CHANGING SEASONS, CHANGING LOCATIONS: NEW SLOW TV, LINEN HARVEST

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the location of the Slow TV, Linen Harvest has moved from the small-scale production of linen pioneered by The Linen Project in The Netherlands to Fife, Scotland at Silverburn Flax Mill.

Silverburn Flax Mill Redevelopment is a major community-led initiative for wellbeing, enterprise and employment, benefiting the people of Levenmouth and beyond. The currently derelict B-listed former Flax Mill building will be brought back to life, creating a sustainable and iconic centrepiece for Silverburn Park.

Gifted to the people of Leven in the 1970s by the Russell family, who established the Mill and lived at Silverburn, the Flax Mill development will honour the Park’s overall ethos (which is protected by a Conservation Agreement with the National Trust for Scotland) as a place of quiet enjoyment, supporting the health and wellbeing of the community, and respecting the habitat and biodiversity of the environment. The Flax Mill Project is critical to delivering the overall vision for Silverburn’s regeneration; Heart, Mind & Soul: Silverburn – to create a unique community space, that works for the community, and that the whole community can be truly proud of.

The Slow TV experience will be from dawn to dusk. Expect a slower pace of documenting that transports you to the flax fields as you watch the linen harvest as it is happening. There is no editing, commentary or staged filming but the natural happenings of the harvest.

The date of the Slow TV event can only be predicted a few days ahead of the harvest of the flax crop at Silverburn Flax Mill. Nature defines the harvest and cannot be hurried. We will follow the flax crop during the months of August and September 2022 to monitor when it is ready to harvest and for the Slow TV event to document the process. Filming is dependent on the flax crop and the weather.



This is a free event that will live streamed on our website on the SLOW TV PAGE.

About Silverburn Flax Mill
Volunteers at Silverburn Flax Mill near Leven, Fife are growing flax just metres away from the original 1850’s mill in a bid to bring its heritage back to life.

The group, known as the ‘Flaxers o’ Fife, have sown a small field for the first time. Sown in sandy soil near Leven Beach, the flax has needed lots of additional watering across the summer and protection from resident rabbits and pigeons.



The field will be harvested in a communal harvest day with local secondary school pupils, volunteers and staff all helping to pull, followed by a celebratory harvest festival.

This year’s harvest will provide next season’s seeds and allow the Flaxers to hone their retting and processing skills.

Watch out for more news of the Linen Harvest on our website: selevdge.org