The Golden Barley

This photo shows a barley cultivation field, on the outskirts of the settlement of Agios Georgios, in the municipality of Grevena. It is taken in May on the transitional phase where the barley changes color from green to yellow and prepares for the summer harvest. It is a municipality that relies heavily on the primary sector and in particular on the cultivation of barley and common wheat. This crop has been cultivated for many decades, in the past it was done with simpler means (with the help of animals), and now with the development of technology the new generations apply modern methods. In this way the productions have increased and now from a smaller area of ​​land, more product is
produced. Over time, this field has evolved and is now characterized by the interaction it had with the owners and the socio-economic systems of the area. The production process of the barley is simple.

The first stage is the ploughing of the field to be followed by the sowing, and then by fertilization, spraying and finally harvesting. After the final stage, the products are promoted to local mills for the production of animal feed and in special cases, to local breweries for the production of beer. As for the photo, it is a shot of the moment. Taken under ideal conditions at sunset, nature formed the pictured frame with the sun "covering" the spring barley with its golden color. What makes this photo unique is
the fact that at any other season, at any other time, this shot would be completely different.

Rural landscape category:
- Local and Traditional Knowledge Systems
- Landscapes and Seascapes Features

Author(s): Nikos Dogkalis
Photo Credit: Nikos Dogkalis
Country: Greece