ducks in a row (of barley)

This is what our lives have become: sitting on the living room floor, watching reality television, threshing barley.

After about 10 hours we have maybe 1 1/2 pounds threshed. There has got to be an easier way--especially if we're doing this again (ever). Agrarian Grrl has some good 'n handy links. (I especially found this PDF interesting.)

A while back, Andrea discussed grain growing on Heavy Petal. That was right after we'd first planted, so I didn't have much input. By the end of all this I should have many well-drawn conclusions.

And to depart from grain central for one cut second, here's the little duckling we watched last week. He (she?) was super sweet, but definitely a handful! What a cutie pie!