Better_Nutrition_September_2017

KERNZA:

The Break-

through Grain

A new type of grain

developed by The Land

Institute, a nonprofit

research organization

that designs alternatives

to destructive farming

techniques, Kernza can

help reverse soil depletion. Traditional grains deplete soil because they are

annual plants; seeds must be planted each year and are harvested a few

months later, leaving the soil fallow and exposed to erosion, with no food

for living organisms. Kernza is a perennial; once planted, it lives for many

years, producing an annual grain crop.

Kernza has very deep roots, which grow to about 10 feet in a year.

“Those roots are there to take up whatever resources are available and

they’re forming a network that holds the soil and prevents erosion all year

round,” says Lee De Haan, PhD, lead Kernza scientist at the institute.

“If our growing of grains undermines the system, eventually it will collapse,

as historically civilizations that are dependent upon annual grain crops have

collapsed as they deplete their soils,” he says. “So we’re trying to have a

system that has natural sustainability like natural ecosystems do, by

allowing the plant to be one that lives for many years in one place.”

So far, Kernza has been used to

make Long Root Ale (hopworksbeer.

com), and farmers have started

growing it for grain foods. So you

may be seeing Kernza soon, in a

store near you.

Beyond Organic
Organic farming protects the land
(and us, when we eat organic food)
by shunning toxic herbicides, pesticides,
and chemical fertilizers. It may improve
the quality of soil to diff erent degrees,
depending upon the farm, but the basic
approach is to do no harm. Soil quality
is not among the criteria for organic
certifi cation. Regenerative agriculture
goes a step further, aiming to literally
regenerate the life, fertility, and resilience
of the land, and it’s become a hot topic.
The most recent survey of American
organic farmers by the nonprofi t Organic
Farming Research Foundation found that
soil health was their chief priority in every
region of the country. To meet these needs,
the organization funds studies to identify
the best methods to enhance soil and
provides educational guides to help farmers
improve crop yields and make their land
more resilient in the face of climate shifts.

Nature’s Cycle
In healthy soil, there are more living
organisms underground than above
ground, from microscopic bacteria
and fungi to clearly visible
worms. “It’s said that
a teaspoon of healthy soil
contains more microorganisms
than all the people on
earth,” says Gabe Brown, a
North Dakota farmer and
regenerative pioneer. And
those organisms are essential
for nutritious food, resilient
farmland, and clean air.

What’s Up with
Carbon?
Uniting these seemingly
unrelated issues is a gas that
often gets negative headlines: carbon
dioxide. It makes up 80 percent of the
greenhouse gases that trap heat above
the earth, but carbon isn’t all bad.
Every time we breathe, we inhale
oxygen and exhale carbon. Plants do the
opposite, taking in carbon and emitting
oxygen. Too much carbon, often found in
poorly ventilated offi ces, makes the air

seem stuff y, can make people feel sleepy,

and can lead to headaches. But in farming,

says Adams, “Carbon is the food of life.”

Here’s how nature intended it to work:

kPlants take in carbon from the air,

convert some of it into energy, and

pump out the rest through their roots.

kOrganisms in the soil feed on the

carbon, supply nutrients to the plants,

and enable soil to absorb water

effi ciently and withstand droughts

and other extreme weather.

kAs long as there is plenty of life

below ground, massive amounts of

carbon are stored in the soil, instead

of escaping into the atmosphere.

By killing off life in the soil, herbicides,

pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and other

farming practices have broken the cycle.

Depleted soil fl oods easily, leads to toxic

run-off , can’t withstand drought, produces

poor-quality food, and contributes to air

pollution. But it can be rescued.

“It’s said that a teaspoon of healthy soil contains more

microorganisms than all the people on earth,” says Gabe

Brown, a North Dakota farmer and regenerative pioneer.

And those organisms are essential for nutritious food,

resilient farmland, and clean air.

PHOTO (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S FOREVER GREEN INITIATIVE; PAUL BROWN

(^48) • SEPTEMBER 2017