Buying your Elektra flax seed ready for the spring.....

‘Blue Monday’ seems like a great time to be thinking about seeds and planting – new beginnings.

If you’re growing along with Urban Weaver this year, here’s my email from Randy Cowan at Biolin with purchase information for your Elektra flax seed. Good day,
Thank you for your interest in the art of flax fibre growing!
The seed prices, which are valid to March 31, 2013, are:
0.0 to 4.9 kgs -> $10/kg
5.0 to 24.9 kgs -> $5.00/kg
greater than 25 kgs (sold only in 25 kg bags) -> $3.00/kg
Prices do not include GST or shipping
we accept cheque or paypal payment before shipment
Thank you,
Randy Cowan
Director of Operations
Biolin Research Inc
161 Jessop Avenue
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Canada
S7N 1Y3
Phone: (306) 668-0130
Fax: (306) 668-0131
Website: http://biolin.sk.ca
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/biolinresearch
Google+: https://plus.google.com/106224068896437970548
twitter: @flaxfibernshive
And just a reminder from a previous post of what he said about how much seed you’ll need:

The seed needed depends on the seeding method, if you are broadcasting (scattering) the seed then you will want to aim for a 2,000 plants per meter squared, this will make the plants compete and thus will give you a consistent small stem, easy to ret and decorticate. If you are row seeding the competition would not be as good as broadcasting, the loss in emergent plant count is also not consistently known as the seed now has to compete with its neighbor in the row as well as the environment.

Fiber Flax Seed is 5 grams per 1,000 seeds (Elektra is a fiber variety)
Assume a 90% vigor/emergence because not all seed reacts to the environment the same.
So, for every square meter seeded with fiber flax = 2,000 seed desired seed times 5 grams per 1,000 seeds times 90% vigor/emergence = 12 grams per meter square.


　
　
And if Blue Monday just makes you want to curl up with a book, here are few suggestions from the Vancouver Library shelves:

The Magic of Linen Flax Seed to Woven Cloth By Heinrich, Linda
An excellent book all about flax growing in BC over the ages with interesting photos and lots of information.

Linen & Lace Simple-to-sew Homestyle Charm Using New and Vintage Lace By Sabatier, Chantal Something you can read to help you decide what to do with your flax crop.

Linen Heirlooms The Story and Patterns of A Collection of 19th Century Handwoven Pieces with Directions for Their Reproduction By Gallagher, Constance Dann
How to make some lovely linen pieces for yourself.

20th Century Linens and Lace A Guide to Identification, Care, and Prices of Household Linens By Scofield, Elizabeth
And how to look after the linen that you’ve grown, processed and woven yourself so that your grandchildren will be able to marvel at your skill!

Penny