Wild Rice - a naturally growing resource

Speaking to those who live and recreate in northern Minnesota, understanding the wild nature of "wild rice" is easy. This native grass grows in our many shallow lakes and slow moving streams throughout the north country. Mention "wild rice" in most other parts of the country and people envision cultivated paddies and an agricultural crop of approximately 20 million pounds (2009 data) grown primarily in California and Minnesota.

What is the difference? There's the way it is grown. One form of wild rice is planted on privately held land, sometimes treated with pesticides, and harvested to supply the Uncle Ben's of the world, providing a uniform crop. Naturally occuring wild rice, found primarily in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada grows according to the weather conditions: high water tends to reduce how much wild rice grows in a location, low waters may increase the abundance. Winds, water and temperatures dictate whether we have a poor year of wild rice, or a boom year - as happened in much of the rice region last year. Perfect conditions, little rain, no wind and ideal temperatures had many wild rice enthusiasts enjoying some of the largest harvests in years.

Natural wild rice is a resource like blueberries, deer and ducks that require time, committment and knowledge to partake in the harvest. Those who venture into the wild rice beds, naturally occurring on shallow lakes and slow moving streams, join a tradition nearly 2000 years old. Ensuring that we have wild rice to harvest for the future is the purpose of SORA. Join us - spread the word, support conservation of these remaining wild rice regions.