Some Missouri farmers are growing perennial crops like elderberries that are good for the soil and require less labor. But getting those berries into the hands of consumers can take a lot of work. Plus: Farmers are increasingly working jobs away from the farm in order to stay afloat.

Perennial crops, which don’t have to be replanted each year, are proven to be good for the soil and, by extension, the environment. But markets for these crops can be hard to find. KBIA’s Jana Rose Schleis explores how Missouri growers and researchers made the elderberry a success.

You might have an image of a farmer in their tractor or with a bucket feeding livestock. In reality, farmers often work in office cubicles, at the wheel of school buses or in shops stocking shelves. Today, about 85% of farm families rely on off-farm income. As Harvest Public Media contributor Teresa Homsi reports, that’s because farmers often need another part-time, or even a full-time, job to stay in business.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Olivia Hewitt and KCUR Studios, and edited by Lisa Rodriguez and Gabe Rosenberg.

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