Evan Craine

The productive yet vulnerable soils of the Palouse rolling hills surround Evan Craine’s home, where he earned his PhD in Crop Science from Washington State University, breeding quinoa and malting barley for end-use quality. In the last year of his PhD, Evan came to The Land Institute as a visiting scholar to investigate the perennial oilseed silphium (silfower) and the perennial legume sainfoin, also known as Baki™ bean, for food uses and sensory and nutritional qualities. At The Land Institute, Evan works to understand and articulate the potential of perennial grains as staple foods based on production value, nutritional contribution, and cultural importance. 

My most perennial trait: Rooting—expanding, ceasing, and recycling thoughts for deeper understanding.

Evan Crain’s research

2022-23 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Crop Stewardship at The Land Institute