Welcome. In this course, you will learn about flax. Check out the instructor guide in the material tab.
Start with the Flax on the Farm section and learn how farmers plant, grow and harvest a flax crop Then follow flax seed from the farm to the grocery store shelf in the Flax in the Grocery Store section. Finally, learn why flax seed is a healthy choice and cook along as we show you some basic kitchen skills in the Flax in Your Kitchen section.
Course content & objectives
In this course, you will learn about flax. There are three sections:
Flax on the Farm – Learn how farmers plant, grow and harvest a flax crop.
Flax in the Grocery Store – Follow flax from the farm to the store shelf.
Flax in Your Kitchen – Learn why flax is a healthy choice and cook along as we show you some basic kitchen skills.
Course Delivery
Using the content on the Canadian Food Focus website, the material can be shared with students through a variety of methods, including:
- Lecture-style presentations by the instructor
- Student group presentations on each of the topic areas in the course
- Individual students selecting a specific topic to write about using information provided on the website and other resources
- Self-guided study with students completing quizzes at the end of each topic
- Team competitions at the end of each course to see which team gets the most quiz answers correct
Suggested Activities
- Invite a farmer to talk with your group about growing flax. Do they grow a variety that is used human consumption or for fibre? Ask how they prepare their fields for seeding – what are some of the steps they take in crop planning? Have them talk about seeding and harvesting flax and what they do during the growing season to monitor a crop’s progress and ensure it remains free from weeds, disease and insects. What are some of the special challenges in growing flax?
- Take a field trip to a grocery store to look for flax products on the store shelves. Where did you find whole flax, ground flax or flax oil? Look at the label. Where were the products produced? Are there any special instructions? What other food products can you find that contain flax? Discuss some of the important considerations in choosing whether or not to use the oil in a recipe, as well as how to maximize the nutritional benefits given flax’s tough outer shell.
- Purchase the ingredients for “Falafel Flax Waffles” and prepare as a group. Discuss what the ground flaxseed contributes to the recipe nutritionally. Look for other recipes containing ground flaxseed. Make a vinaigrette from flaxseed oil and compare using other types of oils. Which do you prefer? How do they compare nutritionally?