Fiber
For much of our country's history, flax and industrial hemp provided critically important fiber for clothing, rope, canvas, paper, and multiple other uses. These plants require much less water and fewer inputs than cotton, yet provide superior durability. Unlike cotton, both hemp and flax produce a nutritional grain, as well as oils for foods, medicine, paints, stains, and biodegradable alternatives to plastics. The versatility and environmental benefit
of such crops demonstrate their value in a truly regenerative agricultural system.
There is increasing interest in resurrecting flax and hemp as significant contributors to our economy,
but infrastructure to grow and process them needs
to be developed. Research into effective methods for growing viable crops is also necessary. Consequently we are working both to promote a regional hemp/flax industry, and to participate in pilot projects.
Different varieties are selected based upon the desired end use. Hemp in particular can
be used in many thousands of products. In addition to the seed and the outer long "bast"
fibers used in textiles, the inner woody core (known as the “hurd") is used in construction for insulation (in a hemp-lime mixture called "hempcrete") and as animal bedding. Hemp fibers can also be made into furniture, cabinetry, and flooring that is 20% stronger than oak, yet hemp grows in only 90-120 days versus many decades required to grow hardwood trees.
Research
Farmers are again learning how to grow and harvest these plants in different soils and conditions. There are two potential applications in which biochar can play a useful role:
Seed Treatment
Bird predation is a problem when planting many kinds of crops, and hemp and flax seeds
are no exception. Another concern is the extent to which weather and soil conditions impact germination rates.
Coating seeds with clay is an old technique to protect them from being eaten by wildlife,
and also provides moisture necessary for germination and protection against late frosts. Adding biochar to the clay provides an additional benefit by balancing humidity and the ability to incorporate nutrients and beneficial microbes.
We anticipate treating seeds with a clay-biochar coating to be used in a pilot project
to compare germination rates and productivity against control plots of untreated seed.
Post Harvest
Following harvest, biochar can be used as a drying agent to prevent mold and mildew
during storage. Biochar can similarly be used as a desiccant for stored seed.
