flax cultivation, shared stewardship 2022, de horsterhof, duiven

The Linen Stewards chose to sow their 2022 flax field at local organic farm De Horsterhof in Duiven, feeling a fit with the community dynamic. Seeding took place on April 23, a little after the traditional 100 days from the new year. The silver lining: persistent rainfall that initially delayed the activity benefitted the farm’s groundwater level. 2022 was in the top 5% of hottest summers on record for the Netherlands.

An organic flax variety from Van de Bilt zaden en vlas bv, Bio Christine, was sown. The field size was determined by consensus and based on the stewards’ anticipated capacity. Fourteen Linen Stewards committed to the 2022 flax cultivation; existing members of the Shared Stewardship community and a couple of new members sharing an interest in exploring the process. A plot of land clear of the hedgerows was chosen, to ensure even wind and sun exposure. Wind gusts on the day meant that the stewards used a hand-driven seed drill to place the seeds directly in the soil, assisted by Christoffel de Bruine of De Horsterhof, rather than casting the seeds by hand as they had originally intended.

The flax seedlings emerged from the clay ground 11 days after sowing. With sun and rain – and a little watering – they were doubling in size 12 days later. Though flax is not a water-intensive crop, moisture is important for germination and the early weeks of seedling growth. On patches that the groundwater-fed sprinkler system active at the farm did not initially reach, the seeds were later to germinate. Their growth eventually levelled out. 

Weeding sessions early on in the season were joyfully carried out by hand, and the necessary activity doubled as moments for the Linen Stewards to gather, share and discuss developments. Most of the unintended plant growth was removed from the field, giving space to the rapidly growing flax. Keeping with the traditional cultivation rhythm, the flax bloomed around June 17 and the harvest followed on July 29, when the seed pods had developed and started to ripen.

The Linen Stewards’ 2022 flax crop grew to be an even length, with an average height on the field of 95 cm, and produced straight, relatively slender stems overall. A pleasing result to behold, also for the community at De Horsterhof. As knowledge and experience within the Shared Stewardship continues to grow, it was concluded that the field could be sown more densely in future, to encourage a more homogenous stem girth. This promotes regular retting along the length of the stem, and a consistent fibre result.