The Cereal Grain Café
All things related to cereal grains. Join host Dr. Kurt Rosentrater and his guests as they talk about grain, from farm to table, from ancient history to modern technologies, and everything in between. Grain has played a critical role in human societies throughout history, and it continues to even today.
Episodes
64 episodes
Season 4, Episode 9 - Breeding Oats and Other Small Grains – with Dr. Juan Arbelaez
This is Part 2 of a two-part series. In this insightful conversation, I meet with Juan Arbelaez from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to explore the evolving science of oat breeding. From unlocking the genetic potential of oats...
Season 4, Episode 8 - Breeding Wheat and Other Small Grains – with Dr. Jessica Rutkoski
This is Part 1 of a two-part series. In this engaging conversation, I sit down with Jessica Rutkoski from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to dig into the science and strategy behind modern wheat breeding. From harnessing genet...
Season 4, Episode 7 - Plants, Genes, and Agriculture – with Dr. Paul Gepts
In this fascinating conversation, I sit down with Paul Gepts of University of California, Davis to explore the powerful intersection of plants, genes, and biotechnology. From decoding the genetic stories hidden within crops to advancing tools t...
Season 4, Episode 6 - What's Up with Wheat - with Claudia Carter
From sunlit fields to global markets, wheat sits at the heart of the grain economy. Few understand its journey better than Claudia Carter of the California Wheat Commission. In this insightful conversation, we dive into the unique dynamic...
Season 4, Episode 5 - Words of Wisdom - with Charlie Hurburgh
Few people have shaped modern grain handling and quality management as profoundly as Charlie Hurburgh. In this engaging conversation, we explore his decades of work at Iowa State University, where science meets the real-world challenges of stor...
Season 4, Episode 4 - Snoopy and the Spy – with Lee Klancher
Red or green? Do you have allegiance to a specific tractor?Few authors can move as effortlessly between industrial intrigue and the rumble of vintage iron as Lee Klancher. In this engaging conversation, we dive into his fascinating...
Season 4, Episode 3 - Let Them Eat Cake...or Brioche!?! – with Edith de Belleville
Today we step back in time. Into the richly layered world of French bread, where wheat, flour, and culture intertwine with politics and myth. From the humble baguette to the indulgent brioche, de Belleville unpacks how these staples...
Season 4, Episode 2 - GEAPS Exchange 2026!
Do you work in the grain industry?If so, you should consider joining the GEAPS organization. This is the Grain Elevator and Processing Society. It cons...
Season 4, Episode 1 - Tractor Wars with Neil Dahlstrom
Red or green? Which farm machinery does your family use?The history of grain is filled with the history of innovations. This encompasses not only biological advances, but also agronomic and machinery evolutions. Join us...
Season 3, Episode 19 - Goodbye and Good Luck Claire!
You may recall (see episode 11 of this season), that Claire Beitz joined me as a cohost for several episodes. The goal of these episodes was to help those outside agriculture better understand the people, practices, and innovations that k...
Season 3, Episode 20 - What Do Student Think about Agriculture?
How did we get to the end of Season 3 already?Have you ever wondered what students think about the things that they are learning? It is always informative to hear their thoughts. Join me as we discuss what we have been learni...
Season 3, Episode 18 - Speaking for farmers and ranchers
Michael Crinion is a dairy farmer from Lake Benton, Minnesota. He has 18 years of international dairy experience and is a member of the South Dakota Ag and Rural Leadership Class IV, South Dakota Development Board, and Vice President of Edge Da...
Season 3, Episode 17 - Tending Iowa’s Land with Connie Mutel
In many countries modern agriculture produces a variety of foods, feeds, fuels, and other industrial products. And does so very efficiently. Indeed, the bioeconomy has been seen as the future of farming. But there are always c...
Season 3, Episode 16 - Markets & the Modern Cattle Producer with Curtis Jensen
This week we had the opportunity to speak with Curtis Jensen, who is an Iowa cattle farmer and owner of Curtis Cattle Co., where he focuses on raising high-quality beef and caring for the land his operation depends on. With years of hands-on ex...
Season 3, Episode 15 - Beyond the bushel with Reece Cannady
Beyond the bushel This week, we welcomed Reece Cannady to the podcast. Reece Cannady serves as the regional director for South Asia for the U.S. Grains & Bioproducts Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of U....
Season 3, Episode 14 - Searching for the soul of rural America
If you wonder about where your food comes from, you should also ask who are the people who produce this food? Intertwined throughout the history of food and agriculture are the stories of people, but they are most often behind the scenes....
Season 3, Episode 13 - Digging deeper - soils and sustainability with Dr. Lee Burras
In this week's episode, we sit down with Dr. C. Lee Burras, an Agronomy professor at Iowa State University, to talk about the fascinating role that soils and agriculture play in shaping our world. Dr. Burras shares stories from his experiences ...
Season 3, Episode 12 - Soils, cereals, and science, oh my! Dr. Amber Anderson
Why should you care about where your food comes from? - Our theme for the year. - Soils are a big part of the answer. They play a critical role in food production. Today we welcome back Dr. Amber Anderson from Iowa State University ...
Season 3, Episode 11 - Double the fun! Introducing my new co-host Claire!
This week, we are trying something new! I'm excited to introduce our guest host, Claire Beitz. Claire will be joining us for the next few episodes as we dive into some fascinating agricultural topics you may not hear about every day. The goal o...
Season 3, Episode 10 - Corn Processing with Kent Rausch
Can we sustainably produce fuel, feed, and food from our cereal grains? Absolutely!Grains can be efficiently processed into a variety of products. Our guest for this episode is Professor Kent Rausch from the University ...
Season 3, Episode 9 - The Women of Regenerative Agriculture with Stephanie Anderson
Can we feed a growing planet? Absolutely!Can we do this while improving soil and water quality? Absolutely!Regenerative agriculture is one way to accomplish this.Our guest for this episode is Professor Stephanie...
Season 3, Episode 8 - Medieval Farmers in Germany with Dr. Robert Dees
“When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.” This quote has been attributed to Daniel Webster, who was a lawyer and served as U.S. Secretary of State in the 1800s. T...
Season 3, Episode 7 - Yeast and Alcohol with Professor Graeme Walker
Why is yeast the most popular microorganism? Because it’s a fun guy! In this episode we talk with Dr. Graeme Walker from Abertay University in Scotland. He is a professor of zymology – in other words, h...