We create and distribute small batch Nova Scotia fibre products specializing in roving, batting and yarns including 100% tow linen & wool.
TapRoot Fibre has evolved from TapRoot Farms—a leader in sustainable farming practices. Patricia and Josh decided that along with offering the community vegetables, fruit and meat from their farm they wanted to offer clothes as well. This began their incredible journey into linen production; growing flax on the farm, developing long line flax processing equipment, establishing the spinning mill, creating linen garments and now spinning linen and wool yarns. This linen journey that you see comes from a community of individuals whose incredible and varied expertise has been vital throughout the process. Our values emerge from the values of the farm for community based, locally grown materials that enrich people’s’ daily lives.
OUR VALUES / TAPROOT FIBRE
- Excellence in quality
- The land and the ecosystem, sustainability of natural resources (water, air, soil, habitat)
- Education: sustainable agriculture, textile practices and industries.
- The people who work from sowing seed to the sewing machine
- Local economy and community: interconnectedness of fibre and textile industries, artisans and craftspeople.
THE TEAM / BIOS
KATELYN SALSMAN
Katelyn Salsman is responsible for all the administrative tasks including bookkeeping and human resource. Katelyn joined the team in 2016 after completing a Bachelor of Commerce at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. She grew up in Port Williams NS, and is now living in Centreville.
SARA GENNARO
Lead Spinner
Sara is a farmer, mother of two, fibre enthusiast, math whiz, entrepreneur and in January 2021 she joined the TapRoot Fibre Spinning Mill becoming the lead spinner and mill manager. Sara is skillfully creating beautiful yarns and is expanding the mill’s offering with a dyed yarn line.
PATRICIA BISHOP
JOSH OULTON
Co-owners of TapRoot Farms and TapRoot FIbre Lab and agricultural innovators, Patricia and Josh have had a dream of growing clothes from the farm for a long time. Now it is becoming a reality. They have participated in the design of processing machines, spearheaded the work towards establishing the spinning mill, and supported the establishment of Community Shared Linen. Josh and Patricia’s goal is to create opportunities for employment and for meaningful craft in the Annapolis Valley while valuing the land and ecosystem. In agriculture we can grow more than food, we can grow clothes and all kinds of other products that we use in our daily lives.
