"We've doubled our revenues since last year," said Stephanie Stober of www.flaxusa.com, based in Goodrich, N.D. "When we started this business eight years ago, nobody even knew what flax was."

Sales really can't be linked to Bonds, of course. Though the flax boom does correspond to its mentioning on the sports pages. According to a tracking firm called Data Monitor, flax was in 220 foods and beverages in North America in 2000 and five years later that number increased to 630 products. Just look at the folks from Flax USA. They have everything from roasted flax seeds to its newest product, Flax Sprinkles! ("Just shake on food or drink, it's that easy.")