Wild Rice

Details

Wild rice is actually not rice at all; it’s an aquatic grass that grows in shallow water and slow-moving streams. While there are a few different species of wild rice found around the country, Zizania palustris is native to the Great Lakes region. The Ojibwa people of this region would, and still do, harvest it wild in the traditional way by rowing close to a plant, sweeping the seed heads over the canoe and knocking the seed heads with a stick so the grains fall into the canoe. Demand has increased so much since the 1970s that most wild rice found in stores today isn’t “wild” at all but commercially grown in paddies and harvested using modern equipment. This makes it the only grass grain domesticated in historical (rather than prehistoric) times. California is the country’s leader in wild rice production, though you can find wild harvested rice from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Look for the state where it originated on the packaging. Minnesota wild rice is sold in many stores in our region. Wisconsin wild rice is found primarily in the state’s northern counties.

Harvesting season is August through September in our region, but wild rice is available to eat all year long when stored properly.

Fun fact: Wisconsin wild rice can only be harvested by Wisconsin residents and may only be done by muscle power in canoes. Find more information about wild rice harvesting in Wisconsin from the Wisconsin DNR.

Nutrition: Wild rice is 12 to 15 percent protein and high levels of B vitamins, niacin, riboflavin and folate, complex carbohydrates, fiber and potassium. The small amount of fat it contains is unsaturated.