“A short distance east of the village, around the base of one of the bluffs may be found large quantities of wild strawberries. These delicate vines grow in rich profusion, and the genial sunshine, glistening with Heaven’s tears, is fast bringing this delicious fruit to perfection.”
-A description of a trip to La Crosse County 1858

 La Crosse was a city formed alongside and in relation to the Mississippi. Although the river helped create the city with trade, logging, and the steamboat industry, it also destroyed the city with floods, and had the ability to cease the economic trade with low water depths.
Farming has always been a staple in the La Crosse region. With the help of the La Crosse Plow Works company it became an even more important part of La Crosse and helped the region flourish with various crops.