The 2007 crop for this, our third release of Bere Barley, was grown on Orkney and supplied by the Agronomy Institute at Orkney College UHI. Bere is an ancient barley landrace. Discoveries of similar grains, in the Neolithic village of ‘Skara Brae’ on Orkney, reach back to the dawn of Scottish agriculture and civilisation, more than 4,500 years ago. It produces desperately low yields – 50% less than a modern crop – and the small, starch-rich grains have tested the mashmen, wreaking havoc with our precious Victorian machinery.