Medieval Farming, Barley

Barley is a grass with a swollen grain that is similar to wheat that can be ground to produce a flour suitable for the production of bread.

However unlike wheat, barley has always been particularly important in the production of beers and ales.

Barley is the second most widely grown arable crop in the UK with around 1.1 million hectares under cultivation and today's varieties trace their origins back over 10,000 years to the first farmers.
 

Barley has remained a successful cereal crop because of its short growing time and ability to survive in poor conditions.

Although it is grown throughout most of the UK it is often the dominant arable crop in the north and west of Britain where growing conditions are most difficult and less favourable for wheat.

Farming Slaves, Weeding, Ploughing, Seeds, Irrigation, Sickles, Threshing, Wheat, Barley, Millet, Oats, Rye, Olive Trees, Grapevines