23
farm406
Kernza®
Perennial Grain,
A Future Crop
rik Engellant of Geraldine stood at the edge of a hundred-acre field in early
April 2018 and saw bare ground. e previous year he had taken a huge risk by
planting a new crop, Kernza® Perennial Grain, on that land, and from day one
he had had problems. First the seed arrived late—around the end of October,
but he had the field ready to plant, so he went ahead. en the lightweight seed
started sticking or "bridging" in the air seeder forcing him to frequently stop to
stir the seed. All winter he wondered if the seed would germinate.
E
BY SUZANNE WARING • PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC VISOCAN
Sample of Kernza® grain.
P R O D U C E R P R O F I L E