Pioneer Flax and Linen Project Looking for a Site, South Hams, Devon
Pioneer Flax and Linen Project Looking for a Site, South Hams, Devon
Meet Zoe one of three people coming together to start a small scale micro manufacturing facility to grow flax and process it into linen and other materials such as paper. They are looking for 1-2 acres within 10 miles of Dartington and Totnes to grow flax and indigo dye plants. They expect to start with under 1 acre but would need to rotate and prep the land properly as flax needs a level weed free seed bed. Ideally they would like the possibility of expanding to 2 acres, with buildings to produce flax materials, these buildings would need to be dry and with power. The land would need to be accessible with a tractor or rotavator, ideally flat or slightly sloping, good arable land – sandy loam ideally but flax can grow well in clay just not very heavy clay or very stoney and the land does not need to be that fertile. Their main hope is to find land to grow, ideally with space to produce materials but if there was space and support for an education space that would also be welcome.
The collective believe in bio-regional production and with some funding have been able to develop the necessary machinery and test it out in Scotland and Dorset. Their aim is to become a coop or a collective enterprise and they are currently working with Transition Town Totnes on a community flax growing project, while also starting a flax seed growing and breeding project. They have researched flax production in depth via a Churchill Fellowship with travels in Europe and grown flax collectively for several years. They run a network of small scale farmers and growers working with flax and hemp and have shared expertise across a small network of others also trying to revive flax to linen production.
This opportunity would suit a land owner who has arable land available for rotation or has a particular interest in flax and supporting a pioneering project.
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