Freeman Explore

  • Buy our Book!
  • A Year in the Wilderness
    • Bear Witness (Short Film)
    • Read the Book!
  • About
    • Videos
    • Media Resources
    • Media Archives
  • Education
  • Speaking
    • Speaking Resume
    • Testimonials
  • Expeditions
You are here: Home / Updates / September 04, 2016 at 09:40AM

September 04, 2016 at 09:40AM

September 4, 2016 By Dave Freeman

Tick, tick, tick, tick, the sound of ripe wild rice kernels landing in our canoe signaled we were in a good spot. Amy paddled and pushed the canoe through the thick rice, which was tall enough that about all I could see was the green stalks of rice and the blue sky. We fell into a rhythm talking about rice, silently enjoying the subtle sounds of the rice kernels landing in the canoe and musing about a variety of things. All the while carefully bending the rice over the canoe with one flail and lightly stroking it with the other.

In the afternoon we carefully scooped handfuls of rice into one of our @granitegear packs for the trip back to our campsite. Then we spread the rice out on tarps to dry in the sun and sifted through the kernels, hunting for small, white, rice-eating grubs. Soon small fish were splashing in the shallows as they gobbled up the grubs that we pitched into the water.

We have picked our fair share of berries and fried up plenty of fish, but we have never gathered food in such a deliberate and steady manner. What a wonderful gift these clean lakes and streams provide us. I hope we can return each year to the Wilderness as summer transitions into fall for the annual harvest. Gathering wild rice connects us to the land. We haven’t tasted a single grain of this rice yet, but I feel nourished in ways that a trip to the grocery store can’t provide.

If we protect this watery Wilderness it will continue to nourish us– mind, body and soul for generations to come. This place is too precious to risk, visit http://ift.tt/1x2erSX and take action today.

#wilderness #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #BWCA #wildrice #onlyinMN #CaptureMN #getoutstayout #wildharvest #harvest

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: instagram

Order our Book!

Recent Posts

April 29,...

April 29th, 2018

Wow! What a day! We started the day with a presentation at Westminster Church in Minneapolis, and th[...]

April 28,...

April 28th, 2018

Join us Monday April 30th for a live streaming Q and A through Kickstarter Live! We look forward to [...]

April 27,...

April 27th, 2018

Happy Friday! We have just ONE WEEK to go on our #PedaltoDC @Kickstarter. Join us in speaking loudly[...]

April 26,...

April 26th, 2018

As we pedaled down the last few miles of the Munger Trail today and then worked our way south on old[...]

April 26,...

April 26th, 2018

We are making a quick stop at the Post Office in Hinkley to sign and mail a book that someone reques[...]

Archives

  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • April 2015
  • December 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014

Contact Us

Do you have questions or comments? Perhaps you would like to join us on a wilderness adventure, or have us speak at your business, school, or event.

Contact us!

Connect with the us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
image

Copyright 2014 Freemans Explore · Log in