what are the yellow fields made of? cowslip or rapeseed?

[LauBeast]

please tell me the difference between these yellow flowers. i am surrounded by the yellow fields every year and want to know which or what plant it is that make them look like a yellow carpet! thanks.

[Thunderbird+]

Rape seed is widely grown on cultivated farmland for its oil, its closely related to mustard.

[raysparx]

It's got to be rape seed,iv'e never seen a field full of cowslips,great colour isn't it!

[CLOWN TICKLE]

rapeseed, horrible stuff, now its escaping into hedgerows and pathways

[gessoo]

Looks beautiful but is a real menace as Clown Tickle says. Is slowly taking over our countryside - and, despite what farmers say, is causing severe allergic reactions in some people. Is grown because it brings in loads of money to the farmers. Ban it!!!

[horsestache1]

Its Rape seed, It is a bit of a pest, but farmers arnt all rich gessoo, they do have to make a living. It would be much wiser to try and get the ban on Rag Wort a very poisonous plant to horses other aniimal and indeed humans enforced properly.

[Ethel]

You are right about the rag-wort, horsestache, but no farmer grows it deliberately.

[Plocket]

Rapeseed - certainly bright and not exactly subtle!!!

[Cetti]

Am I imagining it or is there more and more of this awful stuff around this year?

Oilseed Rape is in great demand and I understand farmers get a greater subsidy for growing it - but at what cost? It supports less insects so therefore if something is not done very soon our already threatened farmland bird species will disappear in our lifetime...too dreadful to contemplate!

[gessoo]

Farmers where I live are all rich horsestache1 !!! All very large landowners with huge arable farms (and vast amounts of chicken sheds!). All very rich and all very greedy!!! I know there are some farmers who struggle elsewhere, but certainly not around here. They are also the meanest bunch of employers in my area.

Also, as Ethel says Rag Wort is not grown intentionally. Something needs to be done before oilseed rape takes us over. It aids the economy and the farmer's bank accounts but is destroying our wildlife and our natural countryside.

[gessoo]

ps I too am surrounded by the awful stuff!!!

[raysparx]

I agree it is awfull stuff,does anybody know where it all goes? or is it just grown for subsidies?

[Cetti]

I admit to not checking fully ray, but rapeseed oil is used quite extensively in catering as a vegetable oil and I think I've read somewhere it's used as a lubricant.... some kind of fuel in the motoring trade.

[raysparx]

Cheers cetti, you learn something new every day, I thought it had something to do with catering,but had no idea it was a lubricant,crazy world!!