Colza Fields

When travelling in the Czech Republic in the spring and summer, you can't miss all the fields of bright yellow flowers. Colza, or rape, is a big crop for farmer's not only in the Czech Republic, but also in several other European countries. It is grown mostly for the oil which is extracted from its seeds. We've noticed this year that there seems to be more of it than usual. According to a Czech newspaper article, farmers have focused on this crop, since from September 1 gasoline sold here has to have a certain percentage of non-petroleum additives. This crop provides one source of those additives. Although beautiful to look at, these flowers actually have a fairly unpleasant odor, and their pollen seems to irritate even people who don't have allergies!