How to build an iron farm in Minecraft 1.17 version

Iron is one of Minecraft's most vital resources in the Survival Mode world, and its use in countless crafting recipes means players will need it in abundance.

Fortunately, the game's community has been devising a means to farm iron for several versions of the game. If done correctly, an iron farm saves an abundance of time and resources. These farms can vary in size, from massive undertakings to something as simple as a 5x5 footprint. They will of course yield differing amounts of iron, but a steady amount of any quantity is better than none at all.

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Minecraft: The 5x5 iron farm method

Image via Mojang

Minecraft version 1.17 has brought plenty of new materials and blocks, but what is needed for this project isn't anything flashy. To make their iron farm, Minecraft players will need a list of the following resources:

• 36 Stone or any solid structural block.
• Wool to be used as a temporary block. This can be swapped with most other blocks in Minecraft as long as it is easily broken.
• One dirt block.
• One lever.
• Four block stacks of Oak leaves, otherwise Minecraft players can use tilled land or carpet to make a block non-spawnable.
• One Shroomlight or Glowstone block, players may substitute with any light-producing block in a pinch.
• Three beds.
• 37 Stone Slabs.
• Four chests.
• Two Hoppers.
• 10 glass blocks.
• Nine Spruce Trap Doors. These trap doors can alternatively be made of any other wood or even metal in Minecraft if desirable.
• Seven standard rails.
• One powered rail.
• One Minecart.
• Three stone stairs.
• Two wooden stairs.
• 36 fence pieces.
• Proximity to Minecraft villagers.
• A zombie or two.

Although this farm can be made on a 5x5 footprint, Minecraft players will need a 21x21 grid to make it un-spawnable. Once they have their grid ready, they can assemble the farm as follows:

1. Head to the center of the 5x5 grid and place the Shroomlight or Glowstone in the center block.
2. Spread the three beds over the light source evenly and vertically. The middle bed should cover the light-creating block.
3. Place a Double Chest to the top-right of the beds but still within the 5x5 grid. Place a Hopper on the right side of this Double Chest. Then, place a second Double Chest on top of the right side of the first Double Chest so that it covers the Hopper as well. Lastly, place a final Hopper on top of the right side of the second Double Chest.
4. With the beds facing upright, remove the block above the head of the leftmost bed. Place a Stone Slab in the hole that is left.
5. Take the temporary wool block and place it on the block next to where the slab is placed. The temporary block should be behind the headrest of the middle bed.
6. Build a three block-high wall around the chests and Hoppers. Be certain the chests are openable by using stairs above the chest lids for the wall.
7. Build a one block-high wall around the beds, then follow that wall with a line of glass blocks on top of those same wall blocks.
8. Begin to fill in the loose spaces within the grid, placing a reversed stair block near the one spot not covered by a wall or glass pane.
9. Add another layer of blocks over the glass ones, the wall should now be a total of three blocks high.
10. Use the six Spruce Trap Doors to cover the top opening of the structure built. This will make a spawnable floor.
11. Place five fence pieces along the side of the trap doors length-wise.
12. Place wooden stairs opposite of each other right next to the endpoints of the fence.
13. Fence in the remaining perimeter, including over the Hopper. This will not interfere with the Hopper.
14. Build the fencing to three blocks high on every side but the first lengthwise set placed.
15. Place three trap doors in the middle of the three-block-high fences and activate them so that they are open.
16. Cover the fencing's top with trap doors. Continue placing trap doors until it covers the entire floor area as a roof.
17. Place three trap doors on the underside of the roof two blocks vertically from the Hopper.
18. Place a lava bucket between the trap doors mounted on the fence and those mounted on the roof. If done correctly, the lava should be stuck between the trap doors. Holding lava in place is a Minecraft staple and should be a fairly standard procedure.
19. Place two water buckets on the stair steps. The water should flow across the floor and towards the Hopper.
20. Back on the base floor, from the opening in the wall, place rails to the perimeter of the 21x21 grid. At the end, place a dirt block and the Oak leaf block on top of it. Ensure the rail piece next to it is a powered one.
21. Place a lever on the side of the dirt block opposite the powered rail.
22. Open the bedside walls and wait for evening time, nearby villagers should flock to the beds.
23. Surround the walls with spaded land, and fill the area not spaded with the Oak leaf blocks.
24. This part will be difficult in Survival Mode. Minecraft players must wait until a zombie has lined up so that its hitbox is on the placed rails.
25. Once the zombie is close enough to the Minecart on the powered rail, throw the switch and the Minecart will transport the zombie over to the sleeping villagers.
26. Remove the temporary wool block.
27. Iron Golems will begin to spawn at the top of the structure.
28. Players may choose to replace the rail blocks with leaf blocks as well.
29. Wall the Minecart zombie in with the villagers, and the farm is complete.
30. Open the chests at the Minecraft player's leisure and harvest the iron inside.

For a more detailed visual aid, the video below is a reference to this Minecraft iron farm guide:

Though this may seem like one of Minecraft's more complex farms, it is as small and compact as they come in Minecraft version 1.17.

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