Quality from the Farm
Ellis Huntsinger founded Huntsinger Farms, Inc. and its subsidiary Silver Spring Foods, Inc. in 1929 when he started growing horseradish and other vegetable crops on a few acres of land near a fresh water spring south of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. In the early days, Ellis prepared and bottled horseradish by hand in an old milk shed behind his house and sold it locally to help augment his income during Wisconsin’s cold winter months.
Huntsinger Farms now grows horseradish in a five to seven year rotation with corn, soybeans, snap beans and other forage crops on over 9,000 acres of prime Wisconsin and Minnesota farmland. Horseradish roots harvested in the spring and fall are placed immediately in cold storage until processed, bottled, and sold under the Silver Spring brand to markets worldwide. Today, Silver Spring horseradish is the number one retail brand in the United States.
Prepared horseradish is traditionally ground and mixed with vinegar as a natural preservative since the fresh root, once washed and grated, would otherwise soon turn dark and lose its characteristic bite. Refrigeration is necessary in order to keep prepared horseradish white in color and to retain its sharp flavor.
Ellis Huntsinger discovered that the addition of fresh sweet dairy cream helped further enhance the flavor, heat, and longevity of prepared horseradish. This discovery helped him expand his horseradish sales to markets throughout the United States.
Currently owned by Ellis Huntsinger’s granddaughter and her two sons, the company has been family owned and operated for over 75 years and through four generations. A talented management team and an exceptional group of employees remain dedicated to providing the service and product quality that have been key to our success. |
