How Minnesota Residents Can Earn Money Collecting Pine Cones

What if that annoying pile of pine cones in your yard wasn't just waste, but a tiny Minnesota payday just waiting to happen? This fall, the DNR is once again looking for a very specific kind of cone, and it's putting some cash behind the request.

When I was a kid, my grandparents' property back in Wisconsin was filled with pine trees. And every fall, there would be a TON of pine cones on the ground. It's too bad the DNR there didn't offer a similar program back then that the DNR here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes is offering today.

Minnesota DNR Will Pay Residents for Pine Cones

Because instead of raking, bagging them up, or taking them to the compost site, you can turn those pine cones into cash. It might sound like the opening line from some cheesy infomercial, but it's true. If you have extra pine cones in your yard, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) could PAY you for them!

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Trees in your yard don't often make you money, but that's the case now if you have an excess of red pine cones. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the red pine, sometimes called the Norway pine, is Minnesota's state tree, and it produces a good seed crop every few years but only has a true bumper crop around once every 10 years.

Why the Minnesota DNR Needs Red Pine Cones in 2026

And 2026 is one of those years. As a result, the DNR needs help from Minnesotans this season to collect as many ripe, closed cones as possible to build a strong red pine seed supply for plantings in future years.

To make it more attractive, the DNR says they've upped the price they're paying for red pine cones to $95 per bushel for clean, ripe, and closed red pine cones. They're ready for collection now through October, the DNR said.

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I first heard about the program a few years ago, but it's back again during the 2026 fall season. It's pretty cool: The DNR buys cones from citizens across the state, and they then use those cones to help reseed over 5,000 acres of forests here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

They're currently paying between $60 and $200 a bushel, depending on the type of cone, the DNR said. And, while the DNR is specifically looking for jack pine, red pine, and black spruce cones right now, did you know the DNR regularly buys seeds and cones from a variety of other trees? They do. But before you head out to your yard and start picking up various cones and seeds, the DNR says there are a few restrictions.

How to Sell Pine Cones to the Minnesota DNR

You'll want to first check in with the DNR forestry office nearest you before you collect any cones or seeds. And, new this year, you need to register as a supplier before you can sell cones to the DNR. You can find more information about the program, including a list of drop-off locations as well as current prices the DNR is paying, HERE.

Here are the prices the DNR is paying in 2026 for cone and see collection:

White pine - $50/bushel
Jack pine - $60/bushel
Black spruce - $200/bushel
Bur oak - $50/bushel
Red oak - $60/bushel
White oak - $80/bushel

The DNR has also produced a video on what to look for if you're heading out to collect some of those pine cones. And while you're out there foraging, beware of snakes. Wait, what? While the North Star State may not be known as a state with a lot of snakes (like some out west are), did you know there are 17 species of snakes that call Minnesota home? Keep scrolling to check 'em out!