Grant is a small town of 1200 about 20 miles south of the Interstate. Older successful farmers, with the help of irrigation water, have made this one of the richest farming counties in Nebraska. People here raise wheat, oats, corn, and livestock. As elsewhere, the average age of farmers is rising. As I enter Grant a simple road sign urges people to "Shop Grant". The public park has a small amphitheatre with sturdy wooden benches. Traffic is light, and nobody is speeding. The streets are wide and free of parking meters.

There are two large grain elevators near the railroad tracks. One is the Kellogg Grain Company, and the larger one is owned by the local co-op. The overflow of corn is stored in hills in an open lot across from the elevators, and a conveyor belt is loading the loose grain into a truck. Along Main Street are small offices for crop insurance, several banks, the post office, video store, hardware, library, and a coffee shop.