Skyrim Farming Guide: How to Unlock Farming in Skyrim

If you’re wondering how to farm in Skyrim, there are a few things you’ll have to do first. This all-in-one Skyrim farming guide will take you through all the steps you’ll need to complete, including the Unquiet Dead quest, unlocking Goldenhills Plantation, and the actual process of agriculture and husbandry. Here’s our Skyrim farming guide and how to unlock farming in Skyrim.

Skyrim: How to Unlock Farming

Farming itself is a Creation Club mod that must be purchased separately through the Creation Club. However, it does come with the Anniversary Edition upgrade if you’ve purchased that. To unlock farming you’ll need to complete the Quiet Undead quest first so I’m going to walk you through each one in detail.

How to Unlock Goldenhills Plantation in Skyrim

Before we dive into this Skyrim farming guide, we need to unlock Goldenhills Plantation by completing The Unquiet Dead quest. Goldenhills Plantation can be found east of Rorikstead. That said, I came from Whiterun (since I followed the early-game steps normally) so for those like me you’ll have to travel further west.

Once you arrive at the Plantation I suggest you prepare yourself for battle as a hostile ghost of a man named Urval will attack you on sight. After killing his ghost, you’ll receive The Unquiet Dead quest by picking up the torn page from his journal.

The Unquiet Dead Quest Walkthrough in Skyrim

From here, enter the Goldenhills Plantation and start exploring. I would read the torn page and start looking for the entire journal. In the second-floor room, you’ll find Urval’s Journal.

After reading it, I headed to the basement and looked for a button near the stairwell. This will open an Alchemy Laboratory. The ghost of Jonquil, Urval’s wife, will appear and attack you. Defeat her, and read Jonquil’s Journal on the table when you’re done.

Next, check the room on the first floor. This is Rin’s room, the couple’s child. I found Rin’s Journal on the floor next to the bed. It really didn’t take long.

Where Is Rin’s Toy Sword?

You’ll now have to look for Rin’s Toy Sword. To get it, simply exit Goldenhills Plantation and go southeast. I found a small hill with a well between Goldenhills Plantation and Gjukar’s Monument. After killing the rabid wolves here, check the well. This is how I found Rin’s Toy Sword.

Go back to Goldenhills Plantation and place Rin’s Toy Sword on the mantle in his room. The spirits of the family will appear though thankfully they’re not hostile this time. Talk to Rin, and you’ll receive the Key to Goldenhills Plantation, making you the proud owner of this plot of land. Unlike other houses in Skyrim, you got this one for free.

How to Farm in Skyrim: A Farmer’s Life For Me Quest Walkthrough

When you go back outside, a quest called A Farmer’s Life For Me will pop up. This teaches you how to farm in Skyrim. First, check the tilled soil and place 10 seeds, flowers, or plants that can be grown into crops.

After that, you need to hire a steward. Similar to other houses added by the Hearthfire DLC, certain NPCs can be selected as your steward (though that person cannot be replaced later). Alternatively, you can choose your spouse if your character is already married.

The steward can then do a few things:

• Hire farmhands to help around the plantation.
• Redecorate parts of the plantation’s interior by adding new functions or areas like a kitchen, bedroom, Alchemy/Enchanting Lab, and so on.

Let’s also talk about buildings.

What to Make at Goldenhills Plantation in Skyrim

You may also construct additional features around Goldenhills Plantation:

• Animal Pens (3x Firewood and 1x Nails) — Your steward can purchase cows, goats, and chickens.
• Apiary (2x Firewood, 2x Straw, and 1x Nails) — Apiaries will spawn bees that produce honey.
• Blacksmithing Workshop (4x Iron Ingot, 2x Firewood, 1x Hinge, 1x Iron Fittings, 2x Quarried Stone) — This adds an anvil, armor workbench, tanning rack, smelter, and grindstone.
• Exterior Decorations (2x Firewood and 3x Quarried Stone) — This adds a well and various furniture to decorate the plantation’s exterior.
• Farmhand Bunkhouse (5x Firewood, 2x Nails, 1x Hinge, 1x Lock, 5x Quarried Stone, and 3x Straw) — The farmhands you hire will have a place to sleep, increasing the farm’s productivity.
• Stables (5x Firewood and 3x Nails) — The stable allows the steward to purchase horses.
• Windmill (2x Firewood, 2x Iron Fittings, and 2x Quarried Stone) — The silo is turned into a windmill. Wheat can be turned into flour or straw.

I would just wait for 24 hours to pass in the game. That’s when you receive profits from your steward. This will complete A Farmer’s Life For Me.

Now you know how to farm in Skyrim to your heart’s content. Goldenhills Plantation should provide a decent passive income after you’ve completed The Unquiet Dead and A Farmer’s Life For Me quests. Farming isn’t quite as in-depth as it is in other games, but it’s a nice way to make money while out adventuring. For more Skyrim guides, check out how to get Straw and Firewood.