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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources could help you earn of few extra bucks, and all you need are the trees in your yard.

That's right, your friendly Minnesota DNR could help you make some money from the trees in your yard here in Rochester. And, actually, you don't even need that. So what am I talking about?

It's a program I didn't even know existed until I saw a tweet about it earlier this week. But it's all about sustainability and keeping our forests fully-stocked here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The DNR's website explains it like this:

Do you have or know of a woodland or forest that produces large amounts of seeds or cones? You can sell viable tree seeds to the Minnesota State Forest Nursery. The Minnesota State Forest Nursery is interested in buying seeds and cones from many trees that could be in your yard.

That's right-- all those (sometimes) annoying seeds and cones that your trees produce could actually make you some money. The DNR says they're looking for cones from these coniferous trees: Black spruce, Eastern white pine, Jack pine, Red pine (also called Norway pine), Tamarack (also called eastern or American larch) and White spruce.

And, they're looking for seeds from the following deciduous trees:

  • American basswood
  • Bitternut hickory
  • Black walnut
  • Bur oak
  • Northern pin oak (also called Jack oak, hill oak)
  • Northern red oak
  • Red maple
  • Shagbark hickory
  • Silver maple
  • Sugar maple
  • Swamp white oak
  • White oak
  • Yellow birch

Now, before you head out to your yard and start collecting those cones and seeds, the DNR says there are a few restrictions. First, contact the area forestry office before collecting cones or seeds. They can give you a list of tree species and quantities accepted and the dates and times when seeds will be purchased.

Listen to Curt St. John from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5
and from 2 to 6 p.m. on 103.9 The Doc

READ MORE: Top 20 Most Viewed Minnesota News Stories of 2020 (So Far)

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