Yowza, Colza !

The fields around Amboise are exploding with colza (the French word for canola).  To me, this field looks to be a roiling sea of yellow.  Click on the image to see a larger version of it.

a parting shot

Here's one last shot of the poppies as their season is coming to an end.  This is one of the most concentrated collections I've seen.  And right in the middle of a wheat field.  I wonder if the result was some red bread.

the poppy field

Earlier this week I came upon this wonderful field of poppies although I'm sure the farmer's intent was to grow wheat.  But poppies can be determined (note Friday's post), and plentiful.

fields of gold

The château d'Amboise looms in the distance behind this golden field of colza (canola).

brilliant

I was amazed to see this brilliant green field on a bike ride just two weeks ago, especially when everywhere else the colors were rapidly fading to brown.  I also liked its nice lesson in perspective,

the entry

What's left of this season's crops make a nice pattern at the entrance to this home on the outskirts of Amboise.

le champ d'or

I snapped this field of gold on the outskirts of Amboise a few weeks ago.

le champ de sorgho

This field of sorghum was one of many I saw on a recent bike ride to the east of Amboise.  Here is a closeup of this crop from an earlier post.  The wave of color on this bright sunny day was fantastic.

wheat and grapes

Two major crops in this area in one shot.  The wheat field has already been harvested while the vendange (grape harvest) will be of course in the fall.

the wheat field

"Oh beautiful... amber waves of grain..."

le sorgho

It took a lot of searching on the internet to figure out that this is sorghum (in English).  I would not have thought much about this crop if weren't for the fact that it is so abundant this year locally.  I can only presume that this is a part of the crop rotation cycle since it seems to me that it replaced many fields of sunflowers this year (from last year).  Anyway, while perhaps somewhat less photogenic, it is still an interesting plant up close.

champs de colza

The fields of colza are stunningly beautiful now all around Amboise (and large portions of the entire country of France as well).  Oil extracted from this plant is used as a lubricant for machinery and also as an ingredient of bio-diesel fuel.  This plant is related to the rapeseed plant that grows in the US.  In any case, for me it's most important purpose is to provide photo ops while I'm out riding my bike around the countryside.  It's difficult to capture these enormous fields, so I stitched together a nearly 180 degree panorama of photos.  I hope you will click on the image to see it on a larger scale.  But if you want to see it from a different perspective, try this video.

Today is another "two fer".  Two photos for the price of one, since I thought you would like to see a closeup of the flower.