Chico Flax Farm ready for more growth

A local farming start-up is not only meeting but overcoming the economic challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to expand operations

Morning... at this time of economic uncertainty for many northern california businesses& the owners of one local startup are finding benefit in the 'stay at home' guidelines.

I caught up with the mastermind behind chico flax farm& and what a difference one year makes!

This is sandy fischer's office& an expansive field of healthy flax.

Staying 'at home' - means more time to work the crop.

"and we hand processed the 750 pounds that we yielded last year to make it ready for spinning."

I first introduced you to fisher this time last year& during the first harvest for her and her husband's home- grown business, since then, fisher says there is local*an* global interest in this "from the soil -to processing - to linen - to yarn - to garmet& business.

The enterprise now has several employees - rather than just volunteers that are harvesting the flax& and there's a partnership with a local sheep farm to source wool.

"what we're doing right now is we have successfully blended our flax which becomes linen when it's spun with local wool, so we have a 35% flax to 65% wool, and i've knitted with it and woven with it."

In it's second year, fisher says production output - is up - almost double.

I asked & what the current coronavirus- induced business climate is teaching her?

"i think it is allowing us to look within ourselves a lot, because of the connection to the land, it's a non chemically processed, it didn't have a factory to make that, it's way of contributing back tony community.

Chico flax has even caught the attention of the global outfitter, patagonia..landin g fisher a grant to expand the yarn side of the business& her goal is to develop a 100% local operation creating jobs an* products for our community - and beyond.

The hunt is on