Having enough food is one of the basic prerequisites for survival in Minecraft. Additionally, you need wheat primarily for breeding animals. So, in the end, you probably can never have enough. Harvesting everything manually is not a pleasant task. In the last post about Redstone, we already talked about the basic functions of an automatic farm, but today we will put it into practice! With this guide, you will build your own automatic wheat farm based on water and Redstone.
Resources for a Wheat Farm
Initially, some essential resources are needed, which you should have ready. How much you need depends on your preference, as the fields can be built infinitely large. But for a small farm, you don’t need much. We will also focus on materials that are easy to obtain and don’t take much time.
Have ready:
- Several stacks of building materials for outer walls (we chose wood)
- Several stacks of dirt
- One or more hoes for tilling
- Water buckets
- Plenty of wheat seeds
- 2x chests
- 1x hopper (made from iron and a chest)
- Redstone dust
- Approximately 10x Redstone repeaters (depending on variation)
Building Instructions
Digging the Collection Basin
The first step is to dig the trench for the wheat bundles and seeds that will be washed away later. We have already learned that water flows 8 blocks from the source. So, dig 8 blocks into the ground. Behind that, you should dig two more blocks for the chests. Place the chests and attach the hopper to the side of the chest using Shift+Right-click. Then, you can add water at the other end and let it flow over the hopper.
Building the Fields
At this point, the size is really up to you. Automatic farms of this type work on the principle of water, so they look similar to the rice fields in Asian countries. The levels provide plenty of space for planting and can be extended indefinitely.
The lowest level should be 8 blocks deep (again the reach of water). All levels above should be one block higher and only 7 blocks deep. This way, you only need one water source at the top for harvesting. This creates a sort of staircase. The width is irrelevant, but based on the trench at the bottom, 7 blocks is ideal here too.
Water Sources and Planting
A good field also needs a water source. Some tutorials use a parallel trench from top to bottom, but we won’t do that. We will place the source directly in the field. This way, we lose three blocks, but you will end up with more than enough wheat. This method is much simpler.
We have already learned that water sources hydrate fields up to 4 blocks away. And since our fields are only 7x7 or 7x8 blocks, it fits perfectly! Place the water source symmetrically in the middle of the field.
These water sources should later be covered with a slab or a trapdoor. Nowadays, these blocks can be filled with water, which is very practical. Even if you no longer see the water, it is still there.
Now till the field, but leave a strip at the top for the harvesting mechanism. Otherwise, all fields should be adequately watered. Then plant your wheat seeds to let everything grow in peace.
Wiring the Redstone
Now comes the presumably tricky part, but don’t worry, it’s not that complicated! First, attach our trapdoors at the top in the row we left free. Attach them from above to the grass block below. Test if they fold up towards the field. In the end, you should fold them all down to connect the Redstone.
Trapdoors hold back the water, but don’t pour it into the channel yet. Wait until everything is ready. You can now simply lay the Redstone on the edge behind it and attach a switch at the end. This should cause the trapdoors to fold up. The block below transfers the Redstone signal to the trapdoors. But somehow it looks a bit ugly.
So, we will move our Redstone behind and look at a peculiarity. Redstone cannot run parallel. This is a bit inconvenient for us, but nothing serious. Use repeaters to run the signal into the block behind the trapdoors. Then everything should work smoothly!
You can then lay the Redstone up to the front chest to have everything in one place. Use repeaters to ensure the signal is transmitted. Build a sort of cable duct along the fields. In the end, you should place a lever and turn on the circuit. The trapdoors should lift.
Wait and … Harvest!
If you are sure that your Redstone works, you can fill the trapdoors at the top with water. Click on the grass and NOT on the trapdoor itself, as this will fold it.
Now it’s probably time to wait, as your wheat needs to grow. This can take a few days, but you can speed it up with bone meal. However, for such a large field, it’s not really worth it; better do something else and harvest the field when all the wheat plants are nicely golden. Flip the lever and watch the water rush down! The wheat and seeds should end up either in the chest or above it if they are too fast.
Now you have several stacks of wheat and even more seeds. Unfortunately, you have to replant them manually, as there is no automated way to do this (besides using villagers). Repeat the process later or expand the field with other crops like potatoes or carrots.
Conclusion
An automatic wheat field on your farm is almost a basic necessity! Eventually, you will have more than enough wheat for bread and your animals. And the fields look nice and can be lined up. Automate not only your farm but your entire gaming experience on your own server. Rent a Minecraft server and take your farming projects to the next level! Play alone or with friends to build massive farms.
