Feed the Statue: Getting a Sweet Gem Berry to Old Master Cannoli in Stardew Valley

Feed the Statue: Getting a Sweet Gem Berry to Old Master Cannoli in Stardew Valley

Looking to boost your energy bar permanently in Stardew Valley? The mysterious Old Master Cannoli statue in the Secret Woods wants “the sweetest taste” and will reward you with a Stardrop for your efforts. This statue is actually quite easy to please, but requires planning ahead since you need to grow a specific seasonal crop. Here’s exactly what Old Master Cannoli wants, where to find him, and how to fix common issues when he doesn’t respond. Jump to quick solution

Finding Old Master Cannoli in the Secret Woods

Before you can interact with Old Master Cannoli, you’ll need to gain access to his home in the Secret Woods. This hidden area isn’t available right away when you start a new game, as it requires a tool upgrade to reach.

Upgrading Your Axe to Access the Secret Woods

The entrance to the Secret Woods is located in the northwest corner of Cindersap Forest (the area south of your farm where Marnie’s Ranch is located). However, a large log blocks the path, which can only be cleared with a Steel Axe or better.

Here’s what you’ll need to upgrade to a Steel Axe:

To upgrade your axe:

1. Mine copper ore in the mines (floors 1-39)
2. Smelt copper ore into copper bars (5 required)
3. Visit Clint’s blacksmith shop with your axe and 2,000g
4. Wait 2 days for the copper axe upgrade
5. Mine iron ore in the mines (floors 40-79)
6. Smelt iron ore into iron bars (5 required)
7. Return to Clint with your copper axe and 5,000g
8. Wait 2 more days for the steel axe upgrade

Once you have your Steel Axe in hand, head to the northwest corner of Cindersap Forest and chop down the large log blocking the entrance to the Secret Woods.

Navigating to the Statue’s Location

Once inside the Secret Woods, you’ll find a forested area with slimes and large stumps you can chop for hardwood. To reach Old Master Cannoli:

1. Enter the Secret Woods through the chopped log
2. Walk toward the northwest corner of this area
3. Look for a stone statue nestled between trees
4. The statue resembles a bearded man with his eyes closed

When you interact with the statue, you’ll see the message: “–Old Master Cannoli-- …Still searching for the sweetest taste…”

This cryptic message is your clue that you need to give the statue something sweet. But not just any sweet item will do!

Obtaining a Sweet Gem Berry

Old Master Cannoli desires the Sweet Gem Berry, one of the rarest and most valuable crops in the game. Obtaining this special item requires advance planning.

Finding and Purchasing Rare Seeds

Sweet Gem Berries grow from Rare Seeds, which can only be obtained from two sources:

1. The Traveling Cart: This merchant appears in Cindersap Forest (south of your farm) every Friday and Sunday. During Spring and Summer, she will always sell Rare Seeds for 1,000g each. During Fall and Winter, there’s only a 1.26% chance she’ll have them in stock.

2. The Winter Night Market: This festival runs from the 15th-17th of Winter and the traveling merchant there sells Rare Seeds.

3. The Seed Maker: If you already have a Sweet Gem Berry, you can put it in a Seed Maker to get 1-3 Rare Seeds.

For first-time berry hunters, your best bet is to purchase a Rare Seed from the Traveling Cart during Spring or Summer. Mark your calendar for Fridays and Sundays and bring at least 1,000g with you when you visit.

Growing and Harvesting a Sweet Gem Berry

Once you have a Rare Seed, you need to know when and how to plant it:

• Growing Season: Rare Seeds can ONLY be grown in Fall (unless planted in the Greenhouse)
• Growth Time: 24 days to mature
• Required Care: Water daily like any other crop

Important planting deadlines:

For your first Sweet Gem Berry, I recommend buying a Rare Seed in Spring or Summer, then holding onto it until Fall 1. Plant it right away on the first day of Fall to ensure it has enough time to grow.

After 24 days of daily watering, your Rare Seed will mature into a beautiful Sweet Gem Berry. Harvest it like any other crop and make sure not to sell it if you want to give it to Old Master Cannoli!

Interacting with Old Master Cannoli

Now that you have a Sweet Gem Berry, it’s time to return to the Secret Woods and present your gift to Old Master Cannoli.

Giving the Sweet Gem Berry to the Statue

To successfully offer the Sweet Gem Berry:

1. Enter the Secret Woods
2. Navigate to Old Master Cannoli in the northwest corner
3. Select the Sweet Gem Berry in your inventory
4. Right-click (or use the “action” button) on the statue to give it the berry
5. The statue’s eyes will turn red after accepting your gift

Important tip: Many players get stuck at this point because the statue doesn’t immediately give you the Stardrop reward.

Receiving Your Stardrop Reward

After giving the Sweet Gem Berry and seeing the statue’s eyes turn red:

1. Make sure your hands are empty (don’t have any item selected)
2. Press the “action” button once more (not the “interact” button)
3. The Stardrop will appear and be consumed automatically
4. You’ll receive a message that your “maximum energy level has increased”

The Stardrop increases your maximum energy by 34 points, which is a significant boost to your daily stamina. This makes it one of the most valuable rewards in the game!

Troubleshooting Issues with Old Master Cannoli

Not having success with Old Master Cannoli? Let’s address some common problems players encounter with this statue.

Common Problems After Giving the Sweet Gem Berry

Red Eyes but No Stardrop

This is by far the most common issue players report. If the statue’s eyes are red but you haven’t received your Stardrop, try these solutions:

1. Empty your hands: Make sure you don’t have any item selected in your inventory
2. Use the action button: Press the action button (not interact) while standing in front of the statue
3. Wait until tomorrow: Some players report that leaving the area and returning the next day fixes the issue
4. Check your inventory: In rare cases, the Stardrop might be added to your inventory rather than consumed automatically

“Nothing Happens” When Offering the Berry

If the statue doesn’t react at all when you try to give the Sweet Gem Berry:

1. Verify it’s a Sweet Gem Berry: Check that you have an actual Sweet Gem Berry, not a different crop
2. Approach from different angles: Try standing in different positions around the statue
3. Clear inventory space: Make sure you have room in your inventory for the Stardrop
4. Restart the game: Save, quit to title, and reload your save file

Issues in Multiplayer Games

Old Master Cannoli works slightly differently in multiplayer games:

• Only ONE Sweet Gem Berry is needed for ALL players to receive a Stardrop
• After the first player gives the Sweet Gem Berry, other players just need to interact with the statue (empty-handed) to get their own Stardrop
• If one player has already given the berry and other players can’t get their Stardrop, try having those players visit the statue on a different day
• In some cases, having the host player present when other players interact with the statue helps trigger the reward

Remember that each player only gets ONE Stardrop from Old Master Cannoli across their entire game, whether in single-player or multiplayer.

Advanced Tips and Timing

Maximizing Profit from Sweet Gem Berries

While giving your first Sweet Gem Berry to Old Master Cannoli is clearly worth it for the Stardrop, subsequent berries are best sold for profit:

Sweet Gem Berries cannot be used in preserves jars or kegs, so you can’t increase their value through processing.

Optimal Planting Schedule

To maximize your Sweet Gem Berry production, consider these strategies:

1. First Year Strategy: Buy 1-3 Rare Seeds in Spring/Summer, plant on Fall 1, give one to Old Master Cannoli and sell the others or use in the Seed Maker

2. Second Year and Beyond: Use the Greenhouse to grow Sweet Gem Berries year-round

   • Plant on day 1, 7, 13, and 19 of each month for continuous harvesting
   • Use Deluxe Speed-Gro to reduce growth time
   • Consider the Agriculturist profession to further reduce growth time

3. Fertilizer Impact: Using quality fertilizers can increase the chance of higher-quality berries, significantly boosting profits

A Farmer’s Tale: My First Encounter with Old Master Cannoli

To close out our guide, here’s a short story from a Stardew Valley player about their experience with Old Master Cannoli:

I’ll never forget my first encounter with that mysterious statue. I had stumbled upon the Secret Woods early in Summer of my first year, after saving up for the steel axe upgrade. When I saw the statue and read that cryptic message about “the sweetest taste,” I was completely stumped.

I tried giving it honey, maple syrup, and even a cake I had baked, but nothing worked. It wasn’t until I noticed a “Rare Seed” at the Traveling Cart that something clicked. The merchant wanted 1,000g-almost all my money at the time-but something told me it would be worth it.

I waited patiently through the rest of Summer, and when Fall arrived, I planted that seed in the best spot on my farm. Every morning, I’d check on it first thing, making sure it was watered before anything else.

When it finally grew into a beautiful Sweet Gem Berry on Fall 25, I knew immediately where it belonged. I rushed to the Secret Woods, heart pounding as I approached Old Master Cannoli. When those eyes turned red, I nearly jumped! But nothing else happened…

After some confused clicking, I realized I needed to interact with the statue a second time, with empty hands. The moment that Stardrop appeared and the magical sound played, I felt like I’d uncovered one of the game’s best secrets. That extra energy has made every day on my farm more productive ever since!

Action Steps Recap

Visit the Traveling Cart on Fridays and Sundays during Spring or Summer, buy a Rare Seed for 1,000g, plant it on Fall 1, harvest after 24 days, then visit Old Master Cannoli in the Secret Woods, give him the Sweet Gem Berry, and interact again with empty hands for your Stardrop reward.

Old Master Cannoli Patch History