Member Spotlight: Leslie Schroeder

“The Flax ma’am has arrived”

By Allison Crook, WFU Membership Coordinator

In Northern Europe, one of the largest flax textile producing regions of the world, there exists a person colloquially referred to as the “Flax Man.” He works for the fiber mill. He coordinates with the flax farmers to determine the number of acres planted and their harvest date, so he can organize the transfer of the harvester machine between the farms. He ensures that the mill is prepared to scutch the recently retted flax, before shipping it abroad to complete the processing and spinning of the fiber. The “Flax Man” serves as a critical intermediary in the region’s flax textile production, which has a centuries-old history and tradition.  

The story is very different in Wisconsin, where we have almost lost our textile industry and the generational knowledge of these processes. Fortunately for us, though, “the Flax Ma’am” has arrived, and she is on a mission to change the trajectory of flax production in the state. Leslie Schroeder, a new Wisconsin Farmers Union member based out of Dane County, founded the Wisconsin Linen Revival in 2022 with a vision to “provide access to locally and sustainably grown flax and processed linen to benefit local farmers and economies, build community, and shorten the journey from seed to shirt.” Since then, she has been working to establish flax for fiber as an agricultural crop in Wisconsin. 

Leslie’s path to becoming the “Flax Ma'am” wasn’t always clear, but her curiosity and drive led her here. Starting with a passion for cooking, she began gardening to find quality ingredients and connecting with local farmers. Her love of plants expanded to foraging, which deepened her commitment to resilient local food systems. This same journey led her into textiles.

Leslie initially learned to sew, and her curiosity pushed her further—into knitting, weaving, and eventually acquiring her own loom. Her food and fiber worlds merged when she discovered wild-foraged cordage like nettle and dogbane. This revelation—textiles come from plants—profoundly impacted her. "It’s nothing short of the root of many aspects of human civilization," she says. Once you can make rope, you can catch food, build a sail, or survive. This realization gave Leslie a deep connection to history and humanity.

Leslie believes disconnection from our surroundings is at the core of many cultural issues, and that a vibrant local Fibershed could help restore a sense of belonging. Local fiber production grounds people in a geographic area, connecting them with the plants, animals, and people contributing to that fiber. Seeing a gap in the movement, Leslie launched the Wisconsin Linen Revival to bring 

flax into the conversation. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and soon the project was born.

Flax has a 30,000-year-old relationship with humans and was brought to North America by early settlers. Yet the connection to flax has faded. Leslie believes it's time to revitalize that bond for spiritual, social, environmental, and economic reasons. Flax is hardy, grows well in Wisconsin's climate, requires no pesticides or irrigation, and produces a beautiful blue flower enjoyed by pollinators. It also offers economic potential in a grain rotation.

Leslie sees immense energy around flax, making it likely that Wisconsin will develop a regional flax linen industry. She is part of the North American Linen Association, which works to advance the fiber flax supply chain in the U.S. Leslie also secured a place for fiber flax in UW-Extension's Emerging Crops Accelerator Program. "Flax is having a moment right now," she says. "People are excited about linen and want to know how to grow it." But, she emphasizes, "we need to establish a processing ecosystem and connect to the market." Her advice to prospective growers is to “wait for it” while the infrastructure is built. In the meantime, she encourages people to plant small plots of flax to familiarize themselves with the plant and experience the retting process.

Scaling flax production will require significant investment in harvesting and processing equipment. This is a major challenge for the Fibershed movement, but Leslie is working with Wisconsin Farmers Union to address these gaps. Since July, she has connected with WFU members and Fibershed affiliates across the region to expand and update policy on Fibersheds. At the WFU convention in December, members will present a resolution to tackle some of these barriers—so keep an eye out!

If you’re interested in getting involved, Leslie encourages WFU members to reach out. You can follow the Wisconsin Linen Revival on social media or join their email list to stay updated on upcoming events, including workshops, field days, and producer education opportunities. As Wisconsin moves toward creating its own flax economy, it’s reassuring to know that Leslie is there to guide the way—our very own “Flax Ma'am.”