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market-farming - [Market-farming] Kernza; Re: Growing Small Grains for CSA and Market

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  • From: Leslie Moyer <unschooler AT lrec.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Kernza; Re: Growing Small Grains for CSA and Market
  • Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 23:13:25 -0600

I'm not really following this conversation as I'm swamped at the moment, but
thought I'd mention one thing. Please excuse me if it has already been
mentioned.... Wes Jackson at The Land Institute has been working on
perennializing annual grain crops. They have a nearly-market-ready perennial
wheat that they're calling Kernza that they are trialing on a larger scale
next year. They sold some Kernza flour last year at their annual festival
(The Prairie Festival) and it was fabulously delicious and it is more
nutritious than (annual) wheat. Grown as a perennial, Kernza has a MUCH
longer root system that is able to hold soil against erosion, be far more
drought tolerant, and require lower inputs. Jackson also intends it to grow
as part of a polyculture--not as a monoculture crop--however, I'm less
knowledgeable about how that harvest works. Anyway--I don't believe it is
available as a commercial seed crop yet, but I expect it will be in the next
few years. And they MAY be looking for small growers who will trial it in
their area(s). By the way....the Kernza flour sold for $10/lb., though I
think it was mostly a fundraiser for their research. We bought some to try it
and I'm glad we did--best pancakes we ever ate!--but we couldn't afford to
eat like that too often!

--Leslie (who regularly attends The Prairie Festival, Salina, KS)



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