RICE SEED ORDER DEADLINE IS March 15 2022!

For a variety of reasons we do not have rice seed for sale in our online store (largely due to low supply, high demand, and trying to customize orders to help as many growers out). We are only accepting orders for 1) a minimum order total of $30, 2) a minimum variety order of 20 grams.


Exceptions are made for educational endeavors, and those who can pick up seeds. I do have smaller amounts of some other seed varieties too. Size availability is 20 grams, 50 grams, 100 grams, and 200 grams. Pricing per unit ranges from $8 – $30. Minimum shipping is $7. 5.5% Sales tax will apply. For smaller orders use FEDCO.

To place an order or inquire about specifics email: ben (at) wildfolkfarm.com or use our contact form.

2022 Rice Seed AVAILABILITY

VARIETYMAX AMOUNT
Duborskian50 grams
Hayayuki50 grams
Yukihikari1 lb.
Yukimochi2 lb.
Arpa Shali1 lb.
Titanio1 lb.
Uz Rosknone this year
Black Ricenone this year
Diamantenone this year

QUALITY

We started with five grams of 40 different rice varieties in 2013-14, each from the USDA. For the past seven years we have been selecting the best traits of these landrace, heirloom varieties. We currently sell 10 cold tolerant rices; distinct and cold tolerant. Our experience has shown that some of these varieties these varieties can yield up to 5,000 lbs/acre in Maine! Germination is 80-90% (after soak test – read under “Cultivation Information”). In past summers, even in drought, we were able to grow 3,600 pounds/acre. We still have a lot to learn about our rice agriculture and how it interacts with surrounding ecosystems.

ALL RICE IS GROWN ACCORDING TO OUR ORGANIC STANDARDS

  • INPUTS: Compost, rock amendments and foliar homemade teas (sourced mostly from the gulf of Maine and our farm) for fertility.

  • INTEGRATION: Grown in rice paddies, with azolla and ducks. Technically, ducks in the paddy prevent us from organic certification.

  • HUMAN POWER: No machinery is used the paddies. The rice was threshed with a foot powered thresher.

  • No GMOs. No seed coatings. No Arsenic.

Seed Amounts


10 grams =
~ 40 sq. feet
100 grams
= ~ 400 sq feet

There are roughly 35-40 seeds per gram. If you are seeking an order larger than 100 grams, please contact us.

cold tolerance

This rice can take light frost early in the season and will continue to mature into the frost nights of fall. The plants will remain alive after freeze, but their maturity will stop, or slow down considerably. These rices also works well for growth in the spring or fall in warmer areas, if for example, one wanted to grow something else in the summer, or those seasons are wetter.

maturity dates

All of our seeds were grown in central Maine. Our maturity dates are based on wet paddy conditions. Add an additional 1-2 weeks to the maturity dates in dry conditions (as proven in this drought year!) We are in Zone 5a, very close to 5b.

SHIPPING dates

Seeds will be sent in late March/early April. On your order, please specify if you need seeds earlier for your growing plan.

ATTN: SEED COMPANIES

If you plan to grow-out and sell this seed commercially, please be in touch before so, so we can figure out a fair arrangement.

RICE VARIETIES

lowland varieties

Lowland rice grows in wet paddies, or riparian areas. We have found that while lowland rice prefers wet clay soil, paddies and flooding are not needed. These varieties are typically shorter and will produce more tillers than upland rice.

In general, they outperform upland varieties in wetter soils, and also are less likely to lodge (fall over) when ripe or ripening. Lodging is more of an issue for machinery operations. Try to keep soil moist through the middle of July. Heights max around 3 feet.

upland varieties

Traditionally, upland rice grows in drier conditions. All rice seems to prefer moist soils and we have found that it also does well in our flooded clay paddies. In drier conditions it will outperform lowland rices. Performs better than lowland rice amongst other dryland agriculture crops. Neither upland nor lowland rice likes growing sandy soils, but Upland varieties can tolerate more sandy composition than lowland varieties. I recommend mulching well, if growing in a dryer area. Upland rice is taller than lowland rice, and has less tillers. Each tiller is thicker and will produce more seeds. 12-24 tillers per plant. Heights top out around 4 feet.

shorter season maturity varieties

(95-100 Days from transplant in paddies)
We harvest the following rices in early September with adequate moisture. The two lowland varieties and the most sensitive, out of all our rices, to dry conditions.Can be directly sown in zone 4b in wet conditions and transplanted in zone 4a.

Hayayuki

Lowland. Short grain, Northern Japan, light brown rice. Nutty, & vanilla notes. Hayayuki means “first snow” in Japanese. Fries Well.
(Sold Out)

Akamuro

Lowland.Short grain, Northern Japan, Red. “Aka” means read in Japanese and “Muro” means ice house, so yes this rice was also meant for the cold. The plant and hulls have a nice burnt orange color, different form most rices. The red comes from anthocyanins, the some compounds found in autumn leaves. It does not get as bushy as Hayayuki, so space closer together. Minerality and refreshing flavor.

Duborskian

Upland, short grain from Ukraine. Finishes a week after Hayayuki. It has beautiful long awns that help deter the birds. Best rice to direct sow in northern upland settings. The awns, serve like antennae – Watch your harvested drying kernels shoot up towards the sky and rotate, as they are drying, or being stored. Good upland to resist lodging and shattering. Strong oat and wholesome flavor.

Takachi Kurone

Red rice, Japan. We have bobolink issues at the farm and they always target this rice first, which is a testament to how yummy this jewel is. Like Akamuro, these red rices are not heavy yielders. This rice is more prone to lodging than other short season varieties. It is also the most ornamental rice we have, with long purple awns.

Medium maturity varieties

(105-115 days from transplant in paddies).
We harvest the following three rices in the middle of September. Can be transplanted in zones 4b or warmer in wet conditions and 5a in drier conditions and directly sown in zone 6.

Yukimochi

Sweet/Sticky Rice, lowland from Northern Japan. Short grain and white, pearly color. Fries well, and great for leftovers. Only available on this site!

(Sold Out)

Uz Rosk

Upland light brown rice from Central Asia. These grains are slightly bigger than most of our other lowland varieties. Hands down are best yielder in dry conditions! Larger & sweeter than other upland rice with notes of walnut. Only available on this site!

Ponta Rubra

Upland light brown rice from Portugal. Paella anyone? Larger short grain kernels. Also very heavy yielder! Only available on this site! Matures a little later than Uz Rosk.

titanio

Risotto rice. Has a unique almost conical floral structure.

Our favorite to admire towards harvest. Light brown rice from Italy.

Longer Season maturity varieties

We harvest these varieties into October sometimes. We don’t recommend cultivating these unless you are well into zone 5b, or have some paddies and can create micro-climates with the water.

yukihikari

Short grain, Lowland Northern Japanese variety. These are our highest yielding and latest maturing lowland varieties. Develops a complex tastes of maple, citrus & Sesame. Great plump Texture. Fries Well. Only available on this site!

Arpa Shali

Upland variety from Central Asia. Medium Grain. Stays separate after being cooked. Good for salads and baking. Our tallest plant, reaching heights of 4.5 feet. Red Rice. The only cold tolerant medium grain red rice we know of! Susceptible to shattering and lodging, so harvest in good time and process with care.

diamante

Long grain upload rice from Chile. Took 5 years of selective seed savings to get traits desirable enough for seed sales. Best to handle with care as this rice has a tendency to shatter (fall off the stalk before threshing).

Cultivation Information

We soak seed for 10 days in the middle of April. Roughly 1/4 float and are discarded. Next, we sow the seeds in flats. We then transplant them 4-5 weeks later, after the danger of frost. Seedlings are transplanted at 8-12 inches apart. Harvest when at least ½ of the seeds have fallen and are golden brown. More information can be found here: Akaogi Rice Growing Manual. Please follow-up with any questions via our Contact Page. For upland and lowland varieties try to keep the soil moist through July.

We have started directly sowing some of out rice. In our climate we sow it at the start of May in WET soils.

INTERESTED IN GROWING RICE?

WE ARE EXPANDING!

We are looking for new sites where we can grow rice. we want to partner with existing farms interested in incorporating rice paddies into their farm operations and/or leasing land.
we will design and build paddy systems based on individual site characteristics, working with farm owners to ensure designs integrate well into their current operations?

a good rice paddy site will have:

  • clay soil
  • uphill pond with good capacity (or place to dig one)
  • slight slope for water management
  • zone4b or warmer

for more information get in touch

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