10/20/2025
We love supporting other small businesses! We’ve been selling their product for a few years now, and it is a hit with our customers! A new shipment was just delivered last week so come check it out! 😊
𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐭 & 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬: 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬.
𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐲: 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧.
What began as a lighthearted
idea between teachers
frustrated with paperwork
has grown into one of central South Dakota's most beloved grassroots businesses. Sixteen years ago, Tawana Grueb and Linda Knox traded grading papers for mixing spices, forming Grassland Gourmet & Gifts (GGG) an enterprise built on friend-ship, food, and a pinch of prairie ingenuity. The venture started almost by accident. "When we grew frustrated with reams of paper associated with managing a classroom," Tawana recalled with a laugh, "We'd joke that we could be selling tacos at rodeos instead." The opportunity arrived when former business partner Patti Jordre introduced them to recipes from a Rapid City venture created by Patti's sister-in-law that was closing. A few soup and dip mixes, some leftover spices, and hand-scribbled instructions became the foundation for Grassland Gourmet.
Initially, the group thought they'd "mix dips and sip" after school. But once Linda - newly retired and looking for a project - joined, the women set up shop around her kitchen table. It was October when we were born," Tawana said. Their first holiday season saw them sampling soup at local shows, where word spread quickly. The early product line included cocoas, dips, and hearty soups, but the women quickly began experimenting.
Recipes often came from family and friends: "Susie's Beefy Barley": was named for Linda's sister, while "Betty Nell's Potato" honored a family friend. Each mix was tested at the Blue Goose Bar in Onida, where patrons gladly served as taste-testers.
"Creating new recipes is still the fun part," Linda said. "We take something we've tried, adjust the spices, and then have people tell us if it's good." Their cheeseburger soup and creamy chicken chowder became runaway best sellers, while dips like
"Horsey-Bacon" and "Cool Cucumber" found loyal followings across different regions. Both women credit their teaching careers for equipping them with the skills to run a business. Converting recipes, designing packag-ing, and even naming prod ucts drew on classroom creativity. "As teachers, our bulletin boards became our labels," Tawana joked. Linda, with a knack for design, created nearly all the packaging graphics.Names often honor family members: "Mama O'Grady's Beer Bread" was inspired by a friend's son, while "Plain Jane Cocoa" was named for Linda's daughter. One of their most popular desserts, "Grand-ma Bev's Fruit Crisp," was adapted from Tawana's mother's recipe.
From their humble kitchen beginnings, Grassland Gourmet has shipped products to nearly every state. Word-of-mouth and craft shows helped spread the brand - including a Florida community where potluck diners fell in love with “Kicken’ Chicken Soup.” Today, corporate gift baskets and online sales fuel much of the business.
"We never had a business plan," Tawana admitted.
"We just flew by the seat of our pants. But it's worked out." Grassland Gourmet remains firmly grounded in Onida. They maintain a wholesale operation and small storefront, careful not to compete with local retail-ers. Seasonal events like 'Twas the Night and Zonta keep them connected to longtime customers.
For Linda and Tawana, the business has always been more than profit. "This is our fun money," Linda said. "It's let us take trips, buy things we wouldn't have otherwise and we've had so much fun doing it." Sixteen years later, their “mix and sip" joke has blossomed into a thriving enterprise that reflects the flavors, friendships, and creativity of rural South Dakota.
