“ People will frequently go ricing on the Lower Dean Lake , Rice Lake and in the sections of the Mississippi River that are in Crow Wing County ,” she explains . According to the DNR , the Lower Dean Lake supports about 360 acres of naturally growing Wild Rice . Another 170 acres grows on Rice Lake .
Other lakes in Crow Wing County with large concentrations of wild rice growing include Platte Lake ( 350 acres ), Duck Lake ( 175 acres ), and Garden , Lizzie and Nelson Lakes which each have about 100 acres of naturally occurring wild rice growing .
Barrick says some years are better than others , and 2020 was a banner year . “ That summer , I believe the DNR determined , we had the best crop in 50 years because we didn ’ t have that heavy rainfall . It was drier so the plants were able to grow . The water levels are a major factor for wild rice .”
So is development , and Cass County is actively working to protect its lakes . Since 2012 , the Crow Wing SWCD has been working with Ducks Unlimited to protect natural resources throughout the county .
“ Through this program we work with the DNR to prioritize areas for protection , then work with the landowners adjacent to the lakes where birds feed and wild rice grows to ensure the shoreline doesn ’ t get developed ,” says Barrick .
The program gets its funding for the conservation easements it purchases from landowners from the Outdoor Heritage Fund . Since 2012 , about 800 acres of land and 9 miles of shoreline have been protected at a cost of $ 800,000 .
Ann Geisen , Wild Lakes Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ( DNR ) Shallow Lakes Program , says protecting the lakes where wild rice grows is going to be critical to its future survival . “ Across North America , wild rice used to be found all the way from the Great Lakes to Massachusetts , but it has significantly declined for most of that area ,” she says .
“ Michigan has no harvestable stands of wild rice , but is trying to bring it back . Wisconsin has some , but not as much as Minnesota which seems to be the last stronghold of wild rice in North America .”
Geisen has served as a wild lakes specialist for the DNR for the past 20 years . She and her coworkers help monitor and manage shallow lakes and wild rice lakes throughout the state . Their work involves conducting surveys , monitoring water levels , helping to write lake management plans , talking to citizens at public meetings , and answering questions from people interested in wild rice harvesting .
“ Sometimes it ’ s beginners wanting to know how to get started . Sometimes it ’ s more experienced harvesters looking for updates on local lakes ,” she says .
The DNR has a resource page on its website that is filled with information about harvesting wild rice . At DNR . state . mn . us / wildlife / shallowlakes / wildrice . html , people can access a series of articles explaining the regulations , maps of wild rice lakes and more .
Of particular interest , points out Geisen , a link to the 1854 Treaty Authority , an intertribal natural resources management agency involved in the preservation , protection and enhancement of wild rice . Every September , the organization hosts a wild ricing workshop . Registration information will be posted on the website , 1854treatyauthority . org once the 2022 workshop is set up .
How to Get Licensed to Harvest Wild Rice
Members of Minnesota ’ s tribal bands are able to harvest wild rice without a license . Their tribal ID serves as their license .
In order for non-band members to legally harvest wild rice , they must purchase a license . Wild ricing licenses can be purchased online from the DNR via this link : https :// www . dnr . state . mn . us / licenses then clicking on the link that says “ Online sales : at the bottom of the page , or by calling 1-888-MN-LICEN ( 665-4236 ). They can also be purchased at bait and tackle shops and Walmart stores throughout the state . the history of wild ricing in minnesota
Wild rice is a food of great historical , cultural and spiritual significance for Minnesota ’ s early settlers : the Ojibwe people . It was first discovered by the Ojibwe on Lake Superior in the 1600s after a long migration from the east coast of the United States . Shortly after making the discovery , they began to migrate towards Madeline Island in Ashland County , Wisconsin , and the surrounding bodies of water .
They gathered the rice ( manoomin ) by paddling their canoes through rice beds and knocking the grains into their canoes with sticks ( bawa ’ iganaakoog ). Freshly harvested rice was then processed by being roasted over a fire , then threshed by being stepped on or danced on .
This motion , called jigging , loosened the fibrous outer covering of the grain . Finally , to separate the grain from the hull the rice would be tossed into the air with birch bark trays ( nooshkaachinaagnanan ). The hulls would be blown away by the wind , leaving just the edible grain behind .
The rice would then be collected and stored , or transported from place to place to feed the people . Wild rice was also used in trade .
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