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BARLEY

Hordeum vulgare

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Cereal grain cultivated more than 10,000 years ago. Barley has been grown in the Nile valley since prehistoric times, for beer and bread. Commonly associated with Isis and Osiris. Planters containing barley have been found in Egyptian burial chambers.

Extremely hardy, barley can be grown from the polar regions to the tropics. Barley kernels are pointed at both ends while wheat is rounded at one end. Barley malt is made from barley that has been germinated and then dehydrated and sometimes toasted. Pearl barley is barley with the husk removed.

Demeter, the Barley Mother, as goddess of agriculture and fruitful earth, was worshipped through sexual rites in ancient Greece. It should also be noted that Jesus fed the multitudes with fish and loaves of barley.

One ancient ritual involving barley is reported by James Frazer in "The Golden Bough." "The seed is sown in moist, sandy soil, mixed with turmeric, and the blades sprout and unfold of a pale yellow or primrose color. On the day of the festival the girls take up these blades and carry them in baskets to the dancing ground, where, prostrating themselves reverentially, they place some of the plants before the Karma tree. Finally, the Karma tree is taken away and thrown into a stream or tank. The meaning of planting these barley blades and presenting them to the Karma tree is hardly open to question. We have seen that trees are supposed to exercise a quickening influence upon the growth of crops."

From: James G. Frazer, The Golden Bough

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USES

Principal use of barley is as grain for bread, for brewing beer, making whiskey and as food, fodder, and straw for animals. Barley is also used as a green vegetable.

Barley grass is very healthful and contains a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. The leaves to about 1 foot high are digestable and contain iron, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, beta carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, folic acid, pantothenic acid, fiber, chlorophyll, and many trace elements. The barley greens actually contain (weight for weight), 10 times the calcium in cows' milk, 7 times the vitamin C as in oranges, more than 4 times the iron in spinach, and about 80 milligrams of vitamin B12 per 100 grams.

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HEALTH ISSUES

Barley grass has long been known for producing strength and stamina.

The grass is believed to aid in general health and the juice to reduce wrinkles on the skin.

Barley paste and barley water have been used to soften the skin and reduce wrinkles.

Barley water is used to nourish people with fever.

The grain contains a fiber also found in oat bran(glucan) and reported to reduced cholesterol in the human body.

Barley grain was once the king of fermentation, producing strong alcoholic beverages.

Barley roots contain an alkaloid (hordenine) used to stimulate capillary blood circulation and is effective as a bronchodilator for bronchitis.

If you are more interested in barley, production, uses, varieties, and much more, check out the Barley Newsletter at:

BarleyNewsLetter