Organic greens have feline link to farm
Breeders go from raising and selling Maine coon cats to turning their time and talent to sprouting specialty “microgreens” in growing rooms of their sprawling Texas home.
From the Farm
On this Palm Sunday weekend, I’m writing about a different “green” other than those symbolic palm fronds waved by crowds so many centuries ago.
In the past two decades, my columns and four cookbooks have described my parents’ enjoyment of indoor feline companionship from pure-bred Maine coon house cats, all from regal retired show cat lineage, who now equally enjoy ruling our family farm. First, they had Tracker II, who joined our family in 1996. Next, they spoiled and pampered Tracker III, his half-brother, until his passing in fall 2016. Today, it’s Tracker IV, now 3 years old, and now the final in his show cat family bloodline, who has all the attention of my parents’ focus.
All of our Maine coon cats have come from now retired breeder Donna Hinton, originally from St. Charles, Illinois, and now calling Texas her home. This past week, I was surprised to discover that Donna and her husband, Jim, are now turning their time and talents to sprouting specialty organic “microgreens” in the growing rooms of their sprawling home in Hempstead, Texas, just outside Houston.
When I first met Donna in 1995, I was a young newspaper reporter covering a large cat show held at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso. My interest and story angle was immediately captured when I spotted Donna, and her multi-ribbon and trophy winning Maine coon cat, the original Tracker, basking in the show spotlight. It was Donna who told me the lore attached to “the tails and tales” about a royal lineage connected to this breed, which is said to be linked to French Queen Marie Antoinette.
As the story legend goes, Marie Antoinette had sent ships carrying her clothes, jewels, furniture and six
French Persian cats on ahead of her to Wiscasset, Maine, as she planned to escape from France during the French Revolution to “the New World.” Of course, as history knows, the deposed queen (always attached to the “Let them eat cake!” quote) never made it to America. When word of her execution made it to the new country, the captain of the ships auctioned off her belongings, while her cats, considered of no value, were set free and believed to have mated with the common barn tabby to create the large Maine coon breed often known as “the feline equivalent of a canine.”
Today, Donna goes by the title of “botanical artist.”
“We have both seeding rooms and light growing rooms,” Donna explained to me about their new side enterprise called Zero-Point Organics Microgreens.
“Our growing racks are 12 feet high with six levels, and water reservoirs that are pumped on timers to each level. In the germination room, some seeds are under compression boards, while others are under domes until they are ready for the lights.”
Before the coronavirus crisis, she said their main business was highend restaurants.
“Now, 99% of restaurants have shut down or only do curbside, with little need for microgreens,” she said.
“Most restaurants would purchase live growing trays for their kitchens and they would cut them as needed. We also have our own packaged label for our greens, which are sold in the produce section of grocery stores.”
Donna said the problem she encounters most is that many shoppers “have never even heard of organic microgreens, let alone know of their many benefits.” She said people confuse these tender and flavorful lush tiny green plants “with sprouts.” She uses their company and ordering website, www.zero-pointorganics. com, to educate people and raise awareness.
“We are growing approximately 60 different varieties,” Donna said.
“Now, we are slowly shutting down the minority ones. We will probably stick to the more common ones like pea tendrils, cilantro, purple radish and sunflower. Because they are ‘baby versions’ of these herbs and greens, they have much higher nutritional values and more intense flavor, so you need less for flavor.”
Donna shared with me her favorite pesto recipe from her friend chef Conor Moran using microgreens, emphasizing the importance of the extra nutrition afforded from “superfoods” like microgreens.
“For this recipe, it’s great that no nuts needed, so it’s perfect for those with nut allergies,” Donna said.
“The sunflower ingredient gives this pesto that nutty, crunchy flavor. Of course, you can always add walnuts, if you like, which are a good substitution for pine nuts and are very expressive. You can really make pesto from any variety of greens, such as pea tendrils, some cilantro or other options. But I always like a good base of basil, which just like catnip, is in the mint family.”
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org, or mail your questions: From the Farm, P.O. Box 68, San Pierre, IN 46374.