OUR BARLEY STRAW PRODUCTS

Barley straw is the 100% natural approach to inhibit the regrowth of algae. With the increasing focus on "going green" these days, you & your customers can be confident that you are being environmentally responsible in using this natural alternative to harsh chemicals! You will find barley straw to be cost effective, conveniently packaged and easy to apply.

a. THE BARLEY BALE "TUBE" KIT
Treats up to 22,000 sq.ft. of water surface (one half acre). Includes one EMPTY 25-ft. Tubular Net Bag & one 75 lb. bale of barley straw.

Steve developed this tube EXCLUSIVELY for our customers at Eastern Sierra Commodities! It is made of a smaller net than in our other packaging and was custom made for use in larger bodies of water.







The GREAT THING about using the tube is the FILL TIME! It takes one person 10 to 15 minutes at most to fill the tube,

whereas filling ten individual bags (as sold in the Barley Bale Kit, below) can take about 30 to 45 minutes.


NOTE: If you have a large pond or area which reguires more that one bale,
we recommend using a Barley Bale Tube in the middle of the pond and then dispersing additional bags around the outside.

In the pictures above, you see Steve filling the tube and also see the tube immediately after it was put in the water. It took about 10 days for the tube to be completely submerged at the 3 foot depth.

b. THE "ORIGINAL" BARLEY BALE KIT
Treats up to 22,000 sq.ft. of water surface (one half acre). Includes ten EMPTY 7.5 lb. net applicator bags and one 75 lb. bale of barley straw.

c. THE NO. 75 BARLEY BAG
Treats up to 3,000 sq ft. of water surface. Includes one 7.5 lb. net applicator bag, PRE-PACKAGED with barley straw.

d. THE NO. 25 BARLEY BAG
Treats up to 1,000 sq.ft. of water surface. Includes one 2.5 lb. net applicator bag, PRE-PACKAGED with barley straw.

e. THE NO. 5 BARLEY BAG
Treats up to 200 sq.ft. of water surface. Includes one .5 lb. net applicator bag, PRE-PACKAGED with barley straw.

Please note: all sizes are approximate.

BEFORE AND AFTER!

Here is an idea of the type of results we've achieved with barley straw!

Our pond, BEFORE:

















Our pond, AFTER:

BARLEY STRAW BASICS

HOW BARLEY STRAW WORKS:

The decomposition of barley straw in water produces an enzyme compound that does not directly kill the existing algae, but does inhibit the growth of new algae cells.

As the old algae cells die off, fewer new algae cells will be produced as long as the enzyme from the decomposing barley straw is present. This process is usually described as being algistatic (prevents new growth of algae) rather than algicidal (kills already existing algae).

For the barley straw to decompose, it needs a certain amount of oxygen in the water, and thus it should be applied near the water surace, where some type of water movement is present. In most cases, water clarity will improve over time and that is due to reduction in algae populations.

Please note: In stagnant, totally non-moving water, barley straw may not be effective.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES OF USING BARLEY STRAW:

While barley straw does produce an enzyme that helps to inhibit the regrowth of algae in water, it's natural process of decomposition is not unlike that of any other decomposing plant. The use of barley straw has not resulted in any documented ill effects to fish, waterfowl, animals or humans.

Thus, to present, the use of barley straw to inhibit the regowth of algae is the only known all-natural method available.

At Eastern Sierra Commodities, Ltd. we have had great success with this method. We are happy to assist you & your team with its implementation.

HOW TO USE BARLEY STRAW

HOW TO APPLY:
The barley straw must be loosely placed into a netted material. This allows water flow thru the bag. Bales that are packed too tightly do not allow adequate water flow.

The netted bags of straw should be placed near a point of water movement, near the surface of the water. It is suggested that the bag be secured to some sort of stationary object (rock, tree, etc.). If your pond is large, we suggest using the Barley Tube near the center, and dispersing bags of straw around the shoreline.

Place the netted bags of straw equidistant from each other. Being sure to keep the straw in the upper 3 to 4 feet of water. The barley straw will lose its effectiveness if it sinks below this depth. Water movement near the surface will keep the straw well oxygenated and distribute the growth inhibiting chemical through out the upper portion of the water. This ensures that the chemical is produced where the majority of the algae are growing and away from the bottom sediments that will inactivate the chemical.

We recommend you remove as much "blanket weed" as possible and monitor your water quality when starting a new treatment.

WHEN TO APPLY:
Barley straw should be applied in the early spring (March or April) and reapplied every 4 to 6 months. It is more effective if applied before new algae growth takes place. For best results and to maintain good water clarity, a 4 month application rate is suggested.

When reapplying, we suggest that the replacement bag be applied 4-6 weeks prior to the removal of the original bag. By doing this, there is a constant release of enzyme from the rotting barley straw.

The size of the surface area of the water will determine the amount of barley straw that you need to use.


PLEASE BE PATIENT! Natural processes take time. Initally the water may become cloudy or tea colored, but this will clear.

BENTON: OUR FAVORITE PLACE!

Eastern Sierra Commodities, Ltd. is based in Benton Hot Springs, California.





You can see why we love it here! Want more pics?
Click here to visit our flickr album!

ABOUT OUR TEAM

Hi there!! I'm Nevada Smith, all around "Good Guy" at our place in Benton.
Thought you'd like to see what I look like, since I'm the one who got the idea for this blog!

Mostly, I hang out with Steve & help maintain the trucks. I also chase the bad birds and rabbits outta Phyllis' garden.
But my FAVORITE thing to do is swim with the ducks in our ALGAE-FREE pond!!

Hmmm.....did someone say "DUCKS"??? Gotta go!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Nevada
(Official Mascot of Eastern Sierra Commodities, Ltd.)

MORE HISTORY & DETAIL

!!!WARNING!!! This is a long post, created for those who want more detail!

BACKGROUND
In recent years, much has been publicized about the use of barley straw for the inhibition of algae in bodies of water.
This technique was developed in England in the early 1990's, with it being widely used there in large reservoirs and canals. Additional studies began stateside, including Purdue University, Iowa State University, University of Nebraska and North Carolina State University and Florida State University, among others.

Although some of the studies had mixed results, it is realized that variations in algae species, water conditions, climatic conditions, or other factors will come into play. Based on the findings in these studies as well as the field evidence of its use in England and the U.S., the practice of using barley straw to inhibit algae growth was introduced into the United States in 2001.

EXAMPLE FOR DETERMINING HOW MUCH TO USE

Example: Determining the amount of straw required to treat a 5 acre lake.
(1) The surface area of the lake is 5 acres.
(2) The selected dose is 225 lbs of straw per acre.
(3) Multiply the area of the lake (in acres) by the amount of straw required per acre to
calculate the total amount of straw required to treat the whole lake (5 acres x 225 lbs/acre = 1125 lbs).
(4) To calculate the number to bales needed to treat the lake, divide the total amount of straw
required to treat the whole lake by the weight of a single bale of barley straw. For this
example, assume one bale weighs 45 pounds. However, the size and weight of bales can
be highly variable. It is recommended that the approximate weight of the bales be
determined at the time of purchase (1125 lbs ÷ 45 lbs/bale = 25 bales).


As always, the folks here at Eastern Sierra Commodities, Ltd., are happy to discuss your specific needs
and advise you in facilitating your usage of barley straw as a algal regrowth inhibitor.

HOW TO REACH US

We are happy to answer any questions you might have about the use of barley straw as an algal inhibitor, and to discuss ways that we might support you!

Feel free to contact us at:

Eastern Sierra Commodities, Ltd.
405 Yellow Jacket Road
Benton Hot Springs, CA 93512

Office: (760) 933-2305

Email: escomltd@aol.com