Last fall we harvested and processed the flax grown over the summer. As part of the process, we removed the seeds from the stocks. We got quite a bit of seed. Some of which will be used to make flax-dressing (also known as elephant snot). It is a truly disgusting mucus looking substance that makes spinning flax much easier. But you don’t need very much to make a reasonable quantity so we ended up with more seed than we started with. Since everyone wanted to have a second year of the project, we put aside most of the three harvestings of seeds.
Technical details
– First, and largest harvest, was expected to yield the finer flax but less ripe seeds (500g)
– Second and third harvest were a smaller patch we had kept in reserve to check the increase in coarseness of the fibre and to obtain fully mature seeds. (550g)
At the density planted last year this would allow us two rows and some left over for flax dressing.
April 25th 2020 – a beautiful day at Cathy Louise and Henry’s Farm
The ground is free of snow, has been tilled and Cathy Louise and her husband Henry plant the seeds in two 4′ X 50′ plots. The east plot is on the left and has the second and third harvests seeds (550g), the west plot on the right has the first harvest seed (500g).
By May 8th 2020 , undaunted by late snow flurries, the seeds are sprouting and looking like a green mist on the ground!
4-5 Close ups of seeds
May 18th 2020 (the long weekend for those of us who are getting lost in as to the date), Cathy Louise checks the progress of the flax.
At this point, it looks like the first harvest seeds may be a little slower or have a slightly lower germination rate but they are pretty close.
May 28th 2020, Next growth check. The flax is 4 inches tall and filling in
The weeds are starting to show and are about the same height as the flax. It is time to call in the weeding crew. We have a quick email chat about weeding dates at first booking the weekend so everyone can help out, possibly in shifts. It was quickly realized quite a few of us did not have plans for Monday! This time the ill fortune for many of us on reduced hours or off work completely is to our advantage! (Finally a good thing has arisen from all the bad.)
So adding masks to gardening equipment we will be heading out to see Cathy Louise and Henry on June 1st!
June 1st 2020, Weeding part 1 (we saw people we don’t live with!! it was wonderful!)
We arrived at 10am and were impressed with the amount of growth from the flax. We quickly got to work.
11-14
Looking at the flax we suspect we will increase the seed density next planting. At this point both plots look quite healthy. Here are a few close ups.
15-16 East plot – second and third harvests seeds
17-18 West plot – First harvest seeds
As you can see we had a number of different weeding techniques today. Glenn used his now traditional horizontal weeding position and Bernadette preferred the milk crate over the kneeling stool we had brought. We also had examples of kneeling and standing, with back supported by resting one arm on the upper leg (Quads). All techniques worked since you can see the carcasses of the extracted weed army littered about the valiant and triumphant weeders!!
19-26 different weeding techniques
The rows, being quite long, we all were able to keep socially distanced while still being able to chat. It was wonderful to see everyone. We got a good amount done but we wore out, let us say we made a strategic withdrawal from the field before getting both rows fully free from the weeds. We hope to finish up the first batch of weeding on Saturday.
Here is today’s work crew. As we wearily wandered from the field leaving the flax, a few remaining weeds and the silent member of the group to watch over the flax, so no one nibbles on it before it’s ready for harvest.
27-28