SC - Barley

[RANDALL DIAMOND]

Greetings all,

A slight quandry here at Glaedenfeld Centre leads
me to this post.   I have about 5 acres of organically
grown barley ripening that did not produce evenly.
Some areas are lush and tall, others sparse and 
medium height.  In all, it was not the best crop I
have produced.  This is 6 row barley with some
bearded barley mixed in.   I have to decide whether
to combine it or plough it under before mid-June to
plant a new crop.  I will plant buckwheat probably tp
plough under in the fall.  Would anyone want any of
the barley now or the buckwheat for groats this fall? 
I guess we will get 60-80 bushels but I will have to 
see what my grower thinks.

I keep telling my tenant farmer that there is some
kind of market niche for nonstandard crops through the
SCA but haven't been able to bring him any connections
to buyers yet.  I would love to be able to supply brewers
and feastcrats with hard-to-find foodstuffs, but need
to know if there is any interest in quantity.    I assume we 
could work out ways to get the grain to those near enough 
or work out when the buyers could pick up the bagged 
grain.  I just need to know if there is enough demand
to warrant renting a combine to harvest it all.

Akim Yaroslavich
"No glory comes without pain"