Sacramento County's berry production was one of the big cash crops that drew farmers and investors from all over the United States. 1888 had been cited as a landmark year in sales and new acreage planted, and in 1890 the Florin Fruit Grower's Association shipped two carloads of strawberries to Denver, Colorado, the first such shipment ever attempted. According to a promotional booklet published by the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce in 1902, the shipment yielded $1,000 more than local market prices. By the time this enticement booklet was available, the average price received (less freight charges) was 90 cents a crate, the entire Florin district totalling $131,400 in sales. [French, H. A. Story of the strawberry : berry culture in Sacramento County]
