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Anybody harvest wild rice #8447913
08/03/25 02:16 PM
08/03/25 02:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
L
Lufkin Trapper Offline OP
trapper
Lufkin Trapper  Offline OP
trapper
L

Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
I buy a lot of it in the grocery store l. Always wished I lived where it grew. I’m too old to be doing it now. But I would have loved to have had that opportunity.


Billy
Member # 16.
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8447933
08/03/25 02:49 PM
08/03/25 02:49 PM
Joined: May 2008
Mn
N
nightlife Offline
trapper
nightlife  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: May 2008
Mn
Not nowadays but did a lot when I was in school, was a good way for a kid to make some pretty good money

A lot of wild rice nowadays is actually farmed, i know several large farms in northern Minnesota that wild rice is the major crop



�Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.�
― Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8447950
08/03/25 03:55 PM
08/03/25 03:55 PM
Joined: May 2010
MN
S
Steven 49er Offline
trapper
Steven 49er  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: May 2010
MN
Lufkin, the stuff you are purchasing in store is most likely cultivated. It's good enough.


IMHO the rice gathered in lakes and rivers is better.


"Gold is money, everything else is just credit" JP Morgan
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8447973
08/03/25 04:41 PM
08/03/25 04:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2018
MN
D
Donnersurvivor Offline
trapper
Donnersurvivor  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Jan 2018
MN
I didn't know they farmed it, anyone have pics of a field of it?

Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Donnersurvivor] #8447978
08/03/25 04:53 PM
08/03/25 04:53 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
L
Lufkin Trapper Offline OP
trapper
Lufkin Trapper  Offline OP
trapper
L

Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
Yeah, i figured it was just like everything else in the stores. Since I don’t know the difference, I guess it’s just fin.


Billy
Member # 16.
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448004
08/03/25 05:56 PM
08/03/25 05:56 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Texas
D
daveharmon Offline
trapper
daveharmon  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Jul 2008
Texas
I use to harvest every fall on Spur Lake..Northern Wisconsin...Lotta work


Dave Harmon
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448006
08/03/25 06:00 PM
08/03/25 06:00 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Western Nevada, USA
Old Triumph Guy Offline
trapper
Old Triumph Guy  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2013
Western Nevada, USA
Interesting post...it does sound like a lot of work. California grows miles and miles of it. OTG


343 of my brothers died on 911...I'm still (word not acceptable on Trapperman) off...BIG TIME...
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448045
08/03/25 07:02 PM
08/03/25 07:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Missouri
M
mississippiposse Offline
trapper
mississippiposse  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Missouri
I flew it on for ducks got it flown on for $5 an acre by a crop duster this was in the 80s. Met him at 2 different airports and flew it on 2 state areas. He asked if I wanted to fly with him. After first load those men know what they were doing but clearing trees at low altitude was not for me. One area we got a big rain and washed it down to corner of area and wood ducks muskrats and the like cleaned most of it up. The other area I don’t even remember what airport I used I also had it flown into mud flats and produced well. But like jap millet the red wing blackbirds hammered it. Only got one shot as I could not get budget approved the next year. Picked the rice up in the Boot Hill of Missouri think it was la belle variety spelling might be wrong but in 80s a lot of rice was grown in the Boot Hill and most likely still is. They raised it there and had rice levees. It looked cool till the blackbird got into it. I’m sure a lot that fell got used by waterfowl. One area that flooded early was a hunting area. The other was a refuge back then flying it on was the logical method

Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448049
08/03/25 07:11 PM
08/03/25 07:11 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
North Cass Co. Minnesota
DiggerDale Offline
trapper
DiggerDale  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2014
North Cass Co. Minnesota
Lots of wild rice beds in the rivers and lakes in our area. Was fast money in my younger days.
Most everyone worked with a ricing partner.. Had the choice of poler or beater or take turns.
Number one rule was if you're gonna fall in... Don't tip the canoe.
Back then ricing was only open certain hours on certain days. Was never sure I was always legal but the profit was more than the fines.
Lots of times a buyer was at the boat landing when we pulled in...
I wore a stocking hat because the bugs and worms were always headed for higher elevation and every so often just had to remove hat and shake them off.
Still have tools of the trade...
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448186
08/03/25 10:15 PM
08/03/25 10:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
East-Central Wisconsin
B
bblwi Offline
trapper
bblwi  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
East-Central Wisconsin
I have some friends that do it every year, most on a small scale, one has a sizable operation and he does dry for other harvesters. I Have ridden in a canoe with one harvester once and that was enough for me not to get real interested in getting more involved. I did not like to see the bottom of the canoe moving with all the bugs, beetles etc. crawling around on the wild rice.

BRyce

Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448220
08/03/25 11:56 PM
08/03/25 11:56 PM
Joined: Feb 2020
MT
S
Slick Pan Offline
trapper
Slick Pan  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Feb 2020
MT
You can buy it from Minnesota. Just google it.

Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Slick Pan] #8448224
Yesterday at 12:14 AM
Yesterday at 12:14 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
L
Lufkin Trapper Offline OP
trapper
Lufkin Trapper  Offline OP
trapper
L

Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
Sounds like free ain’t cheap.


Billy
Member # 16.
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448616
Yesterday at 05:41 PM
Yesterday at 05:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
St. Louis Co, Mo
B
BigBob Offline
trapper
BigBob  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
St. Louis Co, Mo
It's farmed in SE Mo, and you will end up in jail if you so much as touch it on Minn., it belongs to the native Americans.


Every kid needs a Dog and a Curmudgeon.

Remember Bowe Bergdahl, the traitor.

Beware! Jill Pudlewski, Ron Oates and Keven Begesse are liars and thiefs!
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: nightlife] #8448622
Yesterday at 05:54 PM
Yesterday at 05:54 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
T
Trapper7 Offline
trapper
Trapper7  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
Originally Posted by nightlife
Not nowadays but did a lot when I was in school, was a good way for a kid to make some pretty good money

A lot of wild rice nowadays is actually farmed, i know several large farms in northern Minnesota that wild rice is the major crop

Just spoke to a guy at lunch today who harvests real wild rice. He said the black stuff you buy in stores is farmed wild rice. The real wild rice isn't black it's white. Based on that, I guess I've never eaten real wild rice. I do still like the black stuff you buy in stores. He said when he goes this September he will save some for me.


We are living in a world where the intelligent must be quiet so that the no common sense people won't be offended.
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448633
Yesterday at 06:08 PM
Yesterday at 06:08 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Central MN, sort of old
MnMan Offline
trapper
MnMan  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2007
Central MN, sort of old
I used to pick it back in the 60's and like it was mentioned before, it was another way to make some pretty good money besides trapping back then. I used my ricing money to buy the wedding ring for my wife in 1970. I was usually the picker and would sit amongst the crawly worms and getting a rice beard stuck in your eye or throat was no picnic either. The ricing push pole with the duck bill is an important tool in my trapping boat. I won't leave home without it.


I'm just happy to be here! Today I'm as young as I'll ever be and and older than I've ever been before!
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448663
Yesterday at 06:52 PM
Yesterday at 06:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2007
Midland, Michigan
Rusty Axe Camp Offline
trapper
Rusty Axe Camp  Offline
trapper

Joined: Aug 2007
Midland, Michigan
Father in law grew up in Cass Lake, MN. Up until a few years ago he and his brothers still made an annual trip and harvested a bunch. They're all getting older an haven't done it lately.

My pantry is about out, I'm hoping he's either making one last trip or has a source! 😬


[Linked Image]

Erik Johnson
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: Lufkin Trapper] #8448759
Yesterday at 09:23 PM
Yesterday at 09:23 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Beaver Bayou MN
Mike Kelly Offline
trapper
Mike Kelly  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Beaver Bayou MN
Plenty is still picked by hand in Northern MN, or by air boat in Canada.

Late August through mid September is the main time it is picked here. Under state rules we’re only allowed to pick from 9 am to 3 pm…so those with a day job are limited to weekends to pick. I used to pick it every year…but work obligations, family vacations, and kids going back to school have pretty much prevented me from doing it recently. A good day two people will pick around 150-200 pounds in a canoe. A 300 pound day is kind of a benchmark for the serious ricers. Season usually ends when we get big winds or storms near the end of season that will knock all the remaining grains off the plant.

The wild rice you see in stores is generally cultivated wild rice. The rice grains in the head of the plant don’t all riped at-once. They pick the cultivated rice with a combine, and the process has to be done so even the immature grains can still be utilized. How they process the rice results in the different colors and outside textures of the rice. Most of the hand harvested rice around here is a light brown/grey in color when processed. It usually finishes just under half the weight of the fresh picked rice.

The price has really gone up after a couple bad years of production. Back to the point where you can make pretty good money picking rice again now. Finished hand harvested rice goes for $15+ a pound around us, while you can find the cultivated rice for half of that. The partial/broken grains is usually what you see advertised for the lowest price.


www.WildRiverTraps.com - Oversized Pans for you Mink, Muskrat and Bobcat Traps!
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: BigBob] #8448766
Yesterday at 09:36 PM
Yesterday at 09:36 PM
Joined: May 2010
MN
S
Steven 49er Offline
trapper
Steven 49er  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: May 2010
MN
Originally Posted by BigBob
It's farmed in SE Mo, and you will end up in jail if you so much as touch it on Minn., it belongs to the native Americans.


That is incorrect.

Trapper 7. I prefer the real wild rice. I think it has a better flavor and cooks easier.


"Gold is money, everything else is just credit" JP Morgan
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: BigBob] #8448780
Yesterday at 09:50 PM
Yesterday at 09:50 PM
Joined: May 2008
Mn
N
nightlife Offline
trapper
nightlife  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: May 2008
Mn
Originally Posted by BigBob
It's farmed in SE Mo, and you will end up in jail if you so much as touch it on Minn., it belongs to the native Americans.


Don’t know where you got that from, public land public use, except for reservation lands it’s open to anyone lots of people still harvest it for extra money or their own use and most are not natives most of the natives I know around here have no interest in doing it because they get casino money and harvesting wild rice is hard hot work at the best of times, the ones who do are usually on the older end of the age spread you don’t even have to be a resident of the state just need to buy a license

You can get a day or season license if your a resident but only a day one of your a nonresident, native band members even nonresident ones with a valid band membership don’t need one

I have been thinking about getting out this year and doing a little for my own use and a couple weeks ago I found a fantastic spot that has a exceptional stand of rice, looking at it I started getting that old feeling like I was looking at acres and acres of rat huts



�Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.�
― Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Anybody harvest wild rice [Re: nightlife] #8448866
5 hours ago
5 hours ago
Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
L
Lufkin Trapper Offline OP
trapper
Lufkin Trapper  Offline OP
trapper
L

Joined: Dec 2006
Lufkin, Tx.
Is it a long process to clean up for eating? How clean does it get?


Billy
Member # 16.
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