Agriculture & Horticulture

Each year people will come up to me at the show and ask what they must think is a silly question, "how do you tell the difference between the different sorts of corn", but of course the question isn't silly at all. In the old days a great many people were involved with a harvest, whereas today there are very few. Therefore people don't get a chance to learn the differences.

Here's a quick guide Barley can be recognised by its feathery head and tight small grains. It's an important animal feed worldwide and is a key ingredient in beer and whisky as well as barley water. In Eastern Europe it's eaten in soups and stews. Barley straw is soft and bright yellow, palatable enough for cattle to eat.

Wheat is the most important cereal crop in the world. Wheat flour is used to make bread, biscuits, cakes, pasta, noodles, couscous and so much more. Nowadays it's even turned into bio-fuel. Wheat straw is hard and course, often rejected as bedding by horse owners but used by cattle.

We grow oats mainly for human food. They can be rolled, crushed or ground into fine flour. Everyone knows porridge, but oats appear in other foods, such as meusli and cereal bars. It's increasingly popular as a healthy choice, taking a long time to digest and making you feel full for longer. It's a good food for horses, but is so high in energy it can make them lively. Oat straw is good for bedding, soft, absorbent and dust free.

So whatever the question however much you think it is silly come and ask us we will always try and accommodate you.

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Agriculture & Horticulture Secretary

Mr J Clarke
Reservoir Cottage
Ingbirchworth
Penistone
Sheffield
S36 7GG
Tel: 01226 370130