Jim and Heidi can't travel home this Christmas, so Friday we went to Madison, WI to spend the weekend with them. Perhaps the most eye opening part of the whole visit was a trip to the grocery store. I know, "All you can talk about is a trip to the grocery store ?" There is a lot more that I consider private. And besides, this was kind of eye opening for me.

When you use the term "organic" around most farmers you can kind of sense the hair stand up on the back of the neck. For most of us in production agriculture this is like a slap in the face. It's like saying everything you have been doing is wrong. That discussion will have to wait. I am talking entirely about consumer perspectives.

If you are unfamiliar with Madison, it's a long way from the Wabash River bottoms. The metro area is probably over a quarter million people. More Volvos and Toyota Prius than I ever saw in one spot. The kids took us to a store called "The Whole Foods Market". It is a national chain of 310 stores (www.http://wholefoodsmarket.com/company/) specializing in "organic and natural". I'm not going to argue organic versus anything so don't write. The point is consumers are willing to pay for it.

Fascinating place for a country boy. My wife said she had never seen that many kinds of granola ... in bulk

And coffee as well

And produce wasn't just displayed, it was arranged

Yes the carrots are carefully arranged in a circle. And cooler upon cooler of cheeses.

So what has this to do with corn and soybeans down in the river bottom ? It convinced me there is a market for things like this. It may be a niche market we who are now the smaller farmers need to consider working in. Oh, the store also had some prepared foods

edit: THERE I got the correct photo
I liked the cookies