Winter Blooms

I joined the A64 from the junction with the A1079 heading East.  On the left just outside the roadside fence I noticed a small gorse bush, the vibrant dark green foliage against the background of aged grass stood out like a beacon.  The bush was young it couldn't be more then three feet high and about four feet wide and above the dark green leaves was a could of yellow flowers.  I love to see gorse at the side of the road I have seen it in flower in every month of the year and I know of no other plant that can be found bearing flowers in any and every month.  I have no idea what triggers its flowering, can anyone tell me?  What I do know about gorse it that it is a legume, it fixes nitrogen from the air.  In the past it was cut for hay, I presume it has a high protein content but considering how prickly it is I wonder how it was grown and treated to make it palatable to livestock. One of lifes little mysteries.