Fruit Trees in Rune Factory Frontier

In Rune Factory Frontier, books in the local library offer information as well as hints. New books are 'unlocked' as you make progress in the game.

To me, one of the irresistable charms of any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game is the often unexpected and unique methods by which items are won. Players may guess the method they need to use to bring fruit down from the fruit trees, but reading the stories in the library adds depth to the plot.

By the way, harvesting fruit from trees is a very good way to augment your income in the first season of the game.

The memoirs of an adventurer named John Arthur provide tantalising hints about the game, including information about fruit trees and the 'Green Ruins'.

Here is one of the first books by this mysterious character from the past:

The Cornucopia Tree
The Adventures of John Arthur
Sec. 1, Ch. 9, pt. 4, P.S.
‘Cornucopia Tree’
At the very moment I was about to draw my last breath, I saw trees upon trees, so laden with fruit, it looked as though the branches would break.
I tried everything to get my eager hands on the fruits, from climbing to throwing rocks. My desperation gave me strength.
However, not a single fruit would budge, not even once.
Alas! If only I had a hammer with me, I could have eaten one! I would have been abel to survive long enough to see the next fruit bearing season…
END of BOOK

Fruit Trees are found on the Mountain Road and on the shores of Lake Poli. In Spring, the Trees bear Cherries. Another hint about this is found in Erik's Menu, where Cherries will be on sale...

You will not be able to harvest fruit until you have a Hammer. As soon as you obtain the Hammer from Melody, take a trip to the Mountains to collect some Cherries. There are cautions to the effect that you should take only as much as you need from the Orchard at Lake Poli. Remember that the amount of fruit that remains on any tree will affect Runey distribution.

With a Harvester from Candy, you will be able to gather Runeys for re-distribution to effect the fertility of the land. Runeys can be used to create Miracles and Rune Stones as well. The introduction of the concept of Runeys in Rune Factory Frontier is one of the unique aspects of this game.

Lake Poli is a very good fishing location as well as being the site of the Orchard and a place where romantic events can occur. The acquisition of a Fishing Rod often is delayed by at least a week in Harvest Moon games and Rune Factory Frontier is no exception. I believe there is a 'guiding' principle to this, forcing a player to focus on farming at the start rather than allowing the Field to remain fallow and untilled while he/she goes off to fish instead. Fish always provides both income and energy but is a time-consuming occupation. Furthermore, it usually is not one that unlocks progress in terms of the plot. It is farming primarily that is centre of your character's life.

In Rune Factory Frontier, it is only on 7 Spring that Kanno will arrive to take possession of the old Clock Tower. He is his granddaughter Cinnamon, not Kanno himself who will give you a Fishing Pole. The date of the arrival of Kanno's granddaughters is determined by your own social interactions with Kanno. Usually, it takes a couple of days to generate the pivotal dialogue that will be followed by their arrival.

Cooking is another aspect of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory that requires some action on the part of your character. In some games, your House will have a Kitchen but in most, it must be ordered or purchased. In Rune Factory Frontier, you must purchase your Kitchens from Lute. You need not expand your House first, however. The Handy Kitchen, Forge and Lab can be purchased as soon as you have the funds.

Your first two Recipe books are gifts from other characters. Others can be purchased from Selphy at the Rune Archives Library.

Here is a little video tutorial that deals with Fruit, Fishing and Cooking...



By the way, if you purchase the basic Pot Recipe Book as well as the Handy Pot from Lute and practice a little in your Kitchen, you can transform any Cherry you gather into Cherry Jam. Cherry Jam has a shipping value only slightly greater than a raw Cherry but in energy restoration terms, it is far superior, providing 10 HP and 100 RP as opposed to the 0 HP and 60 RP that a raw Cherry gives when eaten. Cooked Dishes almost always are superior to raw items in terms of energy values and the only way to increase your Skill Level in Cooking or in any other area of life is by practicing again and again...