If you drink South Dakota-made wine or beer, Jim Schade and Eldon Nygaard are the guys to thank. Because prior to the South Dakota 1996 Farm Winery Act legalized commercial production of wine in South Dakota, you couldn’t make an alcoholic beverage in South Dakota and sell it since Prohibition.

So, Eldon came up with the idea to start a legal license for making and selling wine, wrote the legislation and Jim took it to the legislators at the state capital in Pierre. The bill passed.

Eldon got the first license and began the state’s first winery, Valiant Vineyards of Vermillion.

Four years after the bill passed, Jim and his wife, Nancy, founded Schadé Vineyard and Winery west of Volga. In this amusing episode, Jim shares where they first fell in love with the wine industry and why he quit his job in Pierre before he applied for the third winery license in South Dakota. Plus, you’ll learn why they hosted inventory reduction parties at their house, which two fruits don’t work well for winemaking, the funny story about how their winery got its name, how they became sponsors of The Iditarod, and how caller I.D. killed their original approach to picking grapes.

Jim has handed the vineyard reins over to Dillon Ringling, even though Dillon broke all three of Jim’s rules and now hosts weddings and events at the vineyard with the most beautiful sunsets as a backdrop.

Jim is still pretty involved with the business. And having been on the ground floor of South Dakota wine since the late 90s, Jim admits that what he loves most about the winery hasn’t been the wine, is has been the people and relationships behind the pours.

Schadé Vineyard & Winery

21095 463rd Avenue, Volga, SD

https://schadevineyard.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schadevineyard/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchadeVineyardandWinery

Airbnb listing: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/50269250?guests=1&adults=2&s=67&unique_share_id=9d8fa87b-13ed-42d5-9c18-be1aac27f316

Staci Mergenthal

RandomSweets.com

#ourSweetMidwestLife

Website randomsweets.com

Instagram @potatoesandmittens

Instagram @randomsweets

Facebook Random Sweets

Pinterest @staciperry

Email: staci@randomsweets.com

Today’s story is a reminder that not all kids have the luxury of celebrating their birthday with a fun cake, but it’s also a reminder that just one small act of kindness, and a little frosting and sprinkles, can light up a child’s special day, showing them that people care about them and they are not forgotten.

Meet ⁠For Goodness Cakes Twin Cities⁠ co-chapter leads Carolyn McGovern and Katie Lipe, plus five sprinkle squad volunteer bakers—Audrey Hyatt, Kenzie Taylor, Tiffane Gayle, Tom McGovern, and Emily Beckmann, and Chris Bernard from Jeremiah Program and Melissa Westphal from Missions Inc.'s Home Free Shelter, two agencies served by the nonprofit.

⁠For Goodness Cakes⁠ is a nationwide non-profit organization that gives underprivileged youth the chance to have a birthday celebration by matching volunteers to bake special cakes just for them. To date, there are nearly 30 U.S. chapters and they have hand-delivered more than 32,000 cakes.

View photos and links at https://randomsweets.com/for-goodness-cakes-twin-cities-chapter/

For Goodness Cakes® is an officially recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.Tax ID # 81-10383832118 Wilshire Blvd #826Santa Monica, CA 90403

⁠⁠https://www.forgoodnesscakes.org⁠⁠

Email Carolyn McGovern and Katie Lipe from the Twin Cities chapter at twincities@forgoodnesscakes.org.

Instagram: @forgoodnesscakestwincities

Jeremiah Program ⁠https://jeremiahprogram.org⁠

Home Free Shelter, Missions Inc. ⁠https://www.missionsinc.org⁠

Lynn’s Cake, Candy & Chocolate Supplies, ⁠https://lynnscakeandcandy.com⁠

Kenzie Taylor on Instagram ⁠⁠@kenziespastries⁠⁠

Host, Staci Mergenthal

⁠RandomSweets.com⁠

#ourSweetMidwestLife

Website ⁠randomsweets.com⁠

Instagram ⁠@potatoesandmittens⁠

Instagram ⁠@randomsweets⁠

Facebook ⁠Random Sweets⁠

Pinterest ⁠@staciperry⁠

Email: ⁠staci@randomsweets.com⁠

This is a classic story of two Midwesterners becoming friends over a grandma's handed-down rhubarb muffin recipe.

Growing up in New Richmond, Wisconsin, Shannon's grandmothers, aunts and mom were great Midwestern cooks. Even so, she didn't watch or pay attention to how they worked their culinary magic in the kitchen or with recipes. Her job was to set the table and clean up after dinner.

Eventually, they rubbed off on her.

Get the recipes, photos and links https://randomsweets.com

What we talk about in this episode:

• Growing up and living in Wisconsin
• Why Shannon didn't own a pair of jeans until eighth grade
• Entering and winning ribbons at the Pierce County Fair
• How she organizes her recipes, especially the ones from the internet
• Ho Ho cake, roasted spaghetti sauce, potato and ham soup, everyday sandwich bread, Jen G.'s cheesy potatoes, rhubarb muffins, and pumpkin bars
• Is it hot dish or casserole?
• Gardening and canning—her husband planted 800 sweetcorn seeds this year
• She's not really a crazy chicken lady
• Cocktails and maple syrup
• Where to eat the best coney dogs in St. Paul
• Roseville, Minnesota restaurant and bakery recommendations from bread and pastries to Mexican and Vietnamese
• Day trip itineraries along the Mississippi River highways in Wisconsin

Shannon lives on an acreage near Prescott, Wisconsin and works just across the Mississippi River in Minnesota as the Director of Sales at ⁠Visit Roseville⁠.

Connect with Shannon:

Instagram: @shanphotos17

Email: sthomasser@visitroseville.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonthomasser/

Staci Mergenthal

RandomSweets.com

#ourSweetMidwestLife

Website randomsweets.com

Instagram @potatoesandmittens

Instagram @randomsweets

Facebook Random Sweets

Pinterest @staciperry

Email: staci@randomsweets.com