Monoculture

Went to the Kleintierzuechterheim (Small Animal Breeders Home) in Buchloe this morning. Every Sunday their is a "market" here where one can buy & sell chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, canaries etc. As our large chickens are now 5 years old, we aren't getting many eggs so it was time for some young blood (21 weeks old) 8 hens costing 8 Euros each. Ought to breed our own but none of the large hens wants to brood.
On the way back spotted this field. The massive increase in Biogas Plants has led to an unfortunate change in the landscape - maize fields. In an attempt to try & make things a bit more colourful many farmers plant one set of rows with flowers, usually sunflowers. This was a complete mix which was nice.
As the gas plants need so much plant material, the prices for renting land has increased dramatically & increased hay and straw prices. On the other hand the electricity production from biogas in Germany is equivalent to two large atomic plants! Loads of issues with renewables but it has to be the way forward