CROP OF THE WEEK: 2-ROW BARLEY

• In the Yuma area, barley was grown on roughly 1,500 acres, and in 2007 was valued at $0.5 million. Yuma-grown barley is a reasonably fast-growing and early maturing grain crop, averaging about 50 days from seed to harvest.
 
• About half of the United States' barley production is used as an animal feed. Barley is an important feed grain in many areas of the world not typically suited for maize production, especially in northern climates.
 
• A large part of barley production is dedicated for malting and is a key ingredient in beer and whisky production. Two-row barley is traditionally used in German and English beers. Six-row barley is traditionally used in U.S. beers.
 
• In general, 6-row malted barley has more protein and enzyme content than 2-row malted barley, is thinner than 2-row malt and contains fewer carbohydrates. There are also flavor differences between 2-row and 6-row, and it seems that most brewers feel 2-row malt produces a fuller, maltier flavor and 6-row malt produces a grainier flavor in the finished beer.

• Non-alcoholic drinks such as barley water and barley tea (called mugicha in Japan), have been made by boiling barley in water.
 
• Barley contains all eight essential amino acids. According to a recent study, eating whole grain barley can regulate blood sugar for up to 10 hours after consumption, compared to white or even whole-grain wheat, which has a similar glycemic index. Barley can also be used as a coffee substitute.
 
• Hulled barley (or covered barley) is eaten after removing the inedible, fibrous outer hull. Once removed, it is called dehulled barley (or pot barley or scotch barley). Considered a whole grain, dehulled barley still has its bran and germ, making it a nutritious and popular health food.
 
• Pearl barley is dehulled barley that has been steam-processed further to remove the bran. Dehulled or pearl barley may be processed into a variety of barley products, including flour, flakes similar to oatmeal, and grits.
 
• Barley-meal, a whole meal barley flour that is lighter than wheat meal but darker in color, is used in porridge and gruel in Scotland. With a long history of cultivation in the Middle East, barley is used in a wide range of traditional Arabic, Kurdish, Persian and Turkish foodstuffs.
 
• Barley grains were used for measurement in England, there being three or four barley kernels to the inch and four or five poppy seeds to the barley kernel. The statute definition of an inch was three barley kernels, although by the 19th century this had been superseded by standard inch measures. This unit still persists in some shoe sizes in Britain.

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Source: Kurt Nolte is an agriculture agent and Yuma County Cooperative Extension director. He can be reached at knolte@cals.arizona.edu or 726-3904.