Native Hand Harvested Wild Rice 1lb.

Native Wise LLC Wild Rice: Our Wild Rice is hand harvested and processed by local Tribal affiliates of the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. David Wise personally harvests all of our Wild Rice in the Minoomin-Giizis (Rice Moon) which lasts from late August through September. David guides his canoe through local, native Wild Rice swaths by "Polling" with a 25ft. cedar poll with a hard wood crutch while his partner (usually a family member) "knocks" the rice into the canoe with the swift movement of two small cedar sticks called Rice Knockers. This method of harvesting Wild Rice has been passed down through the Wise family who has been harvesting this way for many generations and is beneficial to the Wild Rice ecosystem as it re-seeds the Wild Rice beds for the next season during the process of harvesting. Also, by managing Beaver populations to maintain optimum water levels in lakes and rivers the germination rate of Wild Rice is enhanced. Our Wild Rice is harvested from several lakes and rivers located within a 50 mile radius of the Fond Du Lac Reservation and Ceded Territories. Our rice is then processed by local Fond Du Lac Band members. Native Wild Rice is known as a good medicine in Ojibwe tradition and is a highly culturally significant plant as it plays a big role in the Ojibwe story of traveling to the place "where the food grows on the water" and settling here in Minnesota. We are very proud of our Wild Rice and strive to create a quality finished product. We look forward to sharing it with you!