SweetGrass Trading Company is a member of Ho-Chunk Trading Group. Our mission is to help provide economic opportunity for the Winnebago Tribe. But we are also dedicated to helping other Native people get a hand up to build a better future. We are proud to offer a Native Scholarship Program for eligible Native college students […]
Name: Jordan Rainbolt Location: Winston Salem, NC Education/background: Chef apprenticeship through Johnson County Community College Business name: Native Root Tribal affiliation: Cherokee What led to your passion for Indigenous foods? My mother has Native American heritage from her father’s side (Cherokee and Choctaw). Growing up, my mother taught my brother and I about Indigenous culture. I want to highlight this […]
from the Val’s Frybread website In 2018 Valene Hatathlie was working towards her master’s degree from Arizona State University while holding down a full-time job. After getting laid off from her job, Val had to find another way to pay for tuition, program fees, and books. Initially, she tried selling her woven twill rugs, but […]
Name: Amy Foote, Senior Area Executive Chef Location: Anchorage, Alaska Education/background: Certified Dietary Manager, Certified Health Care Environmental Services Professional, Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, Constant Learning Business name: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Nana Management Services What led to your passion for indigenous foods? I have had a passion for foraging, hunting, fishing and growing my […]
from the National Center of American Indian Enterprise Development The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (The National Center) announced the 2022 class of Native American 40 Under 40 award recipients. The Native American 40 Under 40 awards represent the best and brightest emerging Indian Country leaders. Every year, 40 American Indian, Alaska Native, […]
Blue corn is a variety of flint corn originally grown in Mexico. It was developed by the Hopi, the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, and several southeastern U.S. tribes. Blue cornmeal is made from ground blue corn and is a staple in many indigenous dishes. It boasts several health benefits and […]
Provided by Ho-Chunk, Inc. Two Winnebago community programs recently received nearly $92,000 total in donations from Ho-Chunk, Inc. employees across the company and country. The contributions to Whirling Thunder Wellness Center and the Winnebago Youth Shelter are through the Ho-Chunk Way Employee Donation Program, an employee initiative to make a direct and lasting difference in […]
We receive quite a few questions about our company’s name and where it comes from, so let’s dive into what sweetgrass is and what it means for the Native community. We are named after the sweetgrass plant (sometimes called buffalo grass or vanilla grass), an herb native to Eurasia and North America. Sweetgrass has been used […]
Smoked salmon has been made and enjoyed by Native people for thousands of years, and Natives hold salmon in high respect. Many tribes depended heavily on the dish to get them through cold winter months and long journeys. Smoked salmon is made by salting and smoking fresh caught salmon at a high temperature so that […]
We are excited to announce that SweetGrass Trading Company has received a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification from the Mountain Plains Minority Supplier Development Council (MPMSDC). What is the MBE Certification? The MBE Certification is awarded to businesses with at least 51 percent ownership by a minority group or individual, including United States citizens who […]
The Ho-Chunk, Inc. Summer Internship Program is designed to give students in undergraduate and graduate degree programs hands-on experience at an innovative Native American-owned company that prides itself on a strong social mission and community impact. Ho-Chunk, Inc. interns become an active part of the team from day one. Our personalized approach to learning and […]
When most of us think of salsa, we probably associate it with a heaping bowl of tortilla chips. Salsa is such a versatile condiment that can be used in a variety of unique, delicious ways. Here are some ideas we came up with. Order our Apple Canyon Gourmet salsa today and try some of these out, then let us know your favorite way to […]
It’s time to wrap up Holiday gift shopping! Whether you’re shopping for a friend, family member, colleague, teacher or client, we have you covered. This year’s gift guide features some of our classic favorites as well as some exciting new items you won’t want to miss out on. Place your order by Dec. 17 to ensure […]
The SweetGrass team is excited to attend the 2021 Intertribal Agricultural Council (IAC) Annual Conference. Last year’s conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s conference will be held at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas from Dec. 7-9. SweetGrass employees will meet with attendees, artisans and other exhibitors to share the SweetGrass story and products, as well as discuss current trends and issues in Native food and ag. […]
This Thanksgiving, we encourage you to see the Holiday through a Native perspective. While many of us learned that the first Thanksgiving included a joyful, peaceful meal between Native people and pilgrims, that isn’t the case at all. In reality, the assembly of the Wampanoag people and English settlers in 1621 was less about a friendly celebration and meal and […]
The Nizhoni Soap Company was founded in July 2019 by now 12-year-old Kamia Begay. She and her parents, Rhianna Brown and the late Tom Begay, decided to start the business to share their all-natural Navajo Native American scents with the world. Kamia is in charge of her entire brand, with the help of her mother and a handful of employees. She makes all […]
In partnership with Southern Oregon University (SOU), SweetGrass recently donated small gifts to boarding school survivors and descendants who were part of a panel for SOU’s Native American Programs: Boarding School Healing Community. SOU’s Native American Student Union and Native American Studies program have been working together since this summer to honor and bring awareness to the victims of […]
SweetGrass recently became an official member of the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA). According to the organization’s website, “For nearly two decades, AIANTA has served as the national voice for American Indian nations engaged in cultural tourism. In addition to serving as the voice for Indian Country tourism, AIANTA provides technical assistance and training to […]
SweetGrass is proud to offer sage from Magic Star sage, a Cherokee-owned business from Sacramento, California. Owner Narey Keomorakoth founded the business in 1998. Keomorakoth started the business because she wanted to share the plant medicine and its blessings. She and her family began harvesting sage on their five acres of land in Northern California. From cutting the fresh plants to handcrafting and tying the […]
This post is inspired by the book “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen” by Sean Sherman The early cultivation of corn made a huge impact on Native people. Not only did corn feed many people, but it didn’t require hunting, fishing, trapping or gathering. Growing corn could be done from home. This freed up time to […]
This post is inspired by the book “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen” by Sean Sherman Seeds of local vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, sunflower and maple make a delicious, healthy snack when roasted. They can also be used in sweets such as cookies and granola, or as a garnish for salads and soups. Once roasted, […]
Yaupon Brothers American Tea Company was founded in 2012 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, by brothers Bryon and Kyle White. Bryon, who has a background working in law enforcement, said he has always been a plant enthusiast and is part of the Florida Native Plant Society. When he started diving into the story of Yaupon, […]
Most of us know about the health benefits of raw, organic honey products. But what about bee pollen? What is it and how can it be used? Bee pollen is a mixture of flower pollen, nectar, enzymes, wax, honey and bee secretions. Honey bees collect pollen from wild plants and flowers and bring it back […]
This post is inspired by the book “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen” by Sean Sherman Many people don’t know that wild greens such as dandelion greens, purslane and plantain can be used in various recipes. These plants are typically picked from lawns and considered nuisances, but many wild greens are packed with healthful vitamins and […]
Takelma Roasting Company was founded in 2017 and is owned and operated by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe, which is located in Southwestern Oregon. Takelma is the traditional language of the Tribe, and is only spoken in that region. The Tribe launched the company after realizing how much they were spending to supply […]
Ramona and Terry Button began farming in 1974 on a ten-acre allotment near Sacaton, Arizona, on the Gila River Indian Reservation. Their first crops included barley and alfalfa; the Ramona Farms line of products has since grown to include wheat and corn products, black eyed peas, garbanzo beans and Tepary beans. Ramona’s father, Francisco ‘Chiigo’ […]
Name: Crystal Wahpepah Location: Oakland, California Business name: Owner, Wahpepah’s Kitchen Tribe: Kickapoo What led to your passion for Indigenous foods? I always loved Native foods and I got to cook at a young age with family. It came so natural for me to be in the kitchen, like it was my gateway to […]
This post is inspired by the book “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen” by Sean Sherman Keep these herbs and seasonings in your pantry to add flavor and depth to your indigenous recipes.Some of these grow in the wild and can be foraged. For those that aren’t available, visit your local organic market or health food […]
SweetGrass Trading Company is proud to offer a variety of black, brown and white Tepary beans from Ramona Farms in Sacaton, AZ. Tepary beans have been part of the Native way of life for years. They have been cultivated for at least a thousand years by the Natives of the Sonoran desert, the Akimel O’odham […]
Looking for inspiration on how to cook indigenous recipes? We’ve compiled a list to help you begin. Check out the cookbooks below (in no particular order) for indigenous recipes, cooking tips and tricks, and even traditional stories! Keep in mind there are many other authorized indigenous cookbooks available. These are eight to help you get […]
SeaBear Smokehouse was founded in 1957 by fisherman Tom Savidge and his wife, Marie, in Anacortes, Washington. The pair began selling smoked salmon to local taverns and cafes and their product became quite popular. The company, now called SeaBear Smokehouse, was originally named Specialty Seafoods. The name was changed in the early 90s to ground […]
Name: Sean Sherman Location: Minnesota Business name: The Sioux Chef Tribe: Oglala Lakota What led to your passion for indigenous foods? Basically, I had just been in restaurants my whole life. I started working in restaurants when I was just barely 13. So, I worked at restaurants all through high school and college. After college, […]
What is SweetGrass Trading Company? We are an online store that offers Native American food, gifts and health and beauty products. We are a subsidiary of Ho-Chunk Trading Group, a division of Ho-Chunk, Inc., the economic development corporation of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. We are solely owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Where […]
Sakari Botanicals was founded in 2014 by Spring Alaska Olson, under the Department of Agriculture’s USDA Inter-Tribal Agricultural Council. The word “Sakari” means “sweet” in the traditional Inupiaq language Olson uses traditional practices she learned from her Inuit family to grow local plants, flowers and herbs and create oils, salves, teas, and more. Olson grew […]
