Progress report for FNE24-073
Project Information
PA Flax Project (PAFP) is a cooperative, founded by farmer Emma de Long and textile designer, Heidi Barr. Our mission is to reestablish the fiber flax industry in Pennsylvania by initiating new production and processing capacity.
A significant barrier to scaling fiber flax agriculture in Pennsylvania is the cost and availability of seed. There is no significant production of fiber
flax seed in the U.S., and importing seed from Europe is prohibitively expensive and global shortages due to climate change makes it increasingly difficult.
Our two-pronged approach of identifying and increasing production of open source seed varieties and breeding a regional variety provides maximum
opportunity for farmers.
In 2024 we'll contract with farmers to grow 1/10 acre plots of open source seed varieties, scaling to 10+ acres in 2025. Our seed breeding trial partners
include Truelove Seeds, The Experimental Farm Network, and farmers in Rodale's network. We'll work with Vic Spindler-Fox of OpenTEAM to house our data on their open-source platform making our seed trial results widely available.
PAFP’s long-term goal is to establish a cooperatively owned scutching mill, processing 4,000 acres of fiber flax annually. In addition to income from crops, our producer-owners will receive a percentage of the sale of products leaving the mill.
We believe our cooperative has the capacity to greatly increase the quality of life and revenue streams of small to medium sized farms, who are looking to diversify production within the constraints of the growing season. This starts with a reliable seed source.
1 - Expand our farm network to include 3 - 5 farms committed to growing 5 + acres fiber flax seed by 2025
2 - Grow 3 - 5 open source varieties of fiber flax seed in isolation for increase. Grow 1/10 acre plots 3 -5 open source varieties of fiber flax
seed we chose from our 2023 seed trials in isolation for increase on the farms identified in objective 1
3 - Continue work to breed a regional fiber flax seed variety making up to 20 crosses. Partner with Nate Kleinman from The Experimental Farm Network and Owen From Truelove Seeds to breed a regional fiber flax seed variety our 2024 goal is to make our initial crosses.
4 - Data Collection/Analysis/dissemination. Work with Vic Spindler-fox to create a database and protocols for use. Enter, analyze and disseminate data from 2020-23. Create protocols for future use of the database. Support farmers in collecting and entering data.
Fiber flax first came to this continent with settlers arriving in Germantown Philadelphia in the 17c.. With the advent of synthetic textiles after WW II, the flax industry faltered in North America and the agronomy and infrastructure has been lost in the intervening decades. Today, fiber flax is a reemerging high-value market for Pennsylvania farmers and the agronomy of flax is new to this generation of our region's farmers. Fiber flax straw currently trades at $550 per ton in the global market, making it competitive among commodity crops like hay and alfalfa which account for over 22,000 acres of Pennsylvania’s harvested organic crops. Educating our farmers and building a resilient local fiber flax seed source is critical to the long term economic viability of the fiber flax industry in our region.
A significant barrier to scaling fiber flax agriculture in Pennsylvania is the cost and availability of seed. The only commercial scale seed produced in the USA is a variety developed for and produced in the Pacific Northwest. PAFP grew this variety in 2021 and 2022 and found that it under-performed significantly in comparison to seed imported from Europe. Importing seed from Europe is expensive and seed shortages due to weather events make it increasingly difficult. Fiber flax is planted at 120 pounds per acre. European seed currently costs $3 per pound. At this price, seed costs would reach $360 per acre, significantly reducing profits to farmers. The success of Pennsylvania's fiber flax industry depends on an affordable, reliable, regional seed source. PAFP is on the board of the North American Linen Association; it's clear in this network that regional seed sources are in demand.
Our seed production and seed breeding programs serve as a solution to the barrier of scaling fiber flax agriculture due to the cost and availability of seed.
PAFP's goal is 4000 acres per year of fiber flax production in PA, requiring 500,000 pounds of seed. Seed produced in the PNW yielded 950 lb per acre. At scale, PAFP will provide an opportunity for 600 acres of fiber flax seed production. Our model of a cooperatively producer-owned mill means that in addition to income from crops entering the mill, our producer-owners will receive a percentage of the sale of products when the processed fiber flax and co-products leave the mill. This sustainable high value crop will improve quality of life and increase income for farmers.
Our Square Yard Project is a citizen science, art, education and community outreach program creating awareness of fiber flax's benefit to farmers and the textile industry. Participants grow and hand process fiber flax and collect data on how flax seed varieties perform in microclimates in our region. In two seasons, this all-volunteer led project has engaged over 80 participants.
Data from our Square Yard Project participants supports our on-farm research. We work with volunteer, Vic Spindler of OpenTEAM, an expert on platforms designed to collect farm and land data in an accessible open source information sharing platform. Truelove Seeds and The Experimental Farm Network volunteer with us and have identified 13 open source flax seed varieties to continue working with. Our next steps will include sharing data, testing fiber quality, and contracting with farmers to grow seed for increase in 2024.
Of 9 farmers trialing fiber flax with us, one focuses on seed production. By reaching Rodale Institute's network of farmers and introducing the agronomy of fiber flax, we'll be able to expand our project, as well as reestablish a thriving fiber flax industry to increase both financial and environmental sustainability on Pennsylvania farms.
Fiber flax requires little to no irrigation and very little nitrogen. Since it needs so few inputs, it lends itself well to economical, organic practices. It fits easily into existing rotations on diversified vegetable farms and with row crops such as hay, alfalfa and small grains. An early spring crop that is pulled to harvest, fiber flax supports no/low till farming methods by leaving a clean bed for planting. At 36" - 41" inches, the mature crop can capture a significant amount of carbon and it removes toxins (particularly heavy metals like lead) from the soil. As the industry scales in North America, PAFP's farmers will have ready markets for fiber flax seeds.
Cooperators
- - Technical Advisor
- - Producer
- - Producer (Researcher)
- - Technical Advisor
- (Educator)
- - Producer
- (Researcher)
Research
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Methods to achieve our objectives |
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Objective 1 - Expand our farm network |
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Objective 2 - Grow 3 - 5 open source varieties of fiber flax seed in isolation for increase |
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Contract with 3 - 5 farmers to grow 3 - 5 seed varieties in isolation for increase in 2024 |
Truelove Farm Other locations in Southern PA TBD |
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Objective 3 - Continue work to breed a regional fiber flax seed variety, making up to 20 crosses |
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The protocol for seed breeding is a full 8 year standard breeding program beginning with 3-4 parent seed varieties and concluding with trials of F4:6 varieties at two locations. The protocols take into consideration, field conditions and exposure of site selection, soil types, drainage, field history of fertility and weed pressure, prior crop rotations. Specific recommendations for seeding and field maintenance practices are detailed as well as harvest, retting, storage and hand processing recommendations. This grant will enable us to fully implement all the seed breeding protocols in this year 2 of our formal seed trials. |
Kneehigh Farm Truelove Seed Farm location in Glen Mills PA |
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Objective 4 - Data Collection/Analysis and Dissemination |
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Organize, interpret and disseminate data from previous years. Collect data from seed farmers, seed trials and Square Yard Project participants during 2024 growing season and enter into the database. |
On farms participating in seed trials and growing seed for increase and our Square Yard participants |
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Data base Field journals (print or digital depending on farmer preference) Travel to farms as necessary to support farmers Webinars and print/digital best practices guide |
All of the data from Objectives 1,2 and 3 will be collated and expressed in this step. Data available from previous years will also be integrated. The database and protocols developed in this step will become the standard for our continuing work with seed growing and breeding. |
Education & Outreach Activities and Participation Summary
Participation Summary:
We have designed a Field Journal with a focus on Square Yard Project participants. We will make adjustments in the coming year and complete a version that will work for our seed trail partners.
We created 5 data sheets. We're collecting data in these sheets and using them as a guide to develop the database for our seed trials and seed production. The target completion date for the database is May 2025.
We presented a webinar called “Pennsylvania’s Re-emerging Flax to Linen Industry” with our technical advisors at Rodale Institute on November 6th 2024. We had 68 registered, 23 live attendees for a 35% attendance rate which is above Rodale’s historical average of 25%. The video has 176 views on Youtube to date. The audience was very engaged during the Q&A and the webinar is linked on Rodale’s website.
We hosted 3 on-farm hand processing events with a total of 84 attendees, 5 of them are farmers.
In addition to the 23 farmers attending the webinar with Rodale, and the 5 farmers attending processing workshops, We had conversations with 45 additional farmers interested in our work. 15 of those remain engaged, the remaining 25 have either not engaged further or are waiting to participate at a later date. These relationships are a result of Emma de Long and Bill Shick reaching out to farmers who have filled out surveys on our website and at events.
At our Winter Growers Meeting on January 17 & 18, Owen from Truelove Seeds will be processing seeds grown in this past season's seed trials. We have 23 participants registered for this event.
We are planning a field day at Kneehigh Farm, the tentative date is in May 2025 will coincide with the flowering of the winter seed trials planted there.
Learning Outcomes
The 68 farmers who gained knowledge includes the 23 who attended the webinar presented with The Rodale Institute and the additional 45 contacted by us through our outreach efforts.
They gained knowledge in
- Land preparation, seeding, and harvest equipment knowledge gained
- economies of scale and the flax industry at large
- Flax fitting into rotation and farm economics
- History of flax, uses of, and processing
Project Outcomes
With another year to accomplish what we have set out to do, and the benefit of key learning from this past season, we're optimistic about achieving our objectives.
We had significant learning and observations by working with John Paul's Farm. John Paul's Farm had difficulty with land preparation and forming a proper seedbed without the necessary equipment. They went from grass/hay in very rocky soil straight to growing flax without the ability to remove the rocks from the field. Seeding with a broadcast seeder was difficult because of the uneven surface and the inability to consistently press or bury the seeds into the soil. Weeds were an issue because of the prior use of the field, and the patchiness of the flax. The combine broke down at the beginning of harvest, and a lack of spare parts and time to work on the machine at the peak of season inhibited their ability to save seeds efficiently.
John Paul's will try a more established field, smaller plots, and a push type seeder to get good seed to soil contact and spacing next year. Small plots will allow them to harvest by hand and keep records easier.
With Truelove Seeds, we grew more varieties than anticipated for increase in 2024; totaling 12 varieties (Truelove Seeds data). We’ll be repeating this in 2025. The plots will be smaller than anticipated and while it may take longer to scale, the increase in the number of varieties will benefit us in other ways as we pursue a formal breeding program. We anticipate 25 square foot plots for new accessions and possibly slightly larger for accessions successfully grown out in 2024. Testing these varieties for fiber quality is the next step.
We have had some delays establishing a formal breeding program. We have established several key relationships with seed breeders including, most notably, Larry Smart at Cornell and Alyssa Collins at Penn State. Larry Smart will begin establishing a formal fiber flax seed trial in 2025. Alyssa Collins has already planted winter fiber flax varieties we provided to trial and will also trial our available Spring/Summer varieties in 2025. We hope that we will foster a collaboration between these two researchers and look forward to reporting on the progress.
One change we plan to make based on what we learned in 2024 relates to our Square Yard Project. In our original application we included data collected from our Square Yard Project in the scope of this work. We plan to eliminate that data to reduce the burden of data collection and eliminate all the variability that comes with un-trained individuals from our final results. We have come to understand that urban plots are not the best places to judge the field performance of this crop.
Another change relates to scaling seed production. We’ve had a few key learnings and understand now the need to work with and/or through seed companies to accomplish the scale of 600+ acres in production for fiber flax seed. We are establishing these relationships.