Featured Grower
Jim More has been growing flax seed since the 1950's and uses it as part of his crop rotation to manage good pasture. It also provides a welcome source of income that is spread through a time of the year when farm income from other sources is scarce.
The farm is situated in the Cannington area not far from Timaru with alluvial soil types and dry summer weather.
This seems to be ideally suited to the crop rotation method employed by Jim and he has seldom had a failure. Planting organic crops of flax seed takes place in September or October depending on the rainfall.
Because of the organic certification, no desiccant sprays can be used to kill pasture before ploughing and soil preparation consequently takes a considerable time. Lime and approved fertiliser are applied before planting.
Planting is done by broadcasting the seed with half a ton of lime per acre and dense enough to reduce the problem of weed infestation.
The crop grows well in the Cannington environment and harvest time is generally in February. Harvesting is usually done by direct heading in most seasons, but cutting the standing plants and letting them dry in windrows before having them lifted by the header and the seed removed is used on occasions.
Birds are a serious problem as the seed ripens, and timing the cutting of the crop has to coincide with its not being too green and the birds not flying off with most of it as it ripens.
