EAST TROY, Wis. — Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) and Rooster Milling will host the first-ever Midwest Kernza Harvest Field Day on Friday, Aug. 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m in SE Wisconsin. The day will begin at Rooster Milling, W1684 Honey Creek Road, East Troy, before moving to the Kernza fields at MFAI’s New Farm nearby. The free event will give farmers, researchers, and alternative grain enthusiasts a look at three different Kernza harvesting techniques, along with grain cleaning and post-harvest handling. Kernza intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) is a perennial grain with conservation value and value-added uses in baking, brewing and distilling. Free lunch will be provided by Mama Bear Catering of Mukwonago. 

This free event is hosted by The Forever Green Initiative at University of Minnesota, along with Graham Adsit and Andy Rowntree of Rooster Milling and Dr. Nicole Tautges, Research Director at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. More information and directions are available at michaelfields.org. Registration is requested to help with food planning.

“Does swathing it result in a better yield? Is it worth the extra trips across the field? These are questions Kernza farmers, including us, often encounter,” Tautges said. “The demonstration of the different harvest methods is going to be a unique aspect of this field day, allowing growers to compare the results of three harvesting options for Kernza in person and discuss those results with other growers as well. This will be a can’t-miss event.”

Dr. Nicole Tautges is Research Director at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and a nationally recognized Kernza researcher. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a Ph.D. from Washington State University, where her research focused on soil fertility, weed management and soil microbial management in semiarid organic wheat production systems. She later conducted Kernza research at the University of Minnesota and soil health research at the University of California, Davis. Her current research at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute focuses on organic production methods, biological nutrient cycling and post-harvest quality in Kernza, oat and buckwheat systems.

Unlike annual grains that must be replanted each year, Kernza is a perennial grain that can remain in production for three years after planting. Its deep, living root system allows the crop to provide continuous ground cover while producing grain that can be used in products ranging from baked goods and flour to beer and distilled spirits.

Because Kernza is a relatively new small grain crop, optimal harvest methods are still being developed. The field day will focus on important decisions facing Kernza growers, including how to harvest the crop to maximize marketable yield and how to properly clean and process the grain after harvest. Attendees will see three harvest methods demonstrated side by side: direct combining, swathing and harvesting with a stripper header.

Rooster Milling will demonstrate grain cleaning and post-harvest handling. Operated by Adsit and Rowntree, Rooster Milling was established to clean, process and market food-grade grains grown on their farm while also providing processing opportunities for other growers. The mill sells processed grains to bakeries, distilleries and other food businesses, as well as flour for home bakers.

The demonstrations will be followed by networking and knowledge sharing among farmers, researchers, perennial-grain growers and other partners. This event is free and open to the public, and will also feature presenters from the Forever Green Initiative, The Land Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Clean Wisconsin, and the Artisan Grain Collaborative.

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is a non-profit organization that has been cultivating resiliency through research, education, and policy work since 1984. With a broad coalition of public and private partners, The Institute supports regenerative farmers, food systems and communities in the Upper Midwest and beyond through a range of programs and initiatives.