Agricultural question.

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peter
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What is this and why is it grown?

I have an inkling already :oops:
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glallotments
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I'd need a closer look at the flowers so it's only a guess - flax?

If so is it for linseed?
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Elaine
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It isn't Flax, which is much more "delicate" plant.
It looks like Lucerne (Alfalfa) which is...or was...grown as a fodder crop.
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alan refail
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I would agree with Elaine. It is pretty certainly alfalfa.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa
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peter
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:cry: :oops: I was wrong then, I thought it was a green manure or nitrogen-fixing type of vetch.
The fields I encountered were not stock ready, being unfenced and obviously normally arable on a stockless farm.

Is alfalfa grazed or cut and processed?

The photographed field was positively alive with bees :D
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alan refail
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Alfalfa is very widely used as a green manure crop.

http://www.organiccatalogue.com/Seeds-G ... 529f54489e
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peter
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Thank you Alan, I can recommend it as a Bumble Bee enhancer, the third field with more varied surroundings was full of them.
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Elaine
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My first thought was one of the vetches too. I've never seen a field full of Lucerne, only patches of it....pretty impressive seeing so many!
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oldherbaceous
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There's probably a money incentive for planting it.
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Cider Boys
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Lucerne is a forage crop usually grown and cut like hay for cattle and horses but can be grazed.

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