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 can probably never have enough of it. But manually harvesting everything is not a pleasant task. In the last post about Redstone, we already discussed the basic functions of an automatic farm, but today we are putting it into action! With this guide, you will build your own automatic wheat farm based on water and Redstone.
Resources for a Wheat Farm
Initially, some important resources are needed that you should have ready. How much you need depends on you since you can build the fields infinitely large. But for a small farm, you don’t need much. We also focus on resources 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 (crafted from iron and a chest)
- Redstone dust
- about 10x Redstone repeaters (depending on variation)
Construction Guide
Digging the Collecting Basin
The first step is to dig the trench for the later washed-away bundles of wheat and seeds. 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 the water at the other end and let it flow over the hopper.
Building the Fields
At this point, the size is actually up to you. Automatic farms of this type work on the principle of water, so they look similar to rice fields in Asian countries. The levels provide plenty of space for planting and can be infinitely extended.
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 kind of staircase. The width is irrelevant, but based on the trench below, 7 blocks are also ideal here.
Water Sources and Planting
A good field, of course, needs a water source. Some tutorials use a parallel trench running from top to bottom, but we won’t do that. We place the source directly in the field. While we lose three blocks this way, you will end up with more than enough wheat. This method is much simpler.
We 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.
You should later cover these water sources 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 later harvesting mechanism. Otherwise, all fields should be sufficiently watered. Then plant your wheat with the seeds to let everything grow in peace.
Wiring the Redstone
Now comes the probably tricky part, but don’t worry, it’s actually not that complicated! First, we attach our trapdoors at the top of 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 tip 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 lever at the end. This should cause the trapdoors to open. The block below transmits the Redstone signal to the trapdoors. But somehow it looks a bit ugly.
Therefore, we move our Redstone behind and take a look at a peculiarity. Redstone cannot run parallel. This is a bit cumbersome for us, but nothing serious. Use repeaters to help, running into the block behind the trapdoors. Then everything should work smoothly!
You can then lay the Redstone to the front to the chest to have everything in one place. Use repeaters to ensure the signal is transmitted. Build a kind of cable duct along the fields. In the end, you should set a lever and turn on the connection. The trapdoors will stand up.
Wait and … Harvest!
If you are sure 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 up.
Now you probably have to wait, as your wheat needs to grow. This can take a few days, but you can speed it up with bone meal. But 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 nice and golden yellow. Flip the lever and watch the water rush down! The wheat and seeds should either land in the chest or on top of it if they are too fast.
Now you have several stacks full of wheat and surely more seeds. Unfortunately, you have to replant them manually, as there is no automated way to do this (other than 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 actually part of the basic equipment! At some point, you will have more than enough wheat for bread and your animals. And the fields also look nice and can be lined up. Automate not just your farm, but your entire gaming experience on your own server. Rent a Minecraft server and take your farming projects to a new level! Play either alone or with friends to build massive farms.
