It’s spring, so I was thumbing through a catalog from gardeners.com, even though I have the most un-green thumbs in the world. My attention was of course grabbed by something called a “barley ball” – a perforated clear plastic globe containing barley straw. We all know barley is great for human health, but who knew that barley straw could contribute to the health of your fish pond or backyard fountain? I had to know more, and found a great article on the Purdue website that explained how barley straw might (or might not…) work to reduce algae in small ponds. Nice to know that, as we all eat more good whole grain barley, there may be a good use for all the leftover straw. (Cynthia – May 13, 2008)