Totnes Grows Flax

Totnes Grows Flax is our local version of a Swedish project to keep knowledge about growing and processing flax alive - and to build a community around this at the same time. We’ll provide you with enough seed to grow one square metre of fibre flax, plus instructions on how to grow, harvest and later ret the plants. All participants are then invited to meet up and process their harvest together.

During this event you will hear from our expert speakers about how flax is grown and processed, its history and what local textile production means for our bio-regional resilience. You will be able to sign up to the project and secure your free packet of flax seeds.

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What is Flax?

The flax plant is called Linum usitatissimum, which means ‘most useful’ and flax plants can make food, textiles (linen), building materials and many other practical items that can help replace plastic in our region.

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What happens during Totnes Grows Flax?

The aim is to grow flax in small patches throughout our community, harvest it and then process it together in a celebration event in early autumn.

We’ll have one main kick-off event omwhere we’ll learn more about the history and importance of flax from expert speakers and growers. There will also be a short Q&A at the end to answer any questions you might have about taking part in this community-sized growing experiment!

If you can’t make this event you are still able to take part by registering your interest here.

Who can take part?

Anyone who lives in Totnes and District with access to 1m2 of growing space to plant flax seeds (your own or a friend’s front garden, backyard, allotment, established garden or other patch of dirt!). No prior growing experience needed! You’ll receive detailed growing information with your seeds and have the option to join a WhatsApp/Signal group for support. The growing space will ideally contain good quality, free draining soil as fibre flax roots like to go down deep, it also likes full sun and can grow up to 1.2m tall.

Who is involved in the project?

Transition Town Totnes, in collaboration with Zoe Gilbertson of Liflad CIC and Vicky Putler of The Flax Project CIC. Zoe is co-ordinating a south-west wide, flax growing and processing project, bringing back small-scale bioregional production of useful materials such as textiles and paper. Vicky has been growing flax and working for many years on her dream of linen production in Plymouth.

Further reading:

You can read Zoe’s recent Churchill report on ‘Bioregional Resilience Through Bast Fibres ‘ here: https://www.liflad.co.uk/bioregional-resillience-through-bast-fibres-report/

Brigitte Kaltenbacher runs a similar project in Surrey, there are great resources on their website and you can also sign up for more detailed zoom guidance classes. https://letsgrowflax.org.uk/flax-resources/

The original Swedish project: https://hemslojden.org/gora-och-besoka/1-kvm-lin-2/

The Netherlands project: https://thelinenproject.online/previous/1m2-vlas/

The Austrian project: https://1qmlein.at/en/

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