Winter barley

Wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum), like wheat, originates from the Fertile Crescent. Over time it was selectively bred and adapted to specific growing conditions.

Traditionally, winter barley was grown on our farm mainly for seed multiplication, meaning that new seed was produced from the harvest. Certified seed has been produced for many years. In the past, field beans, spring oats, winter wheat and spring barley were also multiplied. Because of lower profitability, seed multiplication today focuses mainly on winter barley. In some cases, winter barley is now also marketed as feed barley.

Whereas winter barley used to be sown around 20 September, sowing dates have shifted because of warmer autumns and to avoid excessive growth before winter. Today it is sown from the end of September to early October. These later sowing dates make it possible to grow winter barley after late-harvested crops such as silage maize or potatoes, and in recent years this practice has produced very good yields. Another advantage is the early harvest in early July, which leaves time for repairs to the harvesting machinery before the peak harvest from mid-July to early August. A cover crop can also be established early and continue growing into the autumn.