2 Row Barley - Anyone Grow or ??

crash325 · May 1, 2011

Winter last year I had 2 row barley come up in 2 different places. Yes it came up in the winter and by spring had matured. Some of the birds really loved it and would sit on the stalks & eat.

Thought the birds had eaten it all, but much later this year it came up again.

I don't think anyone in this area grows barley of any kind. 2 Row is rarely grown in the US at all. Been trying to figure out how it got here. What do you think??

Maybe I should keep the birds off, save the seeds, plant more and make Scotch.

:licking:

Birds started eating it even before it matured this year.

forgeblast · May 2, 2011

I put in a small plot of it to use in homebrewing but the birds got it before i could. I wanted to try to oven toast it.

Chuck52 · May 2, 2011

forgeblast said:
I put in a small plot of it to use in homebrewing but the birds got it before i could. I wanted to try to oven toast it.

Are you going to sprout it first? Now that is ambition! It's easy to make wine, but growing your own grain and malting it to make your own beer would be a real challenge. I can never figure why wine is so "sophisticated" when brewing beer from the ground up is so much more creative.

Chuck

forgeblast · May 2, 2011

I found plans that someone posted that showed a small personal batch malting floor, it was basicall for 2'x2' squares of plaster of paris, and they moved the sprouted barley every day.
I was just going to toast it for color.
I do grow all my own hops, thats as easy as putting in a tent stake and running some string....when its ready you pick them.

crash325 · May 3, 2011

forgeblast said:
I put in a small plot of it to use in homebrewing but the birds got it before i could. I wanted to try to oven toast it.

The little suckers love it. I'd like to get some to plant a small area just for the birds.

2 Years ago I let a Pig Weed (Careless Weed) grow, it got about 7' tall. 2 Little guys (A couple) were here every day. Fun to watch.

:

Side note: Pig weed is a great spice or good in a salad. :licking: Pick while young. Don't eat it after it goes to seed. Don't let your livestock eat it after it dries out. It can actually kill a cow if it eats after its dead.