Ansel's Awesome Sauce
Ansel’s Awesome Hot Sauce, founded by Ansel Cummings in Riverside, IA, creates a variety of tasty hot sauces that prioritize flavor, heat levels, local producers, and exceptional quality and practices.
Riverside, IA
Type: Producer
Produces: Skincare
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Miles from Coop: 1
Made from organic tallow sourced from grass-fed cows in Eastern Iowa (or from the Co-op!), Gray Toad Tallow Balm is pure and natural nourishment for all skin types.
Five years ago, Sharon's son began to get red patches on his legs and she developed red, dry patches on her face. She wanted the most natural remedy without side effects that can come from lotions and creams, even organic ones. After researching, she found tallow balm and began making it from locally sourced animals.
"By the time we saw our doctor two weeks later I had to point out where the patches had been and then cleared up with the tallow balm. It has since been used by friends and family to soothe eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, saddle sores from cycling, calluses, sunburns, chapped lips and more! "

Tallow balm is a skincare product made from rendered animal fat. Gray Toad Tallow uses organic beef tallow, often sourced right from New Pi's Meat Department! Tallow's rich composition of vitamins A, D, E, and K offer unique nourishing properties for the skin, with a lipid profile that mimics our skin.
Gray Toad Tallow can be used like a traditional moisturizer. Apply a small amount to clean, dry skin and massage gently. It can also be used as a targeted treatment for dry patches, chapped lips, or as an overnight mask for intensified hydration. It is safe for use on face and body, and suitable for children.
Checkout these great products from Gray Toad Tallow
Be sure to check out these others great local producers!
Ansel’s Awesome Hot Sauce, founded by Ansel Cummings in Riverside, IA, creates a variety of tasty hot sauces that prioritize flavor, heat levels, local producers, and exceptional quality and practices.
Riverside, IA
The Musser family – Rufus, Jane, and sons Junior and head cheesemaker Galen – make artisanal cheese the old fashioned way, and source their added growth hormone-free milk from less than 30 miles away.
Milton, IA
Herb & Kathy set out to elevate humanely raised Iowa pork to a top-class Italian delicacy, and they’ve done just that.
Norwalk, IA
Jake Simmons set out to make full flavored, sessional, go-to beers.
Coralville, IA
Friendly Farm is a hidden paradise in Iowa City known for a variety of divine veggies and colorful flower bouquets.
Iowa City, IA
Carly Andrews was inspired to start farming after attending The University of Vermont, and learning about the local foods movement. After seeing a panel of all women farmers in her undergrad, she decided to try it out for herself.
Iowa City, IA
From a humble hot dog cart to a food truck and now a brick-and-mortar restaurant, O’s Grill has been serving fresh, flavorful Mediterranean cuisine to Cedar Rapids for over 15 years.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
This is the most flavorful popcorn we’ve tasted – and its hulls explode so they don’t get stuck in your teeth.
Shellsburg, IA