Wild rice was critical for the native people to survive the long, cold winters Minnesota is known for, and they still harvest wild rice each year for food and to honor the tradition which was so important to their ancestors' way of life.

Wild rice has powerful antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties and is a rich source of dietary fiber which is essential for keeping cholesterol low.  The fact that it's delicious is a tremendous bonus!

Minnesota has more acres of natural wild rice than any other state in the nation.  In 1977, wild rice became the state grain of Minnesota.

Wild rice grows once annually in Minnesota and although harvesting has been done for centuries, not much has changed over time for the non-commercial wild rice we are selling.  The harvest is typically completed by a two-person team ("partners") with one pushing the canoe through the wild rice bed using a long pole while the other does the picking.

The picker uses two wooden sticks called "knockers" -- one stick to gently guide the wild rice plants over the side of the canoe, and the other stick to tap (or "knock") the wild rice into the canoe. This is repeated until the day's harvest is over.

The wild rice is then delivered to a "finisher" or "processor" to prepare it for consumption.  This involves drying, parching over heat, hulling, and winnowing (to separate the sheath from the grain).

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