During a spring road trip through Grangeville, Idaho, we passed a number of fields filled with these yellow blossoms. It’s a pretty sight, especially when framed by the foothills of the Bitterroot Mountains.
The crop is canola, a genetically modified variant of rapeseed. These blossoms eventually produce pods containing small seeds. When the seeds are crushed, canola oil is extracted, a popular product because of its mild flavor and healthy lipid profile.
Canola is mostly grown in Canada, but a fair amount of it is also grown in North Dakota and some of the northwestern states, including parts of Idaho.
