This sour treat is another favorite of Harvey’s that requires a few items to make. First, you’ll need a vegetable or some ginger, which can be harvested on Ginger Island. While I normally think of cucumbers as being used to make pickles, you can’t grow them in Stardew Valley, so you’re free to use any kind of veggie you want.

Second, you’ll need a Preserves Jar, an item that can be crafted from 50 wood, 40 stone, and 8 coal. You’ll receive the crafting recipe for the Preserves Jar when you reach level 4 in the Farming skill.

Truffle Oil

In what seems to be a theme for Harvey’s favorite items, Truffle Oil is another Artisan Good that you can make for him. Making Truffle Oil isn’t difficult, but there are a few things you need first before you can whip some up.

First things first, you’ll need a Deluxe Barn. This is because the Deluxe Barn allows you to raise pigs. Your next step is to buy a pig because pigs are the animal that will find Truffles for you when you let them graze outside. Finally, you must have an Oil Maker to turn the truffle into the finished truffle oil. After reaching level 8 in Farming, you can craft one by combining 50 Slime, 20 Hardwood, and 1 Gold Bar.

Super Meal

Doctors, we tend to think, are some of the healthiest people in society. I think Harvey intends to be with this last favorite item of his. The Super Meal is full of healthy veggies and can be made in the comfort of your home.

Provided you have purchased the kitchen upgrade for your home from Robin, you can use the stove to combine 1 Bok Choy, 1 Cranberry, and 1 Artichoke to make a Super Meal. If you don’t have a kitchen, you can use a Cooking Kit or wait for a Super Meal to randomly appear in the stock of the Stardrop Saloon, Krobus’s Shop, or the Volcano Dungeon Shop for you to buy one.

Worst Gifts for Harvey

In addition to the items that are hated by every character, presenting Harvey with any of the following gifts will worsen your relationship with him:

• Coral
• Spice Berry
• Nautilus Shell
• Salmonberry
• Rainbow Shell

Steer clear of these giving items to Harvey to level up your Friendship with him as quickly as possible.

Harvey’s Heart Events

2 Heart Event

This event takes place in George’s house while Harvey is performing a house call. To trigger it, enter the house anytime that George is home and you have at least 2 Hearts with Harvey.

Harvey and George are at odds, with the older man thinking that he shouldn’t have to follow Harvey’s advice because it’s his body. Harvey will get a little annoyed with you being there – it’s a private session, after all – but George will ask for your opinion. Answering that he should follow Harvey’s advice will positively affect your relationship with the doctor.

4 Heart Event

This is the first event in which Harvey shows that he’s starting to care for you and your health. Entering the clinic while Harvey is there will start a cutscene where he says that he was just about to write a letter to you regarding your annual checkup. Since you’ve arrived anyway, he decides to go ahead and do it.

Harvey mentions that your pulse is high, at which point you can choose a response. Answering either that you’re nervous or that you’ve been working hard will boost your friendship with him. Your checkup ends with Harvey imploring you to be careful about overworking yourself.

6 Heart Event

Harvey is a constant worrywart about his health and the health of others, so seeing him join the ladies’ exercise class hosted at Pierre and Caroline’s home isn’t a big shocker. You catch a glimpse of Harvey doing his best to work out when you enter Pierre’s General Store after reaching 6 Hearts with him.

When Harvey finds that you’ve been watching him, he’s embarrassed and asks you not to tell anyone. He goes on to explain that he’s trying to stay healthy, which is getting harder to do as he grows older. In the end, he asks you to keep the whole situation a secret from any of the other townspeople. Agreeing not to say anything increases your Friendship with Harvey.

8 Heart Event

In this Heart Event, we finally get to see Harvey doing something that he enjoys, apart from caring for people in his clinic. Enter the clinic after reaching 8 Hearts with Harvey and you’ll head straight to his room to find him using his radio to try to contact a pilot. He’s successful, prompting him to make you look out the window to see the pilot flying overhead.

The scene prompts Harvey to open up to you. He reveals that he wanted to be a pilot when he was younger, but couldn’t because of his eyesight. While it’s sad that he wasn’t able to achieve his dream, Harvey seems content with how his life turned out. The scene ends with Harvey showing you the fruits of his other hobby: building model airplanes.

10 Heart Event

This Heart Event is in the running for most romantic in the game. Upon reaching 10 Hearts with Harvey, you’ll receive a letter from him asking you to meet him at the railroad tracks between 9 AM and 5 PM. When you arrive, so does a hot air balloon from the sky. Harvey goes on to explain that he booked the balloon for you and him.

Harvey has a fear of heights – funny, considering his love of planes. You can ask him why he wants to do this when he has such a fear. In a touching moment, he explains that he feels your courage will be enough for both of you. The two of you ride up into the sky, spending time together as Harvey cycles through fear and excitement. Before returning to the ground, you and Harvey kiss against the backdrop of a sky made pink by the sunset.

14 Heart Event

This scene occurs after you’ve given Harvey a bouquet and maxed out his Friendship Heart level. Harvey prepares a homecooked meal for you, even going to the trouble of setting the table for a nice dinner together. Nothing particularly exciting happens, but it makes for a cute scene.

Harvey asks how the pasta he prepared tastes and offers to wash up the dishes after you finish eating. If anything, this scene serves as a preview of what married life with Harvey will be like.

Marriage with Harvey

After you marry Harvey and he moves into your home, he gets his own room that he decorates with things from his old apartment. His aircraft radio is there and so are his model planes. Some of his books litter the floor and he also has what looks to be parts for model planes on his table.

Harvey will continue to work as a doctor in the clinic – people need to stay healthy, of course. But on days that he doesn’t leave the house, there’s a chance he’ll prepare breakfast for you in the form of a Complete Breakfast. Rainy days may see him prepare dinner for you as well, a nice treat to come home to after a long day of running around and getting wet.

Best Merch Items

Characters that you can marry in Stardew Valley tend to be more popular, meaning that they naturally have more merchandise available. Harvey is no exception. He’s also a fan-favorite, so there tends to be more unique, fan-made merch for sale with Harvey’s face on it. Here are a few of my favorite items:

• Bachelor Bouquet T-shirt
• Pelican Town Friends Enamel Pin Combo
• I Got Vaccinated at Harvey’s Clinic Sticker
• Harvey Pixel Mug
• Harvey’s Clinic Cleaning Cloth

FAQs

Harvey Stardew Valley Guide: Conclusion

While Harvey is a little older than the other bachelors in town, he just might be the sweetest. He’s a romantic who takes you on a one-of-a-kind date, and married life with him is a quiet, peaceful, and domestic affair. He also seems to have quite a few fans in the Stardew Valley community.

Putting marriage aside, Harvey is a genuinely caring and hard-working member of the Stardew Valley community. I liked him from the moment I barged in on his appointment with George. Our friendship was further solidified by the numerous times he’s had to rescue me from the mines – though I’m not happy he charges me for his services at a normal rate.

Harvey isn’t in a band like Sam and doesn’t have the brooding factor that Sebastian has. He doesn’t have the looks of Elliot and he isn’t as in shape as Alex.

He’s definitely not the “cool” choice for romance. Despite that, I think he is one of the best bachelors in the game for players looking for a more mature partner to live with them on their farm. Even if you don’t end up marrying him, getting to know Harvey is a good experience that I highly recommend.