The Wandering Naturalist Podcast

09/23/2025

Our podcast was recorded before the wild rice season began in Minnesota so we were unsure as to what the summer weather would bring for this year's yield. As of August 11, 2025 the DNR is reporting pretty varied wild rice stand conditions. Some areas were sheltered from the large rain and wind events we've had and are growing very well, while other sites have been hit harder. Click the link below for more details.

https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/wildlife/wildrice/rice_outlook.pdf?v=2025.08.15-10.36.44

Wonders of Wild Rice

09/22/2025

Did you know that lots on Minnesota's wetlands were once drained to become farm fields? Farmers used drain tiles to direct the flow of water away from the land and dry up the fields, allowing them to be tilled and seeded.

https://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/wetlands-minnesota-river-basin

Wonders of Wild Rice

The Minnesota River Basin was historically dotted with wetlands. Accounts of early settlers describe prairie and wetlands extending as far as the eye could see. This photo of Swan Lake is an example of the wetland complexes that once were common in the prairie-dominated landscape.

09/21/2025

Much of the land that is now managed by Three Rivers was once wetlands and potential wild rice habitat. Steven Hogg and the wildlife team manage that habitat through water control structures that help control the water level.

https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/wetland-management-drawdowns

Wonders of Wild Rice

Managing wetland habitat is no easy task–learn how Three Rivers manages wetlands with drawdowns and explore the specific goals in managing this habitat.

09/20/2025

Catch a quick glimpse of some of the challenges of spreading wild rice seed in the mud. 🤣

Wonders of Wild Rice

09/19/2025

"If you want clear open water with no plants, put in a swimming pool"

Aquatic plants, including wild rice, are doing vital work keeping waterways clean and providing food and habitat for animals - and they are in need of protection. From cleaning boats to prevent invasive species to ensuring that plants are able to grow to maturity without disturbance from humans. They aren't weeds, they are vital parts of Minnesota's wetlands.

https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air-water-land-climate/protecting-wild-rice-waters

Wonders of Wild Rice

Wild rice is an important part of the biological community in many Minnesota lakes, streams, and wetlands, and a cultural resource to many, particularly members of the Dakota and Ojibwe Tribal Nations in Minnesota.

09/18/2025

The process of wild ricing has been fine tuned for generations. This video is full of incredible information about wild rice and clips of the processing! We highly recommend checking it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xls7_voRbWg

Wonders of Wild Rice

Come along while I go ricing for the first time with my friend and mentor, Sam Thayer!Wild Rice has a beautiful history of sustaining great lakes and coastal...

09/17/2025

📣 Loon Call 📣 Our second nature word of the month is Psíŋ meaning "wild rice" in Dakota. In addition to the Anishinabe, the D(L)akota people have a long and important history with the grain.

https://dakotaplants.wordpress.com/2020/12/25/psin-wild-rice-2/

Wonders of Wild Rice

I grew up eating wild rice (Zizania palustris), and I have always loved the nutty, smoky flavor of fire-parched wild rice. (Personally, I believe that the rice from the area around White Earth in M…

09/16/2025

📣Loon call📣 We have a double nature word this month! First off, MANOOMIN (pronounced ma- NOH-min) is the original Anishinabe (or Ojibwe) name for what many now call "wild rice". Manoomin translates to the "good berry" and is a vital part of native cultural history. Tune in tomorrow for the second nature word.

https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/main-entry/manoomin-ni

Wonders of Wild Rice

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary is developed and maintained by: Nora Livesay, Editor John D. Nichols, Founder and Linguistic Editor

09/15/2025

We've mentioned a few times that wild rice isn't technically a rice... It is actually a grain that comes from an aquatic grass. Early european colonists saw the habitat and the way it was harvested and were reminded of rice paddies and thus, gave the plant it's English name of "wild rice".

https://top10plantsmn.umn.edu/10-plants/wild-rice

Wonders of Wild Rice

Wild rice, or Manoomin as the Ojibwe people call it, is an ancient grain. Not technically a rice at all, wild rice is a persistent annual aquatic grass found growing in the cool waters of northern Minnesota. Native to Minnesota, wild rice has been used for human consumption for at least 2000 years i...

09/14/2025

There are many differences between "wild" wild rice and paddy grown wild rice, including the taste! There are a few ways to identify the difference in grocery stores. First, read the labels. If it is paddy grown in Minnesota it needs to say "cultivated". Native harvested wild rice can be labeled as "Manoomin" and can include images depicting native people harvesting. Check out the article below for more clues.

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/7156-how-to-tell-if-your-wild-rice-is-actually-wild

Wonders of Wild Rice

There’s a big difference between cultivated and natural wild rice. Here’s how to tell.

09/13/2025

Much of the wild rice that you find in stores today come from cultivated rice paddys. These grains are very different than the native wild rice. Scientists at the University of Minnesota have worked to create a version of the grain that is more suitable for commercial harvesting. For example, unlike the native wild rice, all of the grain on paddy grown rice is ready for harvest at the same time, making it easier for farmers to collect the full yield.

https://wildricebreedingandgenetics.umn.edu

Wonders of Wild Rice

Folwell Components **Open Communication and Transparency**Our group strives to create a diverse, inclusive, accepting, and welcoming environment for everyone we interact with. As wild rice has ecological, cultural, and agricultural significance here in Minnesota, we encourage open communication and....

09/12/2025

Wild rice is an important and nutritious food for humans AND for animals. Migrating waterfowl rely on ripe wild rice to fuel their long journeys south in the fall.

https://www.wisconsinwetlands.org/updates/wild-rice-for-migrating-waterfowl/

Wonders of Wild Rice

Wild rice: food for migrating waterfowl by Wisconsin Wetlands Association | Oct 28, 2016 | For landowners You may enjoy a dish of wild rice for its flavor and nutrition. But did you know that wild rice provides valuable cover, food, and loafing sites for numerous bird species of conservation concern...