Two hours south of St. Louis in McClure, Illinois, a
1,500-acre farm, Cahokia Rice, started producing and
marketing the eponymous grain for the Midwest in 2018.
The rice is a blend of a high-protein grain and Cypress
grain, which is safer for diabetics and has a distinct
nutty flavor with a fluffy texture.
Co-owner and farmer Blake Gerard has been developing
the art of sustainable rice production since the 1990s.
He works alongside his business partners Robert Butcher
and Jim Crane, as well as sales manager Jason Holman.
“Our mission is to bring a healthier rice to the world,
and that presents a number of additional benefits,
opening a door that was previously closed on a staple
food item,” Holman says.
Cahokia rice – with six grams of protein per serving –
has a 53 percent higher protein content than
conventional rice. The glycemic index of Cahokia rice
is only 41, which is one of the the lowest reported
glycemic indexes of any rice on the market, meaning
that eating the rice won’t cause your blood sugar to
spike. The majority of other rice products have an
average glycemic index ranging from 70 to 90.
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The high quality of Cahokia Rice’s product has
attracted the attention of chef Kymberly Wilbon, who
cooks for the Cincinnati Bengals football team and
Xavier University’s men’s basketball team in Ohio.
Wilbon purchases the rice in bulk and uses one 25-lb
bag every two to three weeks.
“The rice is absolutely phenomenal,” Wilbon says. “My
athletes love it. It gives them clean fuel and lots of
protein. I use their white rice and will never buy
another rice again.”
Cahokia Rice landscape
The river valley surrounding the farm is a key to the
crop's success.
Photo courtesy of Cahokia Rice
Working in-sync with the natural rhythms of nature,
Gerard has reduced the amount of pesticides and
insecticides used on the farm. The farm is situated on
a floodplain – when the fields flood, it provides
natural irrigation for the rice. Weeds are naturally
choked out by the flooding, creating an ideal ecosystem
for the rice fields.
Gerard is growing rice on the land his family has been
cultivating for four generations. While attending
college in his twenties, his father died, and Gerard
was given the opportunity to return home to farm his
family’s land.
“I thought, ‘If I’m going to farm, I better do it
now,’” Gerard says. “Otherwise my mom was going to sell
the farm. I had two weeks to make my decision. I’m glad
I was that age because I thought I knew everything and
had the confidence to handle it. Who knows what would
have happened if I had waited.”
Gerard is also creating a pollinator garden for the
farm to encourage local flora and fauna to thrive in a
healthy ecosystem.
“Farming is in his DNA. He lives and breathes it. His
relationship to the land and wildlife is in the heart
and soul of what he does,” Holman says.
Cahokia rice can be found in grocery stores in the St.
Louis and Chicago areas, as well as commercial
kitchens. The rice is sold in 32-oz bags for home
cooks, and 25-lb bags for professional kitchens.
Cahokia Rice, 31778 Lynn Lane, McClure, Illinois, 618-
661-1060, cahokiarice.com
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