As the seasons and years pass in Stardew Valley, new content will become available. Once you start your third year in the game, you will have the chance to talk to Trash Bear. This bear will give you quests to complete in order to bring some beauty back to Pelican Town.
In this guide, we are going to go over when you can find Trash Bear, his location, and what his quests involve. First, let’s take a look at when and where you can find Trash Bear.
Updated August 22, 2026 by Allyson Cochran: Still looking to finish Trash Bear’s requests in Stardew Valley? We’ve given this guide a little refresh with some extra details to help you along.
When Does Trash Bear Appear?
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Trash Bear will not be available at the start of the game. Instead, you must wait until the first non-rainy day of year three. You won’t have to wait too long to talk to Trash Bear in your third year, though. If it happens to be raining, just wait until the next day, or whenever the rain stops.
Trash Bear will only appear on non-festival days, so you may need to wait an extra day if a festival is taking place.
Additionally, you do not have to immediately talk to Trash Bear. He will appear in his spot at the start of year three and will remain there until you finish his quest. There is no deadline for starting or completing his requests. This means that you can wait a few seasons to talk to him if you prefer.
Trash Bear’s Location
You can find Trash Bear in the Cindersap Forest, near the sewer drain at the bottom of the map. He is located near the Spring Onion patch and the entrance to The Sewers, on the cliff near the stairway leading down toward the sewer. Trash Bear will be on a cliff near the stairway leading down to the sewer.
To get there, enter the Cindersap Forest near Marnie’s Ranch and head south until you come to the river.
To your right, there should be a wooden bridge that leads to a small island (shown in the image above). Follow this path across the small island and across to the other side of the river.
From here, keep walking south until you come across Trash Bear.
Trash Bear’s Quests
Once you find Trash Bear, talk to him. This will trigger a series of four quests, where Trash Bear will ask you to bring him different items. Overall, he will ask you to bring two fish or foraged items and two cooked dishes.
Once he gives you a request, it will not change until you fulfill it, with one exception:
- If the seasons change and the requested item is no longer available in the new season, Trash Bear’s request will change to another item that can be obtained during that season.
For example, if Trash Bear asks for a Bream in Spring and you enter Summer before completing the request, he will continue asking for a Bream because Bream can still be caught in Summer. However, if he asks for an Eel and the season changes to Summer, the request will change because Eels are not available during Summer. The new request will remain in place until you complete it.
There is no time limit to complete these quests. They do not have to be completed in the same season, but after completing all four requests, Trash Bear will reward you.
Fish & Foraged Items
The fish or foraged item requests will vary depending on the season, so let’s take a look at all the possible requests below.
Many of these requests are constant between all the seasons, however, some will only be requested during specific seasons. If the season changes while you are in the middle of a quest, the item requested will only remain constant if it is on the list for the next season.
For example, if Trash Bear wants a bream, and it becomes Summer, he will still want a bream. If he wants an eel and the season changes, the request will change as well.
Some of these items are more difficult to obtain than others. If you are stuck with an item that you can’t get, try waiting to see if it will change the following season.
Cooked Dishes
After bringing Trash Bear two fish or foraged items, he will request two cooked dishes. These dishes can be any meal in the game.
Recipes for these dishes can be learned from The Queen of Sauce television show that comes out every Sunday, as well as purchased from Gus, the Traveling Cart, or gifted from villagers. As the game progresses, you will learn more recipes.
Try to watch TV every Sunday for a chance to learn a new recipe. If you happen to miss the show, you can catch reruns on Wednesday.
Unlike the fish and foraged item requests, the cooked dishes that Trash Bear requests will never change. If a new season occurs, the dish requested will remain the same.
Rewards From Trash Bear
After you fulfill the fourth request, a cutscene will play. Trash Bear plays his pan-pipes before flying away on a leaf-covered umbrella. He will then grant these changes/rewards.
- Replace the trash on the water’s edge near the sewer with bushes and trees
- Upgrade the dog pen next to the Stardrop Saloon
- Remove the trash from Pam’s front yard
Below, you can see a before and after comparison of these areas.
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Location |
Before |
After |
|---|---|---|
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Sewer Area |
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Dog Pen |
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Pam’s Yard |
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These rewards are purely for aesthetic purposes. You don’t really need to complete the Trash Bear quest, but if you do, then you can make the town look a bit nicer.
You will also be given the opportunity to upgrade Pam’s house if you have a friendship level of nine hearts or more; this will change her trailer into a cute little cottage.
You definitely don’t want the front to be littered with trash after upgrading her house, so remember to talk to Trash Bear!
