Great Linseed Muesli
The New Year, new life changing breakfast.
This is a satisfying breakfast and because of the hormonal action of the linseed it can help you maintain a balanced diet. Menopausal systems can be alleviated and with a few changes to the rest of the diet, some exercise (maybe just fast walking) getting those pounds off can be easier and enjoyable.
Thursday 27th October 2011
I have just bought a new book (well it was published in 1845) about the cultivation of flax. Many books were published from around 1800 promoting the growing of flax as a panacea for the great mass of country people deemed paupers.
What is the connection with flax today? Well, we are still importing linen and cotton in great quantities. Back in 1845 John Warnes estimated that if flax was planted on just one acre out of each 100 acres cultivated, the resultant crop would provide more flax than all the redundant population could prepare for market.
He predicted that the rural district coffers would benefit by a whopping £3 million.
It would also save an equivalent sum in foreign exchange.
Globalization of the agricultural market place has always in my opinion been bad for this country, leading to much poverty of the countryside. It's a great shame when you consider that some of our great towns were built on the back of agricultural produce of one kind or another.
In times of war the cultivation of flax always increased because of the demand for all kind of cordage. Did you know that flax was used to make the sails for Nelson’s Victory? He always bought sails made near Bridport which were the very best quality and commanded 2d a square yard more than the average.
Today, the new fashioned nylon based fishing gear is disposed of in the sea and crushed into small particles that end up being eaten by fish and, of course us by default. Surely there should be a law for fishermen to use the old fashioned flax line and nets which are bio degradable and so minimise our impact on the environment? In a time of constant change, harking back to some bygone practices and traditions makes good financial sense and environmental sense.
Durwin Banks
High Barn Oils
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