Grain fields in the Basel region

Since my childhood, grain fields have been the epitome of high summer for me. Inspired by the Great Plains in the USA or the grain fields in Canada, in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta or Manitoba, I tried to capture these magnificent landscapes photographically in Switzerland as well.

---

Gerstenfeld im Kanton Baselland

Of course, space is limited in small Switzerland, and it's becoming increasingly scarce. But that's not what this blog is about. Almost exactly 10 years ago, I started looking for such agricultural land. Ideally, it would be free of any houses or power lines, and perfect would be one with a small barn or a dominant tree. A rather difficult undertaking. There's always something unsuitable somewhere. It's rarely possible to simulate endless expanses. But something characteristic of the Upper Basel region is the countless field barns. These old field barns also hold a great fascination for me and my photography. Below is a photo of another field barn in the Upper Basel region from 2021. There was extensive deforestation here last year, and only a very few trees remain.

Feldscheune im Baselbiet

But back to the barn in the barley field: I first visited this barn in the Basel region in 2017 with my drone. Back then, it was a faded rapeseed field, and I was a little annoyed that I hadn't been there a few weeks earlier. But I saved the spot in my mind. At the end of May 2026, I was back with my drone. Even from a distance, I could see that barley was now being sown. My joy was indescribable. For me, barley fields are the most photogenic subjects, even more so than rapeseed or wheat fields. Here's a photo from when the barley was still green. Both photos were taken with the DJI Air 3s drone.

Gerstenfeld mit Scheune im Kanton Baselland

The fact that it worked out at two locations this year meant a bit more work for me. But now I have one more "tool". With my "Pony", a 1972 moped, I can get to each location very quickly.

But back to the cornfields in the Basel region. Solitary trees are also fascinating. Who hasn't seen my photo of the linden tree in front of the Schreckhorn by now? Or the pear tree in Rünenberg? The oak with the sunburst was also a frequently photographed subject. But some trees, like the oak on the Hauenstein, have been struck by lightning in recent years due to their exposed location. But these solitary trees still exist. The walnut tree on a plateau in Upper Basel is a photogenic subject year after year, unless a cornfield has been planted there, as was the case last year. This year, to my great delight, a barley field had been sown. And contrary to the common belief that one shouldn't photograph around midday, that's exactly what I did. I stopped down the aperture slightly to minimize overexposure, and that was that.

Gerstenfeld mit Nussbaum

Panorama Nussbaum im Baselbiet

Nussbaum im Gerstenfeld

Here is another photo with the same subject from 2022, this time featuring a wheat field.

Nussbaum im Weizenfeld

I think my endeavor turned out quite well despite the limited resources. I owe this to my curiosity and, of course, my e-mountain bike and "Pony" (my dog). Without these two, I probably wouldn't have spent even half my time in the Basel region. Especially not in this heat we're currently experiencing. Thank you for your attention, and I would be delighted if you subscribed to my blog. The subscription button is at the very bottom.