Photo courtesy of The Land Institute
Writer: Mary Jane Miller
Kernza may be one of the most promising new grains you’ve never heard of.
Developed by researchers at The Land Institute in Kansas and the University of Minnesota, Kernza is a perennial grain developed from intermediate wheatgrass. Unlike annual wheat, it’s planted once and harvested for several years. It can be cooked like rice, milled into flour for breads and pasta, or brewed into distinctive beers and distilled spirits. General Mills uses it in select Cascadian Farm breakfast cereals and other products.
So far, only a handful of farmers grow Kernza in Iowa — fewer than in neighboring Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Agronomists continue to research Iowa’s soil types, climate and other variables to see if Kernza has a fertile future here.
I hope it does. Several years ago, the University of Minnesota hired me to develop bread recipes using Kernza flour and bake loaves for a Super Bowl commercial promoting the grain. I fell in love with baking it. Like rye flour, Kernza is pleasantly nutty and relatively low in gluten, producing flavorful artisan breads with plenty of character. It’s also remarkably nutritious, with more than twice the dietary fiber of whole-wheat flour, along with higher levels of protein and several key minerals.
Photo courtesy of The Land Institute
Its greatest advantages, however, may lie beneath the soil. While traditional wheat develops roots only a foot or two deep, Kernza sends roots 10 feet or more underground. Those roots anchor soil, reduce erosion, improve water infiltration, store carbon, absorb nitrate and help the crop withstand both drought and heavy rains.
“I dug up a Kernza plant during a time of record drought, and the soil around the roots was still moist. Amazing,” said Wendy Johnson, owner of Joia Food Farm near Charles City and a board member of the Perennial Promise Growers’ Cooperative.
Wendy Johnson grows Kernza on her farm in Charles City. Photo: Tom Rafalovich
My fascination with Kernza has only grown over the past few years. Today, my husband and I live on an acreage near Indianola with three large pastures that currently produce low-quality hay and plenty of thistles. After meeting with my local USDA district conservationist about a conservation plan, I’m seriously considering converting those fields to Kernza.
Johnson remembers attending a Kernza field day in 2020 at the invitation of her mentor and my longtime friend, Carmen Fernholz. “The field had been infested with thistles before it was planted,” Johnson recalled. “When I saw it, it was beautiful, like a rolling ocean of grain without a single thistle.”
That image captures much of Kernza’s appeal. Farmers value the crop because it can provide both forage and grain while requiring relatively few pesticides, helping suppress weeds and improve soil health along the way.
Jeff Loehr, who has grown Kernza for five years in Moorland, near Fort Dodge, believes the crop’s future is promising.
“Right now we’re way short of growers,” he said. “There’s more demand than supply. I think we’ll see Kernza become an attractive alternative. I’ve certainly seen positive results. It grows well here in Iowa.”
One lingering challenge has been yield, which has historically trailed conventional wheat. Plant breeders continue to make significant progress, however, and the newest seed release is expected to boost yields by about 40% — an important step toward making the crop even more attractive to farmers.
Although Kernza remains difficult to find in most supermarkets, pastry chef Jess Robertson incorporates its flour into some of her baked goods at Oak Park in Des Moines. Andrew Frana, the head brewer at Brightside Aleworks in Altoona has used it to make beer. Other Iowa producers, including those at Joia Food Farm and the Perennial Promise Growers’ Cooperative, also sell whole grain and flour online.
The next time you’re browsing the grain aisle, ask your grocer about it. Consumer demand often begins with a simple question, and this remarkable perennial grain may help shape the future of sustainable agriculture.
Curious about Kernza?
You can try it for yourself. A few products are now available online and in select stores.
Breakfast cereals, Cascadian Farm. Kernza adds a nutritional boost to raisin bran and honey oat crunch cereals.
Egg noodles, Climate Smart. These noodles have an earthy, whole-grain look to them, with the mildly nutty flavor of Kernza. Photo courtesy of The Land Institute
Flour, Perennial Pantry. In most baking recipes, you can replace a third of the all-purpose flour with Kernza flour to boost flavor and nutrition.
Beer, Patagonia Provisions & Deschutes Brewery. This is a light, crisp German-style lager brewed with organic Kernza. Photo courtesy of The Land Institute
Contributing writer Mary Jane Miller of Indianola has worked as a food writer, chef, cooking teacher and food scientist for various clients, including Betty Crocker, the Food Network, Pillsbury, Target and the Minnesota Governor’s Residence.
Show Comments (0)