Projects

Taproot is engaged in several projects to better serve the Lopez Island community. Most of these have to do with food security infrastructure but also, and no less importantly, are the programs intended to help people gain the skills and knowledge they need to feed and support their families.

Value-Added Food Business Scholarship — Learn More!

Taproot Community Kitchen is excited to offer a Value-Added Food Business Scholarship to support emerging and existing food entrepreneurs on Lopez Island. This program provides access to professional kitchen facilities, mentorship, and business development resources to help launch or expand value-added food businesses that contribute to the local economy and food culture. Click here to learn more about the program and to apply.

Food Preservation Program

The Food Preservation Program (FPP) is a collaboration between Taproot and Lopez Island Family Resource Center (LIFRC), with strong support from the Lopez Locavores. In tandem with LIFRC’s Gleaning Program, the mission of FPP is to reduce food waste and increase reliable access to nutritious food for the Lopez Island community. FPP team members and volunteers collect surplus produce that would otherwise go to waste, preserve it and distribute it to community members for free at the Lopez Food Share. This includes produce harvested right here on Lopez, donated by farmers, gardeners, and orchard owners in our own community! We also seek to educate and equip Lopezians who want to learn to preserve their own food with educational opportunities and access to Taproot’s state-of-the-art food preservation equipment. FPP’s mission is a collaborative one that thrives in relationship with several parts of our island’s food ecosystem.

Cook Room — Construction in Progress! Learn More!

The cook room project will expand Taproot’s operational capability by adding a commercial gas range, ovens, and a large scale steam jacketed kettle. Construction started in December 2023! We hope to open its doors in summer 2025.

The project is converting storage units at Lopez Storage into one large room that will have a proper fire-suppression hood on one end plus lots of room for processing and storage. Movable tables and shelves will allow each kitchen user to arrange things for their operation. Open storage allows users to expand and shrink their storage needs as the seasons cycle.

USDA Rural Business Development Grant — Completed in 2025

In the spring of 2024 Taproot was awarded a Rural Business Development Grant from the USDA which is assisting in outfitting our new cook room with a large 10 burner gas range, a large convection bakers oven, kitchen smallwares for the new space, stainless steel worktables, and NSF wire racks for kitchen user dry storage.

USDA Local Food Promotion Program — Completed in 2024

With the assistance of a USDA grant Taproot was able to hire a kitchen manager, outreach manager, and purchase needed commercial kitchen and processing equipment. This equipment included canning supplies, a dishwasher, a piston filler (a machine that fills containers with liquids rapidly and consistently), a bottle capper, and a professional label printer and applicators. We also assembled a team to support farmers and potential value-added food producers with a mentoring program. The goal of this mentorship program was to help guide new and existing food businesses through the challenges and joys of food product creation, food safety, business set-up, pricing, and marketing. This program is complete but we are actively pursuing other funding models to continue this small business startup support!

Walk-in Freezer — Completed in 2022

The walk-in freezer installation is complete! This offers food processors and vendors space for short and long term storage of frozen foods. Frozen storage is an important aspect of local food security. The San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild obtained this unit via a USDA grant. Local volunteers assembled the box and the utility connections were made by Mike Hobi, owner of Hobi Plumbing, and Jeff Hein, owner of Lopez Island Electric. Check out our kitchen use and storage pricing for more information on renting space.

Backup generator — Completed in 2022

We all know that power can go out in the islands for many hours, even days, at time. Out backup generator provides continuous electrical power to the walk-in refrigerator and freezer when (not if) electrical power goes out on the island for extended periods. The generator project was funded by a USDA Rural Business Development Grant