Wild Rice | Manomin | Psin | Folle Avoine

Wild Rice (Zizania palustris), known to the Algonquin as manomin (good grain), the Sioux as Psin (wild rice), and the French as folle avoine (wild oats) played a crucial role in the early settlements of the old Northwest.

The Algonquin, Sioux, and Chippewa (Ojibway) Indian tribes were the first to harvest wild rice in the marshes and shallow rivers of Minnesota and Wisconsin. When the French traders arrived, they too fell in love with wild rice and traded with the tribes for large quantities or rice to cook up with a hearty helping of buffalo fat. Later, English settlers helped to spread wild rice to the Pacific Coast to the idea rice farming territory in California and Oregon. In Oregon, rice farming is growing more popular as farmers have realized the ideal rice growing conditions found locations like ours in the Willamette Valley which floods every winter.

From our paddy to your plate...

Located along the banks of the Luckiamute River, our rice starts the year by sprouting under two feet of flooded river water. No life is visible during these cold and wet winter months. But don't be fooled by the apparent sparse coverage. There is plenty of activity. Our paddy is a natural attraction for the water fowl and river wildlife. This wetland is part of an ecosystem whose midwinter status is characterized by flooding. Many of the inhabitants at this time of year are transient and mainly limited to water fowl of many species. And of course, there is Bill in his blind.


In early May the sprouts (which are two feet tall now) push up above the water level. Being an aquatic loving plant the rice spends most of this first month lying flat on the surface of the water. It looks like seaweed floating on the ocean surface. By mid June there is a sudden surge of strength, and the rice suddenly stands up and changes form--looking strong and more grass-like. In it's upright form its growth is quite rapid, becoming about 6 feet tall by mid-July. During this phase the rice also develops a large, beautiful pink fluff of flowers that resemble Astilbe is size and shape. This graceful flower sets seed with in about 3 weeks, and is soon ready to harvest.

We allow the paddy to dry out in early August to prepare for combining. This is a method of thrashing by machine. Approximately twenty percent of the seed is naturally lost which ensures that the paddy will re-seed itself. Also another 20 percent is broken by the large combining machinery. These "pieces" are sorted by our seed cleaning and sorting machinery and separated for you.

In the field, the combined rice is immediately placed into totes. It ferments for approximately three days to degrade the hulls and improve the flavor. The rice is then processed through a de-huller, dried in an oven, and re-sorted to premium long grain, and pieces. It is then packaged.

Wild Rice, the Oregon way

We have available these two varieties: Premium Long Grain which is the seed fully intact. Use this variety when presentation matters because it is very beautiful on the plate. Our rice is also available as "Easy Pieces" which are the pieces (about 1/2 the size) which have been broken during the combining process. These easy pieces are easier to use in that they cook in about half the water in about half the time and are therfore easier to incorporate into your meal as an ingredient.Our rice is available for direct to your home shipment and can be found at farmers' markets throughout Western Oregon.

For more information about our farm please email us, we'd love to hear from you!

You can also go straight to our Order page to have some of our delicious, healthy, farm fresh wild rice sent right to your home.

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