Cahokia’s 2023 Higher-Protein Rice Harvest

Life is abuzz with work during harvest season here at the Cahokia rice farm, and we have a well-honed method of bringing delicious farm-to-table rice to our customers. If you have ever been curious about how our diabetic-friendly rice gets from the field to your plate, we are here to share a little behind-the-scenes info with you!

Read on to learn more about what harvest time on the farm entails…

The process of harvesting rice at Cahokia typically begins each year during the early days of fall, in mid-October. Since we are a family farm with a small crew of just four out in the fields during this busy season, it generally takes us about 25 days to harvest all of our rice fields for the season.

Once the rice is gathered from the fields, it is brought to our on-site grain bins to dry. To preserve the quality and flavor of our delicious high-protein rice, we rarely use heat to dry it—only air. Once the rice is dry and ready we send it to our local mill to be processed and packaged. The rice is then sent back to us and we store it here in our climate-controlled warehouse ready to be fulfilled for orders.

We are thrilled to announce that we experienced ideal temperatures throughout the summer, which has made for an incredible harvest this year. Blake Gerard, Cahokia Rice’s fourth-generation farmer, is thrilled with how this year’s crop has developed under ideal conditions:

“It was hot and dry this summer, which is exactly what I need. We are the Northern-most long-grain rice grower here in the U.S., and the climate is great here for growing rice. Temperatures were ideal during ripening season, so that will definitely impact the quality of the rice. It was a great year for growing rice here”.

There’s no doubt about it, this year’s rice harvest is going to be delicious and nutritious. Next year, we have plans of expanding our rice fields to generate even more rice to distribute throughout the states!

If you’re new to Cahokia, our long-grain brown and white rice has 53% more protein than conventional rice, and a low glycemic index of just 41 making it a diabetic-friendly rice. You can enjoy this well-loved staple food even if you’re training hard or have special health needs. Most of our customers can’t believe how incredible our rice tastes, too!

Use code HARVEST2023 to get 20% off Cahokia Rice for a limited time!

“ Initially I was intrigued to find a rice grown in Illinois. I was pleased with the quality and flavor, and even more so when I understood how it was bred (NOT genetically modified) to be significantly higher in protein and have a lower glycemic index. I applaud the farmer's concern for the land and that it's locally grown. Even the packing slip had a "thank you," hand written from "the farmer's wife!" Thank you, Cahokia Rice!” - Indiana John, Cahokia Customer

Cahokia is Family-Owned & Operated

Our rice farm is a family-owned business and has been in Blake’s family for four generations, so you can feel good about where your rice is coming from when you shop Cahokia. As a matter of fact, Blake’s wife Shelly packs up and ships all of our customer orders herself! She also handles most of our customer service needs, so if you reach out say a friendly hello.

At Cahokia, we believe in transparency, food safety, and taking care of our environment by using regenerative farming methods as much as we can. We also believe that dedication to quality is something our customers can actually taste in our product!

This holiday season, as you prepare bountiful feasts for your families…consider buying local, family-owned food sources if you are able to do so. We can all make a difference together!

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Harvest on the Cahokia Rice Farm: