Growing up on a farm that had a flax mill which had been passed down several generations sowed the seed of a business idea in Kathleen Irwin.
“I had always heard stories about flax and linen as it was grown for that purpose in this country over 100 years ago, got from the stem of the plant,” said Irwin, nee Nerney.
She grew up on a mixed farm of tillage and dry stock in Vicarstown, Co. Laois.
She still carries this on, supplying offices around Leinster, now trading as Lotus Light Co. Ltd.
Husband John was left a 13-ac holding in Ballyroan, Co. Laois, by his father and it has become the setting for the couple’s new venture, Adora Flax.
“I had been studying nutrition and was always interested in natural health and self-empowerment.
“When I came across the health benefits of flax seeds and flax oil, they just resonated with me,” Irwin said.
“I just felt that it would be really empowering to let people know how beneficial something with anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties would be in their bodies if they consumed these products every day.”
Funding was received from Laois County Enterprise Board to assist with capital expenditure. The Irwins also got what they describe as a small grant from the Department of Agriculture.
“We started trialling the growing of the crop around April 2010. We had a harvest in September.
“We were two years in conversion for organics and two years in research and trials, perfecting the production lines, “ said Irwin.
“It’s quite a specialised process to produce the oil and work with flax seed,” she said.
“The most success is had when you grow straight from grassland. Weed control is the biggest issue, which can be alleviated by hoeing and under-cropping. Every year you learn something new and it benefits you for the next year,” Irwin said.
We have several organic farmers around the country growing for us. It’s not a hungry crop and doesn’t need much nitrogen.
“It suits us to concentrate on processing and marketing the product now as you can’t do everything well if you spread yourself too thin.”
Every farmer grows on average 10 to 15 ac to get used to the new crop and its handling. It yields, on average, half a tonne to six hundred kgs per acre.
“We pay a good price per tonne to the farmers for growing it,” Irwin said.
About a third of the seed is oil, with two-thirds flax nuts which, she said, are high in protein and fed to cattle and sheep.
“They are highly nutritious. A farmer told me recently that they had cleared ringworm in his cattle.
“These are the rewarding sides of the business, when people tell you stories of how the flax poultice heals moles on the skin and infections on wounds. Then you know you are being of service to others,” said Irwin.
The production line for award-winning Adora Flax is built to suit their needs. An average of 24,000 units per year are turned out. The oil is pressed in a laboratory-type environment.
Flax seeds are very high in Omega 3 fat which is beneficial in the body but needs to be protected in production to produce a really high-quality product.
“We are replacing an import with our products. We are the first and only certified grower and producer of flax seeds products in the country,” Irwin said.
“It has been very challenging growing a new crop in this country. It’s also very rewarding when people tell you their individual healing stories of dry eyes; cholesterol; hormone balancing; irritable bowel syndrome; and skin moles.”
The Irwins supply Adora Flax to health food stores throughout the country, as well as Supervalu supermarkets and various independent stores.
They also sell online through www.adorafarm.com. They presently employ three people and plan to introduce more products into their range soon.
“We have them almost ready to go. It takes time and lots and lots of paperwork to launch them onto the market throughout Europe,” Irwin said.
The couple just attended Biofach in Germany, one of the world’s largest organic trade fairs.
“We feel we are ready to bring our products to a wider audience now,” Irwin said.