Listen: Kernza and the Promise of Perennials

Luke Peterson and Carmen Fernholz farm Kernza, a clean-water crop, here in Minnesota. Learn more about why Kernza and perennials are good for the river. (Photo: Dodd Demas)

For all you auditory learners out there, you can brighten up your next morning jog/commute/dishwashing session with a podcast on Kernza and perennial grain.

The team at Field Work — a program exploring the ins and outs of all things agricultural — brought in FMR's friends Luke Peterson (an organic farmer in western MN) and Tessa Peters (of The Land Institute) to talk about what it's like to grow, market, and eat and drink this clean-water crop.

Whether or not you can tell the difference between a thresher and a seed drill, you're sure to learn a ton about Kernza and what it means for farmers to make the switch.

Listen online here or search your podcast app for "Field Work" season 3, episode 14.

Read more Water program updates.

Upcoming Events

August 13 through October 31, 2026
Throughout St. Paul
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 - 8:00pm to 9:30pm
TPT, Twin Cities PBS
Thursday, September 10, 2026 - 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Near the Mississippi River backwaters, St. Paul Park

Take Me to the River 

Celebrate the Mississippi River and choose your own adventure while supporting FMR at our reimagined fall fundraiser on Thursday, Sept. 24.