I have many bad memories involving barley. No, no, not for the reason you might be thinking. Being extremely allergic to barley and growing up a family farm that raised it isn’t exactly a good combination.
Even so, it’s given me no pleasure to watch barley, once one of North Dakota’s most common crops, lose acres in the state for years. Other crops are just more profitable for many farmers to grow.
My cover story in the Aug. 22 issue of Agweek takes a look at barley’s changing role.
