Winter on the Palouse

     Unhindered by border lines, the Palouse spreads out over three states and covers more than 4000 square miles of some of the richest farmlands on Earth. Shown here covered in a frosty coat of winter white, this bleak farm scene in the Idaho Panhandle catches a peaceful Palouse waiting on spring. Experiencing some unusual snowy weather over the last few years, snow sometimes lingers around Moscow until mid April. A wet winter and spring are what insures the Palouse remains one of the most productive stretches of farmland in the world. Made up of an immense sea of rippling hills, there are no continuous valleys, no rivers, and no need for irrigation. The thick layer of loess soil retains its moisture well. The snow you see here will one day give the wheat crop all the moisture necessary.
      Experiencing all four seasons, the Palouse looks dramatically different throughout the year. This winter coat will soon give way to a massive sea of green. When the farmer gets busy with his plow, the rich black bands of earth yield yet another season of contrasting farmland. In the fall, the fields take on a glow of harvest gold. Various crops on the Palouse consist of barley, peas and lentils, but the largest crop by far is winter wheat.
      Best seen from high up on Steptoe Butte, the Palouse may also be enjoyed along the Palouse Scenic Byway in Washington State. Oregon also harbors a section of the Palouse, where almost all is productive farmland.

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