Ever wonder where your favorite fries got their start?

The picturesque farms of the Columbia River Basin in Washington and Oregon stretch as far as you can see, hard at work growing some of the highest quality potatoes in the world. Ancient Missoula floods left behind the area’s volcanic sandy-loam soil, and the nearby Columbia River delivers steady irrigation. Combined with long, sun-filled days and cool nights, this region is ideal for growing the perfect potato.

Sloping east from the Rocky Mountains, the Canadian Prairie sweeps across Southern Alberta – a vast swath of gently rolling grassland that millions of potatoes call home. The warm summer sun shines almost constantly during the growing season, and the high elevation keeps the nights cool and clear. In addition to sandy, well-drained soil and low humidity, Southern Alberta has all the ingredients for potato perfection.

Along the banks of the Snake River in Idaho, rows upon rows of broad green leaves soak in the warm summer sun, nourishing the potatoes below. The region’s sandy volcanic soil is rich in trace minerals, while mountain streams supply clear water to irrigation reservoirs that keep the potatoes perfectly hydrated – all in all, the Snake River Valley is a slice of potato heaven.

At the end of the Ice Age, melting glaciers scattered Minnesota’s Heartland with shallow hollows amid rolling hills – the perfect landscape for growing quality potatoes. These prairie wetlands gather winter snowmelt and, along with the region’s plentiful lakes, keep the fertile, sandy soil rich and moist to nourish the potatoes.

As the mighty Mississippi River travels south, it nourishes sweet potatoes growing on the broad plains of the Southern Mississippi River Basin*. The long, humid summers in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana give the roots a full six months to grow before harvest, and years of flooding have enriched the deep, fertile soil with all the nutrients a sweet potato could want.