Farm to Fork: Barley

There are many different elements involved with getting food from the farm to our forks. Supply chains can be long and complicated but we have broken down the main steps involved to help you learn where your food comes from.

Check out the steps involved in getting pearl barley from the farm to your fork!

Fork: Charred tofu and barley bowl

Step 6: Consumers, like you, purchase the pearl barley from the grocery store, bring it home and make a delicious meal with it!

Step 5: The pearl barley is then sent from the food distributor to large retail grocery stores, where they are put on the shelves.

Step 4: After the pearl barley is processed it is then packaged at the same facility. Once it is packaged it is sent to a food distribution center.

Step 3: At the food processing facility the barley is polished, meaning that the inedible coating is removed which creates pearl barley, which has a smooth surface which makes for quicker cooking time.

Step 2: The merchant or cooperative then sells the barley to a food processor; and arranges shipping from the storage location to the food processing facility.

Step 1: Barley is sold to a merchant, or cooperative and is then stored either on farm in grain bins or at a grain elevator. Once it arrives at the elevator it is checked to ensure that it meets certain quality standards.

Farm: Barley is harvested from Ontario fields in September using a combine.