Minecraft Iron Farm

Since the release of the game in 2009, iron is one of the most versatile raw materials in Minecraft. The silver-colored material can be used to create not only armor, buckets, hoppers or rails, but also things that are essential for survival, such as tools and compasses. Especially when taking the first steps on your server, you should not underestimate iron tools. What is the problem, though? Nowadays, iron can't be found in mines that often. If you're lucky, you'll find chests containing iron ingots, or in the nearest village you'll find an iron golem to sacrifice. Otherwise, it's probably dig, mine, and put iron ore in the furnace. Or you can try your luck with a Minecraft iron farm!

What is a Minecraft Iron Farm?

First, of course, there is the question of what a Minecraft iron farm is. It's simple: An iron farm is a construction that allows you to farm iron. Thus, you can get the much sought-after iron ingots in a shorter time. There is a very specific source for this. So, let’s ignore the chests or the dark mines and devote ourselves to the neutral creatures that protect the villagers. We are talking about the iron golems here. The basic principle of Minecraft iron farms is to summon these creatures and then sacrifice them for their drops. So don't be surprised if the Minecraft iron farm is often referred to as the iron golem farm, because first you farm them and then, in the next step, you get the iron itself.

The Iron Golem Farm

Isn't it kind of ironic that you need iron to summon the golems, but also kill them to get iron? To escape the vicious cycle that gets us nowhere in obtaining iron, Minecraft iron farms take advantage of the natural spawning behavior of the mobs. Namely, the golem can be created as well as spawn when villagers panic. If you dare, you can also find him in cages in pillager outposts, just like allays. So the mobs are useful, yes, but don't get too used to them, because in the end you can't have any qualms about sacrificing them for their drops. In the easiest terms this is the answer on how to get iron in Minecraft.

The Principle of Minecraft Iron Farms

An iron farm in Minecraft can look different for every player, but still, there are a few things that are present in most variants. For example, almost all guides and building ideas include multiple villagers who can summon the golem, said golem as well as beds, hoppers, chests, water and lava. The latter is especially useful when you create the farm so that it runs on its own. So, the principle is similar to the slime farm, or generally any type of farm in Minecraft. You produce, destroy and collect the drops. In many cases, a Minecraft iron farm still requires an hostile mob and most players use a zombie for this, since it's relatively easy to catch and trap using a trapdoor. Last but not least, you will need other building materials for the entire construction as well as time and space in your Minecraft world.

Build Your Individual Minecraft Iron Farm

In the age of the internet, ideas, images or videos are spread so quickly that there are already countless plans for an iron farm in Minecraft. The possibilities for design and size are varied and tied to only a few conditions to work as well. Each tutorial on the Internet has its own focus in terms of biome, effort, difficulty, mode, or success. Some also offer the option of an automatic Minecraft iron farm. How about building it underground? Why not try your hand at a competition yourself with friends. Whose design looks the coolest or whose farm is built faster and is more effective? Run wild with your ideas and discover new features you may not have known about. Who knows, you might end up making tutorials for your friends. If you're more the type of player who likes to know exactly what to do, we'll give you a step-by-step guide to your own little Minecraft iron farm here!

1. Collect ‘material'

• Solid blocks (e.g. quarry stone)
• Glass
• 5x beds
• 5x job site blocks
• 2x chests
• At least 3x hoppers
• 1x water
• 1x lava
• 3x signs
• At least 2x villagers nearby

2. Build an elevated platform

• Create distance to the village
• Go up 9 blocks in height and build a 5x5 platform
• It is always built up in height with the next rows

3. Design & border the platform

• Border the platform with solid blocks, leave one block free next to a corner
• Fill the floor (including the free border block) with beds
• Insert job site blocks into the next border row and border the rest with glass
• Build another row with glass only

4. Attract & breed villagers

• Use stairs to attract villagers without profession with the help of job site blocks
• Attract at least 2 and then breed them with carrots until there are 5

5. Close the platform

• Set up a double chest at one corner, half in the air
• Attach hoppers to the three adjacent blocks on the glass
• Complete the remaining ceiling of the 'room' with solid blocks

6. Expand & fill golem zone

• Attach 3 rows of walls as a border
• In the corner with the chest with a block distance to each corner attach signs in the top row (2 in total)
• In the row below, place a sign directly on one side of the corner
• In the resulting free block between the signs in the top row place lava
• In the opposite corner on the floor of the room place water, which spreads out

After that, it's time to wait and see! If you want to save yourself the trip upstairs every time to get to the iron in the chest, you can of course bridge the way to the ground with funnels and another chest.

How to Farm Iron in Minecraft: Tips & Tricks

When you're taking on a big project or trying to get a blueprint off the ground, it’s likely to forget about the little things and the finer details. To make sure your Minecraft iron farm doesn't fail because of this, here are the most important tips and tricks that you could easily miss:
Zombie: Use a name tag to prevent it from de-spawning and protect it from the sun.
Light: To protect your construction from hostile mobs, don't forget to light everything well.
Iron Golem: As a byproduct he also drops red flowers (poppies) that can be used for dye or for beekeeping.

Use your creativity and try your hand at building your own Minecraft iron farm! Maybe you'll collect so much iron and poppies that the Golden Gate Bridge will soon be on your to-do list? Whatever you're up to, there's no limit to your imagination on a Minecraft server from G-Portal! Have fun farming!