Soybean

Overview

Soybean is a bean crop in Starsand Island described in-game as "rich in plant protein and fat, it's a key staple and economic crop." It becomes available once you earn the Junior Farmer certification from Graminova. Soybean is one of the most flexible crops in the game because it grows in all four seasons, meaning you can plant and harvest it year-round without worrying about seasonal restrictions.

Each Soybean harvest produces 4 beans from a single seed, and the crop takes 3 days and 12 hours to mature. Beyond selling the raw beans, Soybean is a key ingredient for processing into Soy Sauce at the Brewing Barrel, which is used in a wide range of higher-tier cooking recipes. This makes Soybean valuable not just for its direct sell price, but as a foundational ingredient in the island's culinary economy.

Quick Stats

How to Obtain Seeds

Soybean Seeds are purchased from the Happiness Seed Shop for 150g each after you reach the Junior Farmer tier. The shop stocks up to 20 Soybean Seeds per refresh cycle. Because Soybean is an all-season crop, the seeds remain available in the shop year-round and you can buy them at any time.

You can also produce your own Soybean Seeds using the Grinder. The Grinder unlocks at the Senior Farmer tier and converts harvested crops back into seed packets, letting you cut costs on subsequent plantings. The standard conversion ratio is 2 to 4 units of a crop per seed packet.

Growing

Soybean grows on regular tilled farmland or in planting boxes. It does not require a trellis, paddy field, or any other specialized structure. To plant Soybean, till a plot of soil with your Hoe, select Soybean Seeds from your inventory, and place them on the tilled tile.

Once planted, Soybean takes 3 days and 12 hours (3.5 real-time days) to fully mature. You need to water it daily using your Watering Can, or set up sprinklers to automate the process. Since Soybean grows in all four seasons, you never have to worry about it withering due to a season change. This is a significant advantage over seasonal crops, which can be lost if they do not mature before the season ends.

Soybean is a single-harvest crop. After you pick the 4 beans, the plant is consumed and you must replant from seed. This differs from trellis crops like Cherry Tomato or Pepper that regrow after harvest.

• Tip: Since Soybean grows in every season, it makes an excellent crop to fill empty plots between seasonal rotations. When your Summer or Winter crops finish, Soybean keeps income flowing.

• Tip: Use Yield Fertilizer from the Fertilizer system to boost harvest quantity beyond the base yield of 4.

Sell Prices

The base sell price for Soybean is 93g per bean. Since each harvest produces 4 beans, a single harvest sells for 372g at base quality. Higher-quality Soybean sells for more. Quality is influenced by the fertilizer you use and random chance during growth.

You can sell Soybean at Zerine's General Store at the prices listed below. For even higher returns, sell to the Merchant Ship when it docks at Starsand Port every Monday, as it pays 200% of the normal sell price for all items.

While selling raw Soybean turns a profit, processing it into Soy Sauce or cooking it into dishes can increase the total value. See the Processing and Recipes sections below for more details.

Processing

Soybean can be processed through several crafting machines to produce more valuable intermediate ingredients and products.

Soy Sauce (Brewing Barrel)

The Brewing Barrel converts Soybean into Soy Sauce, a condiment used in many braised, stir-fried, and marinated dishes that make up a significant portion of the island's higher-tier cooking recipes. The Brewing Barrel blueprint unlocks at the Junior Farmer tier.

Because Soy Sauce is called for in so many recipes, keeping a steady supply of Soybean growing specifically for Soy Sauce production is a smart long-term strategy. Fine Salt can be purchased from Zerine's General Store.

Other Processing

Additional processing products listed in community references include: Soy Milk (via the Juicer) and Protein Powder (via the Grinder) as additional processing products. These provide further options for turning Soybean into useful items. Protein Powder is a notable output because it is used as an ingredient in pet food recipes such as Super Cat Food and Super Dog Food.

Grinder (Seeds)

At the Senior Farmer tier, the Grinder lets you convert harvested Soybean back into Soybean Seeds. The standard Grinder ratio requires 2 to 4 units of a crop to produce one seed packet. Using the Grinder to produce your own seeds eliminates the 150g seed cost on subsequent plantings, improving your overall profit margin.

Recipes Using Soybean

Soybean appears as a direct ingredient in the following cooking recipes. Additional recipes call for Soy Sauce (processed from Soybean) as an ingredient, giving the crop an even broader culinary reach.

Cooking Recipes

Laba Congee is a seasonal recipe unlocked during the Spring Festival Event. It combines Soybean with Rice and Sugar to produce a warm porridge dish. With a sell value of 184g, it offers a meaningful return over the cost of its raw ingredients. The dish is loved by Regis, making it a useful gift to build that friendship.

Recipes Using Soy Sauce

Soy Sauce, produced from Soybean at the Brewing Barrel, is called for in numerous braised and stir-fried dishes. While these recipes do not use raw Soybean directly, they depend on a supply of Soybean for Soy Sauce production. Dishes that use Soy Sauce include Fish Head Tofu Soup, Tofu Seaweed Soup, and various other higher-tier meals. Check the cooking recipes page for a complete list of dishes that require Soy Sauce.

Profitability Analysis

Soybean's all-season availability is its greatest economic strength. While its gold-per-day return is moderate compared to some seasonal crops, the fact that you can grow it 365 days a year means it generates consistent, uninterrupted income. For a full comparison across all tiers, see the Crop Profitability Rankings article.

Comparison with Other Junior Farmer Crops

Among Junior Farmer crops, Soybean and Sugarcane share identical growth times (3.5 days), yields (4), and seed costs (120g), making them direct competitors. The key difference is that both are all-season crops. Soybean's advantage lies in its processing potential: Soy Sauce is a broadly useful condiment, whereas Sugarcane's primary processed product is Sugar. Players who cook frequently may find Soybean more valuable overall because of the demand for Soy Sauce across many recipes.

Merchant Ship Sales

The Merchant Ship pays 200% of the normal sell price. A single Soybean harvest sold to the Merchant Ship yields 744g (186g x 4) instead of 372g. After subtracting the 150g seed cost, that is 594g profit per harvest, or roughly 169.7 g/day. Timing your harvests to align with the ship's Monday visits can dramatically boost income.

Everlasting Soybean Seeds

Like all crops in Starsand Island, Soybean has an everlasting seed variant. Everlasting Soybean Seeds produce a plant that regrows after every harvest without needing to replant. This eliminates both the seed cost and the time spent tilling and planting, turning Soybean into a passive income source.

There is also a rarer Immortal variant. Because Soybean already grows in all four seasons, the Immortal variant offers less of an advantage compared to seasonal crops. However, Immortal seeds still provide the regrow-after-harvest benefit, which saves time and seed costs.

Methods for obtaining everlasting and immortal seeds include:

1. Mirthshroom Soup: Eating this soup grants the Creamy Seeds buff. While active, harvesting any crop has a chance to drop everlasting or immortal seeds. Stacking 5 soups maximizes the drop rate.

2. Eternal Blessings: A Workpedia skill available at the Senior Farmer tier. Provides a permanent passive chance to receive everlasting crops when harvesting. Can be upgraded with Starsand Points.

3. Treasure Chests: Found on the surface island and in the Moonlit Forest. Some chests contain everlasting or immortal seeds.

4. Islandpedia Rewards: Completing certain Islandpedia milestones rewards everlasting seeds.

If you dig up an everlasting or immortal crop with a pickaxe, the seed is refunded to your inventory. You never lose it, which lets you freely relocate crops as your farm layout changes.

Gifting

Soybean makes a solid gift for several NPCs. The following preferences have been confirmed:

Since Graminova loves Soybean, gifting her a few beans is a convenient way to build friendship while visiting the Happiness Seed Shop to buy more seeds. Squirrel also loves Soybean, so keeping a small stash handy for gifting is worthwhile.

Tips

• Soybean's all-season growth makes it the perfect "set it and forget it" crop. Dedicate a few plots to Soybean year-round to maintain a steady supply of both raw beans and Soy Sauce.

• Prioritize processing Soybean into Soy Sauce early. Many mid-game and late-game cooking recipes require Soy Sauce, and having a stockpile ready saves time later.

• Selling to the Merchant Ship on Monday at 200% price is the single biggest profit multiplier. Stockpile Soybean in a chest and sell the entire batch when the ship arrives.

• Consider using sprinklers on your Soybean fields. Since Soybean takes 3.5 days to grow and you will be planting it continuously, automating the watering saves significant daily effort.

• At the Junior Farmer tier, Soybean is one of your most reliable income crops because it never stops producing. Seasonal crops may offer higher gold-per-day during their active months, but Soybean earns income year-round.

• Keep some Soybean on hand for the Spring Festival Event. The Laba Congee recipe only requires 1 Soybean alongside Rice and Sugar, and the dish is a loved gift for Regis.