Canon Fodder

[Hillbillygirl]

Actually this is cattle fodder known as "Cow Vetch". One of the family of the worlds first known cultivated plants. Our two hay fields are planted in a large percentage of this. Too pretty to feed to ungulates, I say.

[Wicked Dark]

and it has a visitor. vetch is absolutely everywhere down here. I've been meaning to get to the meadow at sundown, but somehow always don't.

[Hillbillygirl]

Yes we have "Crown Vetch" everywhere in Ontario. It is quite different than the Cow vetch though. Is yours Crown, or Cow, that you know of?

[Iguanasan]

Love the colour in this shot, HBG. Lovely.

[Wicked Dark]

Yes we have "Crown Vetch" everywhere in Ontario. It is quite different than the Cow vetch though. Is yours Crown, or Cow, that you know of?

I just call it vetch, no species. If we get a cool spell in the next couple days, I'll get to the meadow to see.

[Mad Aussie]

Jeez ... our Aussie cows don't get ritzy meals like this!

[Matt K.]

Lovely colours, and wonderful selective focus to boot ... this vetch seems to be a bit different fro the stuff we have here in Alberta, I don't think I ever saw the foliage "climbing" onto stems here

[Hillbillygirl]

Thanks all, and just a warning. If you are around vetch please be careful as it is related to the locoweed family, and can be deadly depending on the type. The seeds on some contain abrin, which is a very fast acting poison more deadly than racin, which many of you may remember from the news on terrorism.

[Mad Aussie]

But not deadly to bovines??

[Hillbillygirl]

But not deadly to bovines??

There are 150 species of vetch and only a handful are poisonous. Just wanted to warn people that there are dangerous ones out there. Just don't handle the yellow ones to be on safe side here in North America.
This is called Cow Vetch for the simple reason of it being used for cattle feed, along with other ungulates, and equines. It is extremely safe, as is the "Crown Vetch" you see as erosion control on so many highways nowadays.