Rooted in Resilience
How Kernza® and Winter Camelina are Growing a More Sustainable Future
Why Traditional Agriculture Needs a Shift: Challenges to Water Quality and Soil Health
The Benefits of Continuous Living Cover: Why Kernza and Winter Camelina Matter
Clean River Partners’ Role: Advancing Innovation and Advocacy
How You Can Get Involved: Supporting Sustainable Agriculture
Here in Minnesota, we know a thing or two about fields that stretch to the horizon. Our farms feed families, fuel economies, and shape our communities. But even the best traditions need a little innovation now and then—especially when it comes to protecting the health of our soils and waters. Enter continuous living cover (CLC) cropping systems, starring two rising stars: Kernza and Winter Camelina. (1) These powerhouse plants are helping farmers rethink how we grow food while keeping the Cannon River Watershed—and everything it touches—thriving.
At Clean River Partners, we are committed to building bridges: between farmers and researchers, between innovation and tradition, and between a resilient agricultural economy and a healthy watershed. Our work centers on improving watershed health through sustainable practices, promoting continuous living cover, and connecting local farmers with research opportunities that support both environmental stewardship and community resilience.
A field of Kernza at Sogn Valley Farm. Image provided by Clean River Partners.
What is Continuous Living Cover (CLC)?
Continuous living cover, or CLC, sounds technical, but it’s pretty simple: it’s about keeping farmland covered with living plants year-round, instead of leaving soil bare between growing seasons. (2) Think of it like giving the land a cozy blanket through all four seasons—one made of roots, stems, and leaves instead of fleece.
By maintaining living roots in the ground throughout the year, CLC systems help improve soil health, boost water quality, capture carbon, and support biodiversity. (3) In short, it’s like a multi-tool for sustainable farming. And crops like Kernza, a deep-rooted perennial grain, and Winter Camelina, a hardy oilseed that grows through the chill of Minnesota winters, are two of the best tools we’ve got in the toolbox.
Why Traditional Agriculture Needs a Shift: Challenges to Water Quality and Soil Health
Conventional farming has long been the backbone of food production, feeding communities and driving local economies. But some common practices can have unintended impacts on the land and water that sustain them. When fields are left bare between growing seasons, soil becomes vulnerable to erosion. (4) Heavy rains can then wash away not just the soil itself but also fertilizers and pesticides, sending them into nearby waterways—like the Cannon River and its winding tributaries. (5) Over time, this runoff can contribute to nutrient pollution, algae blooms, and degraded water quality, putting stress on ecosystems and local communities. (6)
The Cannon River Watershed isn’t immune to these pressures. Protecting its health means rethinking how we farm, but that doesn’t mean losing sight of farmers' needs to maintain productive, profitable operations. Continuous Living Cover (CLC) methods, along with resilient crops like Kernza and Winter Camelina, offer practical solutions. These plants keep living roots in the ground year-round, reducing erosion and filtering water before it carries pollutants downstream. (7) With living cover in place, soil remains stable, water stays cleaner, and farmers benefit from healthier, more resilient land.
By embracing these methods, we’re not just protecting the Cannon River—we’re supporting strong local agriculture and building a legacy of clean water, healthy soil, and thriving communities. It’s a way to farm that’s not just sustainable but resilient, profitable, and deeply connected to the landscapes we depend on.
Kernza Field Day at White Barn Acres. Image provided by Land Stewardship Project.
Kernza: A Perennial Grain Revolutionizing Agriculture
What is Kernza?
Kernza is a game-changer. Developed by researchers at The Land Institute and further studied at the University of Minnesota, it’s a perennial grain bred from intermediate wheatgrass. (8) Unlike annual crops (which need to be replanted every year), Kernza stays in the ground for multiple years, putting down deep, massive roots that improve soil structure, sequester carbon, and hold nutrients in place. (9)
Plus, it’s versatile. Kernza can be baked into bread, brewed into beer (more on that in a second), and used in everything from cereals to pancakes. (10) It’s proof that sustainability and deliciousness don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Kernza’s Role in Continuous Living Cover
Because Kernza lives year after year, it keeps soil covered—and protected—all year long. That means less erosion, better water retention, and a huge boost to biodiversity (hello, pollinators and wildlife habitat!). Those deep roots act like a sponge during heavy rains, soaking up water and preventing runoff before it can hit our rivers and lakes.
Clean River Partners and Kernza Research
At Clean River Partners, we’re helping connect the dots. We work with local farmers who are willing to trial Kernza on their fields, and we partner with researchers at the University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative to figure out best practices: How can farmers grow Kernza without losing money? How can we build a supply chain that makes Kernza as easy to sell as corn or soybeans?
And yes, we’ve even helped turn Kernza into beer! A few years ago, we brought together farmers, researchers, and Imminent Brewing in Northfield to create a limited-release Kernza brew. It’s just one example of how local partnerships are turning innovation into real-world success stories.
Winter camelina seeds. Image provided by UMN Forever Green Initiative.
Winter Camelina: An Annual Oilseed with Year-Round Benefits
What is Winter Camelina?
Winter Camelina is like the overachiever of the oilseed world. It’s planted in the fall, grows throughout the winter under snow and frost, and is harvested in early summer with enough time to grow a second crop in the same season. (11) Its cold-hardy nature makes it an ideal fit for Minnesota's brisk climate.
Farmers can press Winter Camelina seeds for oil, use the meal as livestock feed, or even explore new markets in biofuels and food products. (12) It's tough, it's versatile, and it’s playing a starring role in sustainable farming.
Winter Camelina’s Role in Continuous Living Cover
Winter Camelina provides vital ground cover when fields would otherwise be bare. Its roots help keep soil in place, while its growing canopy reduces nutrient runoff and improves soil structure during some of the most erosion-prone months of the year.
Economically, Winter Camelina can add value by giving farmers an early-season cash crop, creating new revenue streams while improving conservation outcomes. (13)
Clean River Partners and Winter Camelina Projects
We’re proud to help local farmers trial Winter Camelina in real-world conditions. Clean River Partners connects farmers to university researchers, helps secure grant funding, and supports outreach efforts to share what we’re learning. We're also working with farmers to tackle big-picture questions: How do we build a market for Winter Camelina? How do we ensure that sustainable choices are also financially smart choices?
Kernza Field Day at White Barn Acres. Image provided by Land Stewardship Project.
The Benefits of Continuous Living Cover: Why Kernza and Winter Camelina Matter
Environmental Benefits
Both Kernza and Winter Camelina offer year-round soil protection, meaning fewer nutrients wash into our rivers and lakes. They build organic matter, foster soil microbes, and create habitat for wildlife. They’re powerful allies in the fight against erosion, water pollution, and climate change.
Agricultural Benefits
CLC crops offer farmers new ways to diversify their operations, reduce chemical inputs, and protect their land for future generations. Kernza can sequester carbon deep underground, while Winter Camelina fits snugly between traditional crop rotations—offering extra income without sacrificing yields.
Both crops represent a step toward farming systems that are more resilient, more profitable, and more aligned with the rhythms of nature.
Barriers to Adopting Continuous Living Cover
Of course, it’s not all sunshine and wildflowers. There are real barriers to adopting CLC systems:
Economic Barriers
Switching to new crops means new equipment, new learning curves, and uncertain markets. Farmers are entrepreneurs, and it’s a big risk to grow something you might not be able to sell.
Cultural and Knowledge Barriers
Generations of farming wisdom shape decisions, and it’s understandable that farmers might hesitate to overhaul what’s worked for decades. Plus, these crops require different management strategies, meaning education and support are critical.
Policy and Infrastructure Barriers
Processing facilities, marketing networks, and government incentives are still catching up to crops like Kernza and Winter Camelina. Without infrastructure, even the best ideas can struggle to take root.
Kernza Field Day at Sogn Valley Farm. Image provided by Clean River Partners.
Clean River Partners’ Role: Advancing Innovation and Advocacy
At Clean River Partners, we’re leaning in.
Supporting Research and Adoption
We work with farmers willing to trial new crops, collaborate with researchers, and manage grant-funded projects that drive innovation. We’re helping identify best practices, build farmer networks, and support the organizations working to scale CLC systems.
Policy Advocacy for Sustainable Agriculture
While we don't lobby directly, we actively support partners like the Land Stewardship Project, Minnesota Farmers Union, and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts who advocate for smarter, farmer-friendly policies. We believe that good policy should support both people and the planet.
And we’re proud to highlight local organizations like the Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative and Perennial Pantry—Minnesota-grown solutions building real supply chains for crops like Kernza right here in our own backyard.
How You Can Get Involved: Supporting Sustainable Agriculture
For Farmers
If you’re interested in trying out Kernza or Winter Camelina, we want to hear from you! We can connect you with resources, research partners, and other farmers who are making it work. Clean River Partners can help with project coordination, technical support, and grant funding.
For Community Members and Advocates
Support local farmers who are taking the leap into sustainable practices. Buy products made with Kernza. Advocate for agricultural policies that support soil health and clean water. Spread the word about continuous living cover and why it matters.
Small actions add up to big changes.
Conclusion: A Future Rooted in Resilience
Continuous living cover isn’t just a niche idea—it’s the future of farming in a changing world. With deep-rooted crops like Kernza and Winter Camelina leading the way, we have a real chance to protect our waters, enrich our soils, and support farmers’ livelihoods all at once.
At Clean River Partners, we’re proud to be part of this growing movement. We invite you to join us—whether you’re planting seeds in a field, raising your voice for clean water, or simply sharing the story of how a healthier, more resilient Cannon River Watershed begins with roots that run deep.
About the Author
Ava McQuain is a Communications Specialist with Clean River Partners, where she’s been working for the past year through Carleton College's CCCE Community-Based Work Study program. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Ava is now pursuing a double major in Biology and Studio Arts at Carleton. Her love for the outdoors fuels her passion for environmental policy, and she hopes to work in the environmental field, possibly abroad, to drive meaningful change. When she's not hiking Midwest trails, Ava enjoys gardening, baking, creating art, and spending time with her beloved cat, Forrest, and dog, Daisy.