[Cob] Cob House Fire

[David Anderson]

I just found this sad article about Kevin McCabe's Cob roof fire that happened yesterday.

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/Ottery-guts-cob-house-roof/article-1891430-detail/article.html

I noticed in the article that they mention that the cob mixture was made of clay, barley, wheat straw and stone.  Does anyone know how the barley was used to make cob??  Barley grain? or Barley straw?

Thanks,

David Anderson
North Island, New Zealand