Itsy Bitsy Veggie Co. in Willowick: Family farm focuses on microgreens
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Feb. 15—Inspired by his passion for animals, 3-year-old Elijah Hart recently donated pet grass from The Itsy Bitsy Veggie Co. to Lake Humane Society.
According to Katrina Hart, Elijah's mother and owner of the small family farm in Willowick, the donation that was made last month has warmed the hearts of many in the community.
Not only does the donation highlight the generosity of a local young resident, but it also sheds light on the importance of supporting local shelters and the well-being of animals in need, Hart said.
"He has a passion for animals, so being able to provide him a way to express that and continue exploring that is fulfilling for me," she said.
Running The Itsy Bitsy Veggie Co. as a family, Hart has observed Elijah taking a special interest in the pet grass portion of the farm.
"Our family farm is dedicated to providing fresh and nutritious microgreens, including pet grass, which offers a natural and healthy pet treat," she said. "We are proud to see Elijah actively contributing to the welfare of our furry friends."
As the farm is growing, quality checks on products and procedures are continuing to be made, Hart said. An additional grow rack has since been added and Elijah has had a helping hand in laying out seeds, planting trays and watering plants.
"This allowed us to plant and care for extra pet grass to donate," she said. "I have rescued from the Lake Humane Society in the past, so it was one of my first thoughts on where we could donate. I was telling (Elijah) about different animals at shelters and how sometimes they don't have a family just yet or maybe they're in between families."
Elijah's donation was yet another way intended to aid the Humane Society.
"They were excited," Hart said. "I brought them a sheet explaining about the pet grass and different benefits for both cats, dogs and bunnies. We have three Great Danes and they love it."
The Itsy Bitsy Veggie Co.'s beginnings started with Hart being a hobby gardener.
"I started six years ago and then as Elijah was growing up, he was helping me in the garden," she said. "Our garden outside has slowly grown over the last couple years. We wanted to bring that inside because we weren't doing much in the winter."
Amid looking for different things that could grow indoors, it was then that Hart found microgreens and learned about their health benefits.
"We started growing for our family initially," she said.
The family operation — a 10- by 12-foot vertical farm now focuses on providing local delivery, as well as subscription services tailored to residents, restaurants, grocery stores and pet stores. Currently, their microgreens are available for retail purchase at SweetBerry Fresh Market in Wickliffe, while their pet grass is stocked at Pet Paradise in Willoughby.
Additionally, Timber Kitchen and Social in Willowick is among the first of several local restaurants set up to receive microgreen deliveries.
"We've only been growing and selling to the public since May of last year, so it's exciting to see how quickly it's growing and how involved we can be in different things," Hart said. "We actively participate in local farmers markets around the area."
A blend of wheatgrass, barley and oats, The Itsy Bitsy Veggie Co.'s pet grass provides a natural and nutrient-rich supplement for animals, she said. Meanwhile, microgreens are also a superfood typically harvested in seven to 10 days.
"I'm planting two to three times a week," she said. "We're able to harvest throughout the week depending on what the orders are and what the needs are."
Going forward, Hart hopes to remain as sustainable as possible while continuing to grow, but not too quickly as she still wants to focus on quality. She also has a once-a-month donation goal.
"I get to take my son along to do those things — deliveries and meet different people," she said. "My daughter is only 16 months right now, but hopefully when she's older, she'll be able to help as well if she wants to."
The Itsy Bitsy Veggie Co.
440-497-0860
