Barley was first cultivated in western Asia at least 9,000 years ago and is now an annual grass of temperate regions too. Its important grain is used in the brewing of beer (malting barley). Grain not used in this process is used to feed livestock and at the end of March - beginning of April, barley is reaped in abundance for this purpose in Greece.

The six-row barley and the two-row barley are the most commonly cultivated species and are grown in a wide range of areas, worldwide.Barley: ready to be reaped

Europe is the largest producer and like wheat, barley can be sown in these temperate countries in the autumn or the spring.

Barley field: getting the chop

Christos Thimaras uses a scythe to cut a huge barley field at Ayia Marina. The barley will all be cut down by the end of March and be used to feed local livestock. Christos Thimaras: gets to work