Northern Lakes wild rice is all hand harvested with ricing sticks in canoes on lakes where it grows naturally about 60 miles from the Twin Cities. It is then hand finished. Paul Red Elk has a display of the ricing tools as well as some of the pre-finished rice available to look at in his booth each week at the Mill City Farmers Market. He also has a wealth of information about the skill and hard work that goes into each bag of wild rice that he sells.

“For generations, Native American Indians have been hand harvesting our sacred wild rice in canoes in northern Minnesota lakes, and rivers. Native families hand finished this unique aquatic plant with wood fired heat giving it a very light nutty flavor. Our native wild rice cooks up in 30 minutes as apposed to patty rice that has a 45 to 60 minute cooking time.”

Quicker, tastier, and more environmentally friendly, Northern Lakes Wild Rice is available each Saturday at the Mill City Farmers Market. Check out our Mill City market menu, featuring Northern Lakes Wild Rice.