Harvesting the flax straw is a crucial moment that requires precise timing. Too early, the still damp flax would not easily lose its straw matrix. Too late, the fibers would dry and brittle. When the timing is optimal, the flax grower must be responsive to wind the retted flax straw as the slightest dew would affect the quality of the fiber. This know-how rooted in ancient Norman traditions is perpetuated today at the Terre de Lin cooperative.