Ripening fields of grain are a common site in the Galilee in the spring - a reminder of the agricultural origins of the quintessential spring holiday - Passover.  In the Old Testament, explicit instructions are given regarding when the celebration of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt should take place - that is, in the month of "Aviv" (in Hebrew, the letters B and V are often interchanged).

"You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt."  Exodus 23:15

"Aviv", which in modern Hebrew means "Spring", in the biblical context actually refers to a stage of ripeness in grain crops - when the stalks are stiff but the heads of the grain are still green.   

We recall that one of the 10 plagues was hail - and that this cataclysmic precipitation was described as destroying the barley crop.  The barley, we are reminded in the text, was in the "Aviv" state - such that the impact of the hailstones was enough to shatter the stems and ruin the crop.

"Now the flax and the barley were ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud."  Exodus 9:31

The Hebrew text for the above literally says "...for the barley was in Aviv ...."

The wheat, however, which is a later-maturing crop, was saved because the stems were still pliable. 

"But the wheat and the spelt were not ruined, for they ripen late."  Exodus 9:32

For this reason, in ancient times, great attention was paid to the progress of the barley crop, in order for the celebration of Passover to coincide with the proscribed milestone in the agricultural cycle.