Grain

In Denmark they mainly grow four species of grain; rye, wheat, barley and oats. All four grains derived from wild species in the Middle East and has been cultivated for thousands of years.

Rye is described as a hardy plant that better, than other grains, can succeed in poor soil. Denmark is usually self-sufficient in the production of rye flour and it also has a fairly large export.

Wheat is the highest performance among the grains. The ability to survive in frost and cold is usually worst in varieties from English and southern European origin, while Swedish and North German varieties are more cold resistance. All wheat varieties are suitable for animal feeding, but only a small part has properties which make it suitable for flour milling and for flour suitable for making bread. The spring wheat is generally better for bread than winter wheat.

Barley is one of the oldest grains and has probably been grown from before 5000 BC. In Denmark they grow two barley sorts: spring barley sown in the spring, as it does not survive the winter, and winter barley, which are sown in the autumn. The winter barley is harvested early - usually in July - and leaves plenty of time for the soil for the next crop.

Oats grown in Denmark are primarily used for animal feed, especially for horses, and only a small part is processed into grits.