We watched the barley go from green to gold as summer ended in the Palouse region of Washington State. Under the haze of a nearby wildfire, Steve Henning began what his family has done there for over a hundred years. It was time to harvest the barley. Not just regular barley, but a high quality food grade barley farmed to exacting standards for the Japanese market. The Japanese cook it like rice and use it as a dietary supplement. He offered me an opportunity to get a little closer.