The Land Institute

10/13/2026

A handful of U.S. farmers are looking at a new solution to extreme weather. Perennial grains may better withstand extreme drought like the one earlier this year that devastated some wheat farmers in Kansas.

10/09/2026

At the end of September, we welcomed over 800 members of our perennial community to Salina, Kansas, to celebrate Prairie Festival 2026 and The Land Institute's 50th anniversary. What transpired was a gathering of new and old enthusiasts, artists, musicians, food and beverage makers, students, educators, farmers, researchers, and more. All of us connected to learn about and advance the future of farming grounded in the diverse, perennial nature of the prairie and its inhabitants.

Through rain, wind, and sunshine, we listened to inspiring speakers, enjoyed place-based art, ate food made with Kernza® and Baki™ bean, engaged with literature and poetry, and talked with new and familiar faces about what brought us to the prairie this fall. The Land Institute's co-founders, Dana Jackson and Wes Jackson, also joined us to share foundational knowledge on the origins of our organization, remember the people who first catalyzed our transformative vision, and envision the path forward for our work over the next several decades and beyond.

Whether you joined us at Prairie Festival for the first time this year, watched the livestream, joined us in spirit, or attended the very first Prairie Festival in 1979, you have directly impacted our trajectory from a local organization to a global network realizing perennial agriculture in over 30 countries across six continents. What was once perceived as an improbable goal has now taken root in the form of perennial grains on farms and in products, a research network consisting of 200 scientists across numerous disciplines and institutions, and the next generation of researchers, practitioners, and supporters advancing this collective work to change the way the world grows food.

We are grateful to have you on this journey with us as we look to the next 50 years of our mission to build a just, sustainable future centered on diversity and perenniality in agriculture.

If you were unable to join us for Prairie Festival 2026 or would like to re-experience the programming from the event, be sure to watch all of this year's speakers and panels here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBGJqD3OzVrM

09/30/2026

Lydia M. Nicholson of The Land Institute will present "How Our Past and Future is Shaped by the Plants We Grow: A Perennial Sorghum Case Study" at the 2026 Kansas & Missouri Environmental Education Conference on Tuesday, October 27th!

"This presentation will focus on perennializing Sorghum, a crop that originated in Northeast Africa and whose North American production is based in Kansas. Grains have deeply influenced our cultural patterns, and inviting these plants into the classroom can make these influences tangible to students. Snacks and seeds may be distributed!"

Register for the conference by Friday, October 16th at: https://www.kacee.org/event-details/2026-conference

09/26/2026

Prairie Festival 2026 livestreams start today! For those who are not able to join us in person, we invite you to watch the livestreams on The Land Institute's YouTube page. Be sure to tune in to watch keynote speakers, community leaders, and staff from The Land Institute in real time during our 50th anniversary celebration.

This year's livestreams will be split into three separate streams, two on Saturday and one on Sunday. To view the livestreams on our YouTube page at their scheduled times, click here: http://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBGJqD3OzVrM&si=_v3n6Y4RChCENWO5

09/25/2026

Urgent Prairie Festival 2026 parking update:
Due to rain and wet conditions, parking for Prairie Festival 2026 has moved to an off-site location to prevent driving hazards.

New parking location:
This lot is located south of E Water Well Road and along S 9th St/S Old Hwy 81. It is less than 0.5 miles south of Kubota of Salina.

Google Maps: maps.app.goo.gl/MvBGVS3FraspWPyn9?g_st=com.tinyspeck.chatlyio.share
Apple Maps pin: maps.apple/p/FXacBvYQ6jcoGX

Shuttle hours:
Please do not arrive at the parking location before the times listed below out of consideration for nearby local businesses.

Friday, 3:00-10:00 pm
Saturday, 6:30 am - 10:30 pm
Sunday, 6:30 am - 1:00 pm

Thank you for your cooperation, and please share this news with any festival goers in your party or network to help spread the word!

https://landinstitute.org/visit-us/prairie-festival-2026-travel-logistics/ -site-map

09/18/2026

"Farmers turn to perennial grains as one solution to extreme weather"

📰 The Associated Press (AP) published a new article highlighting the urgent need for transformative solutions like perennial grains as Kansas farmers continue to face declining wheat yields, and communities in our region and globally grapple with rising soil degradation and extreme weather events. This story gathers insights from several members of the national perennial grain and research communities, including Kansas Kernza grower David Mueller, Aaron Gaeddert, the owner of Kernza food maker Prairy in Newton, Kansas, Cornell University professor Matthew Ryan, and several staff members at The Land Institute to understand the current state of perennial grain research, farming, and markets, and the work required on all fronts to build a more secure food production system.

🌾 As these conditions continue to challenge the status quo of grain production, we must invest in climate-resilient, perennial grain alternatives to adapt to a changing climate while delivering additional long-term benefits, such as reduced soil erosion and input savings on farms.

“It’s hard to imagine getting to a place where we could have healthy soil and abundant food without a perennial option.” — Laura van der Pol, Lead Scientist in Soil Ecology at The Land Institute

Read the full article:

A handful of U.S. farmers are looking at a new solution to extreme weather. Perennial grains may better withstand extreme drought like the one earlier this year that devastated some wheat farmers in Kansas.

09/16/2026

Join us at the Prairie Festival 2026 to hear from a panel of ten Kansas leaders driving positive change through their work in sustainable agriculture, local food systems, energy transitions, rural economic empowerment, culture and the arts, and conservation! Through these "kernel talks," participants' voices and actions will offer a glimpse at the cross-cutting work and relationships needed to realize a just and perennial transition in our home state. Max McCoy and The Land Institute's Chris Reimer will facilitate a discussion and Q&A with kernel talk participants (see slides two and three for the full list of Kansas participants).

Be sure to register for Prairie Festival today to hear captivating talks from Kansas community leaders, as well as a broader lineup of inspirational keynotes, hands-on engagements and experiential learning, place-based art, and more.

https://landinstitute.org/events/prairie-festival-2026/

Online registration ends on Monday, September 21, so get your tickets as soon to join us in community for our 50th anniversary celebration!

Kansas Black Farmers Association Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Kansas Alliance for Tribal Community Health Saline County Food Action Community Team Kansas Farmers Union Warclan Collective The School for Rural Culture and Creativity Kansas Rural Center Climate + Energy Project (CEP) Sierra Club Kansas Kansas Reflector

09/15/2026

You won't want to miss out on tomorrow's Community Day at The Land Institute! Join us on Wednesday, September 16, to enjoy live music from local band House of Artifacts and sculptural art alongside members of our community and several artists whose work will be featured at Prairie Festival 2026. Free pizza, snacks, and drinks will also be available. This is a great opportunity to see what we're up to ahead of Prairie Festival in less than two weeks, so be sure to RSVP for tomorrow's Community Day at https://landinstitute.org/events/community-days-at-the-land-institute-sculptural-art/

Join us for our upcoming Community Day at The Land Institute this Wednesday, September 16, to enjoy live music and sculptural art in community! This week's event will feature music from local band House of Artifacts, as well as the chance to engage with several artists whose work will be featured at Prairie Festival 2026 in less than two weeks. This is a great opportunity to be out on the land, meet new people, and try your hand at new natural art mediums and practices.

This event takes place at The Land Institute's K2 property from 5-8 pm. Free pizza, snacks, and drinks will also be available. Be sure to RSVP today to join us this week: https://landinstitute.org/events/community-days-at-the-land-institute-sculptural-art/

09/14/2026

Join us for our upcoming Community Day at The Land Institute this Wednesday, September 16, to enjoy live music and sculptural art in community! This week's event will feature music from local band House of Artifacts, as well as the chance to engage with several artists whose work will be featured at Prairie Festival 2026 in less than two weeks. This is a great opportunity to be out on the land, meet new people, and try your hand at new natural art mediums and practices.

This event takes place at The Land Institute's K2 property from 5-8 pm. Free pizza, snacks, and drinks will also be available. Be sure to RSVP today to join us this week: https://landinstitute.org/events/community-days-at-the-land-institute-sculptural-art/

09/11/2026

We are excited to announce two special events that guests can sign up for on-site at Prairie Festival 2026: Researcher-led plot tours and the Salina Art Center Special Exhibition. With just two weeks until the event, don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with innovative perennial grain research and place-based art.

Engage in one of our festival-favorite, researcher-led plot tours offered throughout the day on Saturday, September 26, to see our plots firsthand and learn about the vital research happening at the home of perennial agriculture in Salina, Kansas. Attendees can also sign up at Prairie Festival for a special off-site exhibition at the Salina Art Center, celebrating the legacy of artists with a curated exhibition by Cori Sherman North and Kelly Yarbrough, and a companion conversation exploring the role of artists at The Land Institute. The exhibit features work by 20 artists whose engagement with The Land Institute spans five decades, including Terry Evans, Jim Richardson, Bill McBride, Claire Pentecost, Dornith Doherty, and Wes Jackson.

Register for Prairie Festival 2026 today, and be sure to register online by September 21 to join us in community in Salina, Kansas this month: https://landinstitute.org/events/prairie-festival-2026/