On Your Farm

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Magazines & Reviews

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Getting to the heart of country life with a look at individual farming endeavours

BBC Radio 4 FM

On Your Farm: A Future for Flax?

A Future for Flax?

BBC Radio 4 - On Your Farm, A Future for Flax?

Could a revival of flax growing help industry meet its net zero targets?

Karen Patterson finds out how a Northern Irish farming couple are reviving and investigating new uses for the flax plant – once one of Northern Ireland's most important crops.

Several years ago, farmer Helen Keys and her husband Charlie Mallon embarked on what they thought would be a straightforward venture – growing flax to make linen. Charlie, a blacksmith and sculptor, makes bronze statutes inspired by Celtic myths and legends. The couple wanted to market the bronzes in attractive linen bags but couldn't find anyone making Irish linen on a commercial scale. So they thought they should have a go themselves. After all flax, with its distinctive bright blue blossoms, had been grown on their 50 acre farm in County Tyrone for generations. It was once a staple crop across Northern Ireland. 

Processing the flax includes retting – where it is soaked in water to loosen the fibre from the stalk. Helen and Charlie soak their harvest in an upcycled cheese vat and pour the water back onto the fields as fertiliser. The next step is scutching, where the fibre is separated from the stalk and prepared for spinning. Helen and Charlie show presenter Karen Patterson their pride and joy - a1960s scutching mill. The next stage - spinning - has proved to be the biggest challenge. Although there are a few hand spinners, there are currently no commercial spinning operations in the UK.

Helen began investigating the potential for flax's use as a composite material in industrial manufacture. She's teamed up with the Northern Ireland Advanced Composite and Engineering Centre which is researching a range of products to help decarbonise industry. Manager Peter Quigley tells Karen the flax plant has the potential to replace glass fibre in making components for the aviation and car industries. Helen and Charlie hope their flax growing project will encourage other farmers in Northern Ireland to consider reviving this heritage plant.

Produced by Kathleen Carragher

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

On Your Farm

A Future for Flax?

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4