Latah County, located in northern Idaho adjacent the Washington State border, is characterized by steep rolling hills and scattered windbreaks of tamarack and ponderosa pine. The soil is partially made up of wind blown volcanic dust, primarily from the nearby Cascade Range and the Columbia Plateau. This rich earth, laden with volcanic minerals, is ideal for field crops such as lentils, barley, beans, peas and canola.
     The view paints a wonderful view of rolling hills and golden wheat on the Palouse. This area is a major wheat producing region, situated near the Oregon Trail. The origin of the name, Palouse may have been from the Palus Indian tribe. French-Canadian trappers and fur traders may have used the French word, pelouse, meaning land with short, thick grass to describe the area.
     Moscow (mäsko), the county seat in Latah, serves as an agricultural and commercial center for the Palouse Region. Moscow is also home to the University of Idaho, a flagship research university in Idaho.