Wild Harvest Profits - Is This All Wrong and For Nothing?

I have been looking for different markets for you to sell your Wild Harvest Profit commodities, and have been shocked by the things that I have found regarding this profession. I am not going to ramble, but I do want to get something out in the open.

Everyone that I have talked to of this pastime, has said that it:

"Is too narrow a market to really make any substantial profits. Not
enough folks are interested in pursuing this endeavor for the amount
of time invested and the return "

Let me respond. Is that such a bad thing? I have never had the notion or tried to imply that Wild Harvesting or Wild Crafting will make anyone who practices this a
" Kazillionaire".

I have stated that this is a way to make some or many dollars doing what many love doing....being in the wild, and enjoying the fruits of Nature.

Not having the whole outdoor community out...digging...cutting...pruning and on and on...is not a bad thing! It means that if your serious about making a few dollars during tough times, this is one of the ways to do it, and with little competition.

I have researched markets, and most of them are local and sometimes obscure, for the ordinary harvester.

That is what this site is about...helping to locate products....secure and harvest them...and the best way to sell or market them TODAY.

Now in and beyond 2010.

Now I will close this with a question.

What can I do to HELP you with Wild Harvest Profits?

I will answer any and all questions and inquires. If I don't know than I will tell you, but I will research the questions or comment, and give my best answer in future postings.

More on this in a future post.

Yours in Wild Harvest Profits.

5Rivers Jim

There Dry and ready for storage

I just finished drying and storing my May Apple Roots for shipment to the buyer...more about them to come....! I saw yesterday a HUGE stand of my next Wild Harvest bounty. I will be harvesting them in the next few weeks. Should bring in around $200 for the effort of a few hours digging, washing, and drying and storing for shipment. Best part is that the landowner is ecstatic that I want to harvest these. Said " Son, you can have all you can dig and carry...might even get my kids out there to help you dig....You sure you want these pests?"

Interested?

I am working on a white paper on Common Root Commoditiesthat can be profitable for the Wild Harvester or Wild Forager. I should have it ready in the next few days. Bookmark this site and look for the download link to come soon.

Now...I love reading about my passion...Nature and The Land. I recently started to read a history of a Wisconsin farmstead. It has captured my time, and is one of those books that makes you sad when you come to the end....you just want to live and experience the author's description of life as they knew it everyday

I love this book The Land Remembers by Ben Logan. It is one of those keep by the bedside for good dreaming... books.

While you are formulating your Wild Harvest for Profits plan this book will keep you happy and warm for exploring and harvesting the bounty of this wonderful Earth.

To your Wild Harvest Profits success!

5Rivers Jim

PS I used my handheld gps again to mark the next root haul, and four more sites next to it....why? The farmer will be harvesting these sites of grain soon and he will be cutting the tops of the plants that I want making location difficult. I will need to be able to pin point them when I go to harvest. This thing really saves me tons of time and trouble!

Wild Harvest Profits - Keep Checking Drying Roots

Break Brittle Drying Roots.


Keep checking your drying roots. If you have had them drying in the shed, garage, attic, basement, wherever, make sure that they are being turned every 24 hours, and are Break Brittle! 

What does that mean?

When drying your harvested roots make sure that when you check them for dryness, that they actually break ......not bend..... when you check them in your hands like breaking fire wood sticks.

Never store your dry roots in plastic bags or boxes.  They will mold and then all that work is wasted, for no buyer will accept them in that condition.  Store them in a dry place, in paper bags, or boxes until time to ship. Check them often, to make sure that they are not sweating, or molding. If you do notice some moisture after putting in storage, then put back in your drier system and continue to take out moisture, until Break Brittle.

Yours in Wild Harvest Profits success.

5Rivers Jim

Wild Harvest Profits History Tip

I said in a previous post that there was a plant that saved many families during the Great Depression from going hungry and homeless. They were paid 5-10 cents for 100 pounds of roots. Whole families dug this from sunrise to sunset, when ever it was found, and in many cases this was the only income that these families made for many months.

This plant Podophyllum peltatum, commonly called mayapple, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to wooded areas of eastern North America. (reference from Wikipedia)

It was harvested for it's medicinal properties for the topical use for viral and genital warts. It is readily harvested and the part most sought after is the root. This plant is toxic if the "apples" are eaten to excess, so be warned.

Is this plant still being Wild Harvest for Profit?

See my next post for more indepth information on collecting and making ready for market this easily found and harvested plant.

To your Wild Harvest Profits success.

5Rivers Jim

When you locate a stand of May Apples make sure that you can return to the exact spot for Wild Harvest Profits using my favorite handheld GPS.

Start Scouting now for Fall Profits

You need to scout your next Wild Harvest commodity now, before the first frost or colder weather makes that much sought after plant or root unrecognizable above goround. I am looking for stands of Burdock and May Apple now, and will mark them with my Etrex Venture HC and have a exact return spot when it is time to harvest. I did pretty well last year digging Burdock, didn't kill the market with tons of money, but more then paid for the first installment of my property taxes. (Taxes here in Wisconsin are outrageous!).

Get any screens yet? If you have another way to dry your bounty make a post and let us know your method.

Yours in success for Wild Harvest Profits

5Rivers Jim

Rain and Humidity doesn't help Wild Harvesting

Well I don't know where you all are, but here in the Midwest, it is one of the wettest Summers on record. Had three inches of rain this weekend, and another 3 is on the way. COME ON FALL!

Have you been out making money Wild Harvesting? I have been digging roots and picking herbs, and it has been challenge to keep them from molding before I can market them.

I have a huge drier that my Dad made for me, and the herbs are not a problem, it is the roots that are giving me problems. I have a tip you to stop the mold destroying your hard work.

Window Screens!

I looked on Craigslist and found a guy that was selling all of his old screens, (got 20 large wooden cased screens for only $20) and I got them and now use them in my shed to put the roots on. Make sure they are not touching and have at least 12inches separation between stacked screens and then turn on a rotating fan and let the air blow across the roots. It will normally stop the formation of molds, and helps in drying the roots to a marketable dryness. If it is humid outside don't open a window to fresh air....it will act like convection oven and take for ever...if ever...for the roots to dry.

What am I wild harvesting and digging now?

See my post in the next few days on how harvesting these common plant roots helped many in the Great Depression survive.

5Rivers Jim

The Start to this Blog was premature...Now We Are Rocking

When I started this blog I had a vision that the "Wild Crafting" community would jump right in there and post numerous tid bits of harvesting news and then this blog would be hopping with activity.

Didn't happen. Totally my fault. Being new to the internet and ways of contacting like minded folks caused this blog to bog down.

The reason is that I did not know how to reach those that I wanted to post on my blog about their experiences harvesting from Nature and making a few....to sometimes many...dollars each year:

J.M. from Western Wisconsin harvested 2,256 lbs of Morels and sold them for $14.00/lb.....Profit $31,584.00 for three weeks work.

K.R. From Minnesota harvests Black Willow in the Winter, and makes over $17,000.00 during the Summer.

W.M. From South Dakota, follows local timber Loggers and from their cast offs makes $300 - 500 per month in his spare time.

C.E.combs the beaches of western Florida, and makes $3,000 each Summer from cast off glass.

I have been talking to many "Wild Harvesters" and have found numerous things that many folks do too help bring in income from Nature. Well over 18 activities country wide and counting for the Wild Harvester to take advantage of. This skill is more important now then in years past with our economy, and that is what this blog is going to do: teach how, when, where, why, and what to harvest and profit LEGALLY from Nature

First and foremost, I am not advocating plundering Nature for a few bucks. I wrote the following awhile back, Wild Harvesting is it ethical? and it sums up my feelings toward the ethics of foraging and harvesting from Nature.

We will be looking at all aspects for Wild Harvesting For Profit. Not only will you learn the things to harvest, but also the best techniques for selling, the best tools, the best markets, and the best potential income.

Comments are always welcome, but please don't kill me with ethical dribble on how we should just let Nature alone. I am going to emphasize again that I only advocate ethical harvesting of this wonderful worlds bounties...enough said.

Book mark this site, and also follow us on Twitter and Facebook. I will have the first white paper on Wild Harvesting For Profit available for you in the coming weeks. Check back and look for the download link.

The last thing that I want to get out in the open is that I am make my living writing, publishing and harvesting things of and about Nature. I will have TONS of free and up-to-date content for those who subscribe to my blog and newsletter, but also from time to time there will be links to products and information that I think are of interest to us Harvester's and also that I make a few dollars from. This helps me supplement my harvesting and writing income, and also allows me to track down the best and most up-to-date markets and products for you to make money with. If this upsets you, then you are welcome to find another resource for Wild Harvesting for Profit. I am not being rude just honest with you.

5Rivers Jim


This is one of the most important tools that I have with me every time I leave the house. Last year alone it helped me earn $750 dollars more and cut down the time in the woods doing it. Learn more here.