Honeybee Buzz

My great uncle kept honeybees in the Stony Fork section of Watauga County, North Carolina. There and at home in Wilkes County, I would often step on one barefooted and inevitably be stung. It got to be so common, I didn't mind it that much. I also realized the little creature would die after it lost its stinger.

When I taught in Roswell, New Mexico for two years, a trashcan near where the students were loaded into cars at the end of the day often attracted honeybees. When one landed on one of my fingers and I didn't swat it away, the students were amazed at my courage, but it wasn't courageous. I knew a honeybee is one of the least aggressive bees, and they rarely sting if not provoked. What I did was safer than hitting at it.

In colonial days, honey was one of the main sweeteners used, and

this extended for years in remote places like mountain areas. Producing honey is no easy task. For example, to produce a pound of honey, a bee must fly to 56,000 clover blossoms, where each bloom has about 60 tubes. The honeybee may travel up to eight miles to gather one small load. The type of flower that provides the nectar determines the color and quality of the honey.

When a bee finds a good source of nectar, it can communicate to the other bees the quality, direction, and distance. The dance it gives upon returning to the hive tells all this. After circling, the dancer runs in a straight line toward the direction the honey is located, the number of runs tell the distance, and the smell of the pollen attached to it tells the kind.

Although scientist have determined the components of honey, manufacturers have not been able to produce a product as successfully as the honeybee. Today there are less and less honeybees every year due to insecticides. There is a movement to get Congress to save the industrious bee that helps pollinate crops and provides sweet honey.

           

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Bread Recipes from History
(Adjusted for today's cooks)

With the air cooling, fall here, and winter on its way, what could smell or taste better than bread straight from the oven? Here are some bread recipes from the pages of history:

German Lovefest Rolls
1/2 cup hot, stiff mashed potatoes without seasoning
1/4 cup cooled, scalded milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 beaten egg
About 3/4 pound flour
Pinch nutmeg or mace
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon orange rind
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Cream margarine or butter and sugar. Add potatoes and mix well. Pour in lukewarm milk and egg and mix well.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to mixture. Fold in other ingredients, except flour. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a well floured board or counter. Place ball into greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm spot until twice its size. Punch down and let rise some more for about 10 minutes. Flour hands well and form small rolls from the sticky dough. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Slash tops with a sharp, floured knife to let air bubbles escape. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees until desired brownness, about 17 minutes. Makes about a dozen buns. 

Old German Spiced Quickbread
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cold water
3 egg whites, beaten until stiff
Nuts and/or raisins if desired..
Blend sugar and shortening and add egg yolks. Add spices, flour, and water. Fold in beaten egg whites and add nuts or raisins to taste. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake in 350 degree oven until done.

Honey Wheat Bread
1 cup white flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar 
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 cup dry, powdered milk
Mix warm water, sugar, and honey in a bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and wait until mixture begins to bubble. Add milk, salt, egg and shortening. Mix in white flour and gradually add whole wheat flour. Place on floured board or counter and knead until smooth. Put in a greased bowl, flip dough ball, and let rise until it grows to twice its size. Punch down. Form into a loaf shape with floured hands. Place in a greased loaf pan. Brush tops with a little melted margarine. Let rise until doubled in size and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 42 minutes.

The Moretz family in Cleared for Planting was German. These are all recipes coming from the German heritage of our country.

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How Can You Be Certain You're Going To Heaven?

Back when I was much younger, I heard Billy Graham make the

statement that he knew he was going to heaven. At that time, I thought this sounded like an arrogant thing to say. Since then, I've grown to agree with him. If you have asked Christ to come into your life and save you; if you have made him Lord of your life, then you can be assured you're heaven-bound. It is as simple as that. Salvation comes from God's mercy through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. It's free for the asking, so no person will feel proud that he's earned it. We could never be good enough, anyway, and that's why Jesus went to the cross for us.

"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14).

What is this? Is Jesus saying that few are going to make it to

heaven? I believe there are many people sitting in pews today who call themselves Christians, who have professed with their lips and been baptized, but who are bound for hell if they don't see the light. They've just gone through the motions and done what they thought was required to get them into heaven, but they've never really changed. They haven't accepted Christ into their lives and asked the Holy Spirit to help them make the needed changes. They haven't become a new creature in Christ. They are those lukewarm Christians that Jesus says He will spit out of His mouth in Revelations 3.

"Wherefore the Lord said, "Forasmuch as this people draw near to me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men" (Isaiah 29:13).

Francis Chan agrees with me. In his book, Crazy Love, he writes  “…chruchgoers who are 'lukewarm' are not Christians. We will not see them in heaven.” 

Don't think you have to be perfect, for you don't. But you need to desire perfection, even though you're going to keep messing up. You need to want to be obedient to God, although you will fail many times. You need to work on total surrender to the Lord and let Him take over your life, and yet this may be a process and not something you can achieve all at once. As long as your heart is right, grace has you covered, no matter how many times you fall short.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). "Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself'" (Matthew 22: 37-39).

There is no reason to not to live the kind of life God wants for you. It's so much better, fuller, and more satisfying than anything you'll ever find on your own or that the world can offer. And, your final reward is to be with Him for eternity! If you've really asked Christ into your life with your heart, and not just given it lip service, then you know you're going to heaven.

(photo by Amber Speight)

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Doc Tom Scott's Last Real Medicine Show

"Step right up and get your bottle of herbs roots, barks, and berries gathered from all parts of the globe and blended into one mild yet effective tonic laxative. It's good for the entire family - the old folks, dads, and all, and it's sold with a money back guarantee." Tom Scott's clear Southern voice rang out in the pitch of the old time medicine show barkers. Wearing a bright striped shirt with garters on the sleeves, a vest, a bow tie, and a tall top hat, he had been working the medicine show since 1936, when he joined Doc Chamberlain's medicine show as a teenager. He began by picking and singing to bring in and entertain customers. When Chamberlain got ready to retire, he gave Tom his secret formulas for the medicine and asked him to carry on the tradition, which Tom had already been doing for 51 years when I met him. I had traveled to Taccoa, Georgia, to interview him for Good Old Days magazine in 1989. At that time, he had the last remaining traveling medicine show.

Chamberlain actually gave him formulas for two medicines, Herb-O-Lac, an herbal laxative, and Snake Oil, a liniment. Both were first mixed by Chamberlain in the 1800's with the help of a Cherokee Indian, and both were made from natural ingredients. Tom vouched for his products, and I got the sense that he felt a need to defend it from the bad reputation historically stemming from unscrupulous shysters who tried to deceive. Of course the Pure Food Drug Act of 1906 changed all that. Many medicine shows folded when the owners could no longer mix their own medicines, and the Depression did away with others. Tom's medicine was made and bottled by a company in accordance with federal regulations after 1906. When I interviewed him, most people attended Doc's Scott's medicine shows because of their historical value and folk culture rather than to buy a bottle of elixir. Tom still made music, sang, and entertained, too.

Doc Scott died at the age of 96 in September 2013 from injuries he sustained in an automobile wreck. If his appearance was any indication, he was good advertisement for his medicine. I feel privileged to have met him. I loved his enthusiasm for life and his allegiance to the Last Real Medicine Show. 

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Kudzu Crazy

In 1876, kudzu was first brought to the United States, where it was displayed in the Japanese pavilion at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. It made another another appearance at the New Orleans Exposition in 1883. From then until the early 1900's, it was planted as a decorative plant that produced shade. Some kudzu owners reported that the plant "took root with a vengeance, grew over the bushes, and climbed the pines, smothering them with a mass of vegetation which bent them to the ground and became an awful tangled nuisance." But the word never got out, and people all over the South had been planting it as a quick growing vine or ground cover. From about 1910 to the mid-30's, it was grown to feed

livestock, both in the field and harvested and dried. The hay-day for kudzu, however, came from the 30's to the 50's, when much of the soil in the South had been over-planted and stripped of nutrients. Kudzu would still grow and seemed to be the answer to the problem. By the mid-forties, the plant covered much of the South with Georgia alone boasting 480, 000 acres by 1948. However, by the mid-50's, Southerners began to see another side of kudzu. It seemed to turn on it's owners and become an enemy. It became so prolific it was called "a national

disaster," and would not be stopped, causing a panic. It not only caused problems for farmers and land owners, but also the timber industry. Utility companies even reported the vine pulling down lines and poles. Highway and railroad crews had to battle the plant, which has been known to weaken bridges.

Since those earlier days of kudzu, some have realized the plant is likely here to stay in some form, despite efforts against it. There have, therefore, been efforts to find some positive use of it. Besides the ones already tried, there have been crafts woven with the vine, medicinal uses, and cooking.  It can be powdered and used as a thickening, cooked as noodles, or made into jelly (see below). There are kudzu recipes for soups, sauces main dishes, side dishes, desserts, and beverages. For more on this, try a computer search or look for books.

Kudzu Jelly

4 cups kudzu blossoms - flowers only
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
Pour boiling water over kudzu flowers, cover, and let set in refrigerator for about 6 hours. Stain and save the liquid. Add lemon juice and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar (add 1/2 teaspoon margarine to reduce foaming if desired). Return to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Pour immediately into hot sterile jars, filling 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe jar rims, cover with lids, and screw on rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool.

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A Brief History of Quilting in America

When the colonists first came to America, they had little time to make quilts. When they did began to quilt, the first ones were made of whole cloth, similar to the ones they'd had in Europe, and not pieced or appliqued. Most surviving examples are made after 1760, and even these are extremely rare. Most wore out long ago. These whole cloth quilts were made by using the same material to make the top, and they were often quilted together with intricate patterns of stitching. A few whole cloth quilts were made from silk, but most were made from linsey-woolsey, a blend of linen or cotton and wool. Prints also became widely used for whole cloth quilt tops. Oriental prints became especially popular when they were brought over by the East India Company. Quilters then began cutting some of the patterns from the print cloth, and stitching them to the whole cloth. These commonly became known as chintzes.

White work was another type of early whole cloth quilts. Solid white quilts were made with elaborate quilting. Originating from Italy, some were corded to make a raised design known as trapunto. The earliest surviving ones of these date back to the early 1800's.

Appliqued quilt on whole cloth

As these whole cloth quilts began to wear out, women patched them for a few more years of wear. These probably resulted in the first crazy quilts. An unknown woman in New England is believed to have pieced together scraps left over from making clothing to make the first pieced patchwork quilt, considered to be an American

Monkey Wrench pieced quilt

invention. This is the kind of quilt most people picture when they think of a quilt today. Patchwork patterns grew in number and names, and they were traded between women much like recipes.

Appliqued quilts were made from cutting a

Morning Glory block applique

design from fabrics and sewing them onto a whole top or blocks to be sewn into a top. These were often fancier and more expensive to make. Seen as "best quilts" they were often given better care, and many survived. Some appliqued quilts in the Baltimore Album pattern made around 1850 have sold for more than 30,000 dollars, but most are valued for much less.

The album and autographed quilts became popular in the mid-1800's. They served as memories for brides, ministers, teachers, and special friends, especially ones that might be moving away. Each block was made and signed by a different person. Then they were put together, quilted, and given to the intended person. 

Finally, in the Victorian era and beyond came fad quilts. These were a different take on quilting, like the Crazy quilt, usually with impressive embroidery stitches over the seams; the Cathedral Window, a folded and stitched quilt; or Seminole piecing allowing for tiny pieces. 

Today's quilter has an array of styles and techniques to choose from. The art quilt, one designed to be viewed and not used, has also become an important and beautiful quilt form. The variety in quilt making is almost endless.

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Early Wagons West

The move west really began quite early in American history. As the first settled areas along the Atlantic coast became more populated, the push west began. Daniel Boone was among those who kept moving west into the frontier.

Early Philadelphia

Another migration pattern came when some of the people who had come to Pennsylvania decided to swing southwest where land was still free or cheap. Daniel Boone's family had done this early on, when they moved from Pennsylvania into the Rowan County area of North Carolina. Many of the German families would also move from Pennsylvania to the Appalachian Mountains.

Mabry  Mill photo by Ken Christison

This is what had happened to the Moretz family in Cleared for Planting. Edgar's grandfather had moved his family from Pennsylvania to the North Carolina Appalachians and settled in the Meat Camp area, where they started a grist mill. Edgar's father, Frederick (Fred) Moretz, had moved from Meat Camp to a

Bost Grist Mill

mountain in the Linville River area when he married and wanted to farm. It is this farm that eventually becomes the main setting for Cleared for Planting, Sown in Dark Soil, and Uprooted by War in the Appalachian Roots Series.

In order to transport these families on the move, as well as goods from one place to another, the Conestoga Valley in Pennsylvania began to make a sturdy, well-made covered wagon. These wagons were

touted as "the finest wagon the world has ever known." They were first used in considerable numbers after 1760. It's construction helped keep the freight from shifting and made it especially suited for mountain roads. Some of them could carry as much as six tons.

In Cleared for Planting, the Cagles couldn't afford a Conestoga wagon for their move up the mountain, so they settled for a well-used farm variety. However, when Fred Moretz came to their rescue after they were stranded, he drove a nice covered wagon. 

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A Stitch in Time

Needlepoint

Almost as soon as man began to make clothing, he began to decorate the garments. The oldest piece of embroidery was found in an Egyptian tomb, but artwork showing embroidery goes back into the caves of earlier man. 

Embroidered dress on handmade doll

For years, embroidery was done with hand-dyed yarns stitched in simple designs. As time progressed, embroidery became more elaborate, and different types developed - crewel, cross-stitch, needlepoint, candlewicking, etc. By the Middle Ages, women of high social standing were expected to be skilled at needlework. The Bayeux Tapestry is a well-known example of a large piece of work depicting the victory of William the Conqueror and dates from about 1100. Churches were often adorned with embroidered pieces. When the steel needle was

Crewel

developed in the 1500's, England became the center for it's production, and needlework became very popular. Affluent families began to hire embroiderers for their estates, but some preferred to do the artwork themselves. Famous embroiderers include Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles I, and Charles II. Of course, the skill of embroidery crossed the Atlantic Ocean with the American colonists.

Crewell

I've done many different crafts over the years and loved them all, but embroidery holds a special place in my heart. I started embroidering when I was five years old. I was sick at the time, and my mother wanted to keep me in bed. We didn't have a television then, so she ironed an embroidery transfer design of a small Scottie dog onto a white square. I still have that piece, but I've done hundreds of projects since. It is a fascinating art with so many variations that it's never become boring.

Cross-stitched pillow

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A History of Honey

Honey is one of the sweetest and purest forms of natural sweetener, but it has remained a mystery in many ways ever since man discovered the golden liquid. Its use dates far back in history. Honey made more than 3,000 years ago was found still pure in a tomb in Egypt. Archaeologists also found records of beekeeping in northern Egypt, proving that ancient Egyptians farmed the honey and didn't just collect it in the wild. Later, the body of Alexander the Great was embalmed in honey and beeswax. Greek athletes drank honey before their events in the Olympics. Romans believed it prolonged life, and when Julius Caesar asked one-hundred-year old Pollio Rumilius what kept his mind so sharp, he answered, "Honey." An ancient poet referred to Scotland as the"Honey Isle," because the Highlanders drank so much mead made from fermented honey, water, and herbs.

The term, "honeymoon" comes from an old French practice that

required a couple drink honey for a moon or thirty days after they wed. This was supposed to ensure the blessing of children. Honey was often used in medicine. For example, Hipprocrates prescribed honey for many of his patients, and Pliny said it was "effective in easing many afflictions." Homer told Diomedes to add honey to his horse's barley. Horse breeders, ranchers, and farmers today still sometimes use honey and bran to help animals gain weight.

During the Middle Ages, honey was given for the relief of ulcers, digestive problems, raw throats, and mouth sores. It was also often applied to wounds to help prevent inflammation. In Medieval England, honey was used to help cure meat and leather. Women were known to use it on their hands, and French women applied it to their face to help preserve their youthful appearance.

Although much about honey still remains a mystery, many people believe in its benefits, and there is still a great demand for it. Beekeepers stay busy and suppliers often have a hard time keeping jars of honey stocked on their shelves.

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The Great Power of Prayer

I think Christians who have been long-time church-goers, like me, often overlook the tremendous power prayer carries. If someone asked us if we believe in the power of prayer, we'd likely answer, "Yes, of course," but do we really? I wonder if most of us really expect our prayers to be answered. Do we actually believe if we ask in faith, our prayers can move mountains?

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not (Jeremiah 33:3).

All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22).

It's almost as if we have grown up hearing prayers and even praying ourselves, but we say them as something we're supposed to do and almost take them for granted. Yet, prayer is one of the greatest assets a Christian has, and it strengthens us. It welds a powerful force and gives us an awesome advantage. Prayer is the greatest tool a Christian has and the most effective weapon against the enemy. Coupled with trust, it is invincible. 

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it will be done unto you (John 15:7).

Did you get this? The closer you stay to Christ, if He abides in you and you in Him, then your prayers will be answered. Now you put all you trust in Him, knowing that whatever happens will be the best for you, no matter how it appears, because you rest totally in Him and trust Him without reservation. When you get to this point, you will began to recognize more of the many blessings He sends your way

each day. As you have this thankful heart, your eyes are opened to what good care He takes of you. How wonderful it is to feel this close to Almighty God! Pray about it.

Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy many be full (John 16:24).

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Bleeding Patients

Doctor's supply shelf

For many years, the best way a doctor knew to rid his patient of maladies was to bleed them. This allowed enough of the harmful elements to be extracted from the body, so the body could make new, clean blood. Part of this theory stemmed from the old belief that humors determined much about a person, and one of the four humors was the blood.

A variety of implements were used to slit or puncture the sick individual, usually in the arm. Blood-sucking leeches were also kept and used. 

Leech jar and bleeding instruments

Blistering was a similar remedy. It used a hot glass or cup to blister the flesh. Then the blisters could be pieced to rid the body of maladies through the pus.

In Cleared for Planting, Part Two, Sarah does not like Clifton's method of bleeding.

           Clifton knew that Sarah didn’t like the medical practices of bleeding and blistering. He had been taught to rely on them for certain illnesses, but Sarah refused to participate in them. Coming from some knowledge of the medical practices of her Cherokee grandmother, she could not understand the presumed benefits.

            “How can causing new wounds on the body help heal anything?” she asked.

His mother would agree with Sarah, Clifton realized, but of course the same Cherokee woman that taught Sarah had taught Mama, so that was to be expected. Yet, when Clifton performed the procedures and a patient died, he couldn’t help but wonder if there might be some truth to Sarah’s opinion.

            Keeping up with developments in his field was important to Clifton. In doing so, he came across an essay written in 1815 by Dr. Ennalls Martin about an epidemical outbreak in Maryland. Dr. Martin had done his own study of bleeding and concluded that bleeding did more harm than good, and many of his patients who died might have lived had they not been bled.

            After consideration, Clifton became more skeptical of the procedure and used bleeding sparingly and only when the patient or the family requested it. The patients he didn’t bleed seemed to recover better than those he did, so he began to recommend skipping the use of bleeding and blistering altogether. Sarah grinned widely when he told her, as he had suspected she would.

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Emma's Imagination

Back in my August 25th blog, I gave you an introduction to Emma Cagle, the main character in Part One of Cleared for Planting. At that time, I said I would tell more about Emma's imagination at a later time. Here are some more excerpts on this from the novel, which should be released around Thanksgiving.

Emma became amazed at how quickly the weather changed:

            All of a sudden, ferocious black clouds began to march across the sky. Emma had never seen such ominous looking clouds develop so fast. The sun had been shining when the wagon wheel broke.

            The black clouds rolled and billowed like a mighty army and conquered all the fluffy white soldiers in their wake. They’d already conquered the ruling sun. At least no artillery clash followed, as often happened in the summer thunderstorms back home. Emma stood watching the battle play out. It started to rain, a cold drenching rain. They pulled out the tarp and huddled under it. 

When going up a mountain, Emma became frightened of the steep cliffs and drop-offs over the sides of the roads. Yet, she stills lets her imagination run:

...when Emma ventured another look over the side, she saw fog lurking down below. It reminded her of some mystical fairyland, and she could almost imagine a dragon come lumbering out of the forest across the road opposite the cliff. Maybe it would spread its wings and fly off the cliff. Perhaps she could hop on its back and get a different view of the mountains. She almost laughed at herself and her wild imagination. Besides, if in reality she feared even looking at the high drops, how would she ever climb aboard a dragon about to take flight?

Emma is fourteen at this time. Over the next months, as she deals with some harsh realities, she matures. Part of that comes from meeting and developing an interest in Edgar Moretz. Life on a small mountain farm could be rough, however, and a person had to be strong to survive.

I hope you're looking forward to the release of Cleared for Planting as much as I am. Waiting is always hard, but it's only about two months from now.

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Pesky Chinches

Water for washing often came from creeks or springs.

Have you ever heard of chinches? I learned of them through my Appalachian background. I've also run across several oral history collections that talk about them, and my mother, who came from the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, knew about them.

Clinches are small insects that resemble a tiny tick, and they suck blood too. They'd invade a house, especially during the winter, a time when those in the Appalachians washed themselves or their possessions as little as possible. In bad infestations, the chinches would even be climbing the walls. 

Normally during spring cleaning, women would wash bedding, redo mattress stuffings, and scour down the cabins with extremely hot, soapy water to rid the house of chinches. From their descriptions, I've often wondered if they weren't a type of bedbug, but I've never come across that in any of my research.

In Cleared for Planting, when Emma and her family get to Uncle

Roy's cabin, it's infested with chinches and other varmints. They move everything out, wash the walls and floor with scalding water and lye soap, and launder all the clothes and bedding. Aren't you glad this isn't something we have to contend with on a regular basis today?

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The Fireplace in Early American Homes

The very first homes in the English colonies, like the ones at

Jamestown, had no fireplace, and cooking was done either outside or in the center of house on the dirt floor. Soon, however, all homes had at least one fireplace. The kitchen might have tiny windows, bare walls, and dingy rafters, but it tended to be the most cheerful room in the house. The fireplace gave a house warmth and was the heart of the home. Many of the household activities centered there.

The first fireplaces tended to be huge, but, as the forests began to gradually dwindle due to clearing and burning for things like home fuel, tar, and potash, the fireplaces also shrank in size. This is one clue to dating old homes.

Chimneys were hurried affairs at first. They were usually made with green logs and covered with clay. These soon gave way to stone or brick. By this time, many of the kitchen fireplaces had a baking oven to the side. The pots, pans, and fireplace implements were often the most valuable possessions in a small home.


Homes of the wealthy sported several fireplaces , because the larger homes needed them for comfort. Still, it wasn't uncommon for many rooms to remain unheated, especially the bedrooms.

The German settlers were first to use stoves extensively. These proved more efficient and eventually became widespread, but fireplaces were never completely replaced. Even today people appreciate their aesthetic value.

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From Flax to Linen

Flax was an important crop to Early Americans, although it involved at lot of work. For the best quality linen, the flax is harvested just prior to maturation. If the flax is being raised for linseed oil, then it is left in the field longer. The plant grows best in cool damp climates and isn't tolerant of extreme heat. It can be grown in many areas, however, by adjusting when it is planted. After harvesting, it is usually tied in small shocks and allowed to dry for a few weeks. Then, it's soaked in water until it begins rotting to break down the woody, outer fiber, and this causes a foul odor. The usable fibers, or straw are dried and run through something to further remove the unwanted parts.

Flax fibers are spun on a small spinning wheel like the one Rapunzel used in the fairy tale. Linen threads are fine, and if a coarser thread is needed, they can be spun again, joining the finer threads. The threads are dyed if colors are needed, and then they are woven into linen cloth on a loom. In some areas, flax and wool were mixed together to form linsey-woolsey. 

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