Our mission is to promote hands-on learning and traditional crafts in rural communities of western Maine.  We seek to provide a high level of instruction and rent-a-bench opportunities at affordable cost.  Environment plays a large role in how and what we offer; many of the materials for projects come from our own property:  wood for carving; nettles and sweetgrass for basketmaking, plants and flowers for dyeing, ecoprinting and bookbinding; ash and white pine for kayak framing.  For this project, we want to plant flax and invite community members to learn the process of preparing and harvesting the crop for fiber development.  We seek to 1) restore a time-honored crop that has environmental benefits (Maine was known for its linen flax): 2) Engage community members in the growing and harvesting process; 3) Engage local spinners, weavers and dyers in the process and provide classes around these skills; 4) Enlist experts through Maine Fibershed and University of New Hampshire; 5) Ultimately produce linen fabric that can be used for a variety of projects, including clothing, garden covers, and even sails; 6) Strengthen the connections between participants and history, environment and each other.