Wisconsin Farm Known For Its Horseradish

Wisconsin Farm Known For Its Horseradish Crops like horseradish are typically raised as sideline businesses But at Huntsinger Farms in Wisconsin crop planning for the farm’s 5 000 acres centers around 800 to 900 acres of horseradish “We’re the world’s largest grower and processor It’s rare to do both ” says Eric Rygg president of Silver Spring Foods the farm’s brand and marketing division Silver Spring is also the No 1 refrigerated horseradish brand in the U S The fourth-generation family operation started in 1929 with Rygg’s great-grandfather Ellis Huntsinger who was of German heritage and included horseradish in the vegetables he grew to sell from the family farm The Wisconsin farm is located near the 45th parallel and is ideal for growing horseradish which is kept in cold storage to process when needed An accidental spill of cream in horseradish led the family to add cream to some of the horseradish blends The cream keeps the horseradish white and extends the shelf life by about a month The family has adjusted farming and marketing practices through the years to maintain a quality product that meets customer demand Plants start with offshoots from harvested horseradish Rygg says the Big Top Western variety works well in Wisconsin “Longer roots are bigger and hotter So we leave the roots in the ground a little longer—18 to 24 mos ” he notes Horseradish is followed by corn which can be harvested even with volunteer horseradish plants Soybeans oats alfalfa and snap beans follow to build a nutrient bank for horseradish planted every 5 to 7 years in the rotation Equipment has been modified for planting and harvesting Mechanization helps wash grind and bottle the horseradish which is very pungent and challenging to work with “We grind a lot of horseradish so we have strong ventilation for our employees ” Rygg says “We also clean roots grind and fill in separate rooms to reduce the pungency ” Silver Spring Foods prepared horseradish has just five ingredients—horseradish distilled vinegar water salt and natural flavor—so it’s a pretty natural product that adds interest to food he adds New products are continually added using horseradish in cocktail sauces mustards and other sauces such as Wasabi and Spicy Sriracha They recently added a signature line of aioli and seafood marinades Rygg says Silver Spring products can be found in stores across the U S The website’s store locator shows what products are available in your area The farm also sells its horseradish in bulk to companies that make their own products Since his great-grandfather made his first horseradish the operation has grown processing between 7 and 9 million lbs yearly “One difference with our horseradish is that we’re a 95-year-old family business We plan to leave it in better shape for the next generation not just the next fiscal quarter We invest in long-term sustainability with solar for energy a water retention pond and a sound culture for our employees ” Rygg says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Silver Spring P O Box 360 Eau Claire Wis 54702 or visit 2424 Alpine Rd Eau Claire Wis 54703 ph 800-826-7322; erygg@silverspringfoods com; www silverspringfoods com

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