Kernza — the grain you’ve never heard of that could revolutionize farming

The perennial grain can produce an annual crop even as it stays in the ground for up to four years. Its deep root system helps pull carbon out of the air and makes it more resistant to floods and drought.
This story was produced in partnership with the Food & Environment Reporting Network

Carmen Fernholz started farming organically in 1972 — before the phrase “organic farming” was really even a thing. And as a lifelong organics fanatic, he’s always on the lookout for strategies to keep his soil healthy.

Many of these strategies are about how he farms: He’s never used herbicides or pesticides on his crops, for instance. He doesn’t use commercial fertilizers. He plants cover crops to sequester carbon in the soil.

Basically, when it comes to the health of his fields, Fernholz’s philosophy is to let the soil live as naturally as possible. “I just cringe whenever I see soil disturbance.”