LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) – You may think of Idaho when talking about potatoes, but Wisconsin is actually 3rd in potato production in the U.S.
“One of the things that makes Wisconsin so great for growing potatoes is the Central Sands Region around Plover, Rice Lake, and Stevens Point, from back in the ice ages when there was a Glacial Lake Wisconsin,” Potato King Vice President Kevin Herlitzke said. “I think sometimes being in the Driftless Region, here we kind of take that for granted that there are whole other geological features in the state that are really good for growing potatoes.”
Herlitzke adds that a unique thing about Wisconsin’s potato growers is that they are not as corporate as other states. The state still has a lot of multi-generational family farms.
Growers typically plant in April and the growing season ends in October. There are many varieties of potatoes produced by growers in the state: Russet, Yellow Flesh, Round Red, Round White, and Blue and Purple potatoes.
