[Jethro Tull]

I would like to grow some barley on a small scale, say 10 kilos for domestic consumption. Anyone done this? Any advice on sourcing organic seed? Thank you

[clydesdaleclopper]

Not tried it but have the book "Small Scale Grain Rainsing" on my wish list    if you just wanted 10 kg try feed merchants as some might stock organic whole barley.

[Carse Goodlifers]

Organic seed could be expensive.
For the sake of 10kg try the merchants or try and find out if there is a local organic farm in which you could buy some from.

[pgkevet]

I found this interesting site: http://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/bake_your_lawn/#seeds
perhaps some of the links might do barley?

I did some more lookig around.. coudn;t find a spring wheat but did find your barley (and quinoa)..
http://www.kingsseeds.com/Products/Vegetables/Ancient-Grains

[Jethro Tull]

thanks for the steer on kingseeds, their barley is for autumn sowing but it made me think about quinoa which can be sown now, so I ordered a few grams. Anyone got any tips of quinoa growing?

[pgkevet]

I've got plenty room so thought I take a punt on both the autumn wheat and barley sown when it arrives...it's only going to be small patches and worst case can be manured in. It just depends on a  lucky welsh summer.
I bought a fig tree too...been wanting a new nice one.

[benkt]

We did spring barley one year, just went round to a local farmer and got a small sack of his seed for a fiver. Broadcast sown, harvested with a scythe, threshed with small children's feet. Good fun, but not hugely productive!

[waterbuffalofarmer]

There is an article on rodales organic about growing grain from seed. Just write that in and rodales organic after and it should come up. It is a very interesting article and covers everything to do with growing grains on a small scale.

[pgkevet]

I can't say I'm hugely worried about efficiency of grain growing..I'm reducing the amount of 'real' veggies on that patch this year anyway and need some green manure or soemthing to fill in the fallow part. It was that or put it back to being part of the meadow it's in. I'm halving the potatoe and onion areas anyway and not bothering with the flowers i had on there before and cuttign back on my excess brassicas too.

[Jethro Tull]

Likewise, it's not the efficiency but it is the taste, and we do have enough space

It's these last few weeks of winter that we seem to turn to barley soups and stews, and increasingly I find the supermarket brands stodgy and tasteless - especially what they call pearl barley

Still quinoa and field beans will do for now, but will source some winter barley later in the year

[waterbuffalofarmer]

If you want nice barley try the barley from your local wholefood store. The barley is really nice there