Horseradish capital of the world

"Why Wisconsin is a global horseradish powerhouse" by Wisconsin Public Radio


Walking into the wash room at Huntsinger Farms in Eau Claire, the biting smell of their signature vegetable is apparent. 

“That’s our horseradish,” farm manager Kyle Bechel told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today,” standing near a conveyor belt that at peak times moves 40,000 pounds of horseradish daily.  

The Wisconsin farm is home to a global epicenter of horseradish, a vegetable whose first recorded use was over 3,000 years ago. Huntsinger Farms has been around for nearly a century and claims to be the largest grower and processor of horseradish in the world. 

December is the end of harvest season. As Huntsinger employees transition to winter, WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” toured the farm to better understand the unusual vegetable.



Wisconsin climate is ideal for growing horseradish

Eric Rygg represents the fourth generation to run Huntsinger Farms, and is president of Huntsinger subsidiary Silver Spring Foods. His great grandfather started the farm in 1929. Rygg said what sets the farm apart is the location with ideal growing condit


Did you know Illinois is know for growing horseradish? Ok, maybe it’s not as famous for that as it is for Chicago’s Miracle Mile, but the majority of the horseradish eaten in the US is grown in Illinois/Missouri area.

(A transcript for this episode about horseradish is available.)

Happenstance Piqued My Interest

Years ago a farmer drove me by a neighbor’s horseradish field and it raised a lot more questions than it answered! Question have been growing ever since and I’m surprised how many people, when they heard I was headed to a horseradish farm, launched into questions too.

I found the perfect interview with Matt McMillan! He seemed to enjoy answering the questions as much as I enjoyed getting answers.

Matt lives just a short drive east of St. Louis in Collinsville, IL. the “world’s horseradish capital.” And we sat down to talk about what makes the condiment and plant so unique. And seriously, you can hear the enthusiasm throughout the visit in the podcast episode and the accompanying video.



Enjoying Horseradish

Horseradish isn’t something everyone thinks about when they start listing favorite foods, but the distinctive

5 Fun Facts About Eau Claire's Horseradish Industry


Did you know that Eau Claire is the largest horseradish grower and producer in the world?

When people think of Eau Claire and food, the first thing that comes to mind is probably cheese, beer, brats, and burgers. Certainly, those are staple foods of the area, but one thing that might not come immediately to mind is horseradish. Yes, that tangy ingredient that gives dishes an extra kick (sauces, dips, salad dressings, gravies, etc.) is something Eau Claire is a leader in. It really shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Eau Claire is home to Silver Spring Foods, where umpteen horseradish products are made. 

Fun facts about Eau Claire's horseradish industry:

Ellis Huntsinger Helped Jump Start Eau Claire's Horseradish Industry

Eau Claire's horseradish industry started to take root when Ellis Huntsinger came to Eau Claire County in 1929. Huntsinger was traveling salesman who had fallen on hard times. He went back to farming; planting half an acre of horseradish. Huntsinger eventually formed Silver Spring Gardens in 1949; later becoming Silver Spring Foods.


Eau Claire Helped Identify New Strains of

The Horseradish Capital of the World


The town of Collinsville, IL and surrounding area is home to an estimated 60% of the world’s horseradish root. People are often surprised by this and the question is sometimes asked – why? The answer to this is lesser known but let’s dive in and break it down.


The Soil


Collinsville and the surrounding land are at the bottom of a bluff which used to in the Mississippi River Basin. Collinsville is currently about 15 miles to downtown St. Louis, but the Mississippi river used to be much wider in this area.
This left the soil to be rich in potash (Potassium), an important nutrient for horseradish growth. Potassium is one of the main nutrients for strong root growth in many vegetables. In addition to the river basin, St. Louis and surrounding areas used to have a strong coal mining and steel mill presence. These activities long ago spread Sulfur through the air eventually to settle in the soil and provide another nutrient for the growth of horseradish roots.


The History


Horseradish has strong roots in European culture and cuisine. When settlers from Eastern and Central Europe began settling in the area, they found that the soil was sui