 Wheatgrass
Last winter my husband planted winter rye in the yard. Because we live in Texas, Saint Augustine is the grass of choice, but in the winter he likes to fill in the gaps with winter rye. I like this because it equals less muddy paws entering the house. But I observed another reason for liking it last winter. The dogs devoured it! Whenever they got the chance, they munched. They resembled a herd of two grazing at every chance they had.
Also I noticed the one cat we allow outside was joining in. She loved the grass also. I had been experiencing a problem with the cats wanting to eat the silk plants in the house, so I knew they were desiring greens also.
So I researched healthy grass for pets. I learned that wheatgrass was not only delicious in the eyes of dogs and cats, but also nutritious. This is the same grass that is gaining popularity as a healthy source for juicing for humans.
I ordered my kit. It was cheap and it came quickly. I was out of town and my husband and daughter decided to start the grass for me. The process was very simple: dirt is placed into plastic trays with holes in the bottom for drainage. The seeds that have been soaked overnight are sprinkled on top. A wet paper towel is placed on top and in a dark place they are then placed. They chose a closet in the garage. The paper towel is kept wet for two or three days. I came home the third day and we had already sprouted!
I noticed a little mold on the seeds on day four. We have had an unusually wet summer so I attributed it to hot, wet days. So inside it went, on day four. Still dark, still covered by a wet paper towel. Day five I uncovered it and soaked the seeds and placed the tray in indirect light. What happened next really surprised me. An explosion of grass that kept growing for the next week! It was soft, long, lush and absolutely delicious. All three cats and both dogs grazed throughout the day. They loved it. At this point, maintenance was a daily watering.
I also noticed that each little blade also held a drop of water on it. This was true day and night. I noticed one cat just like to lick the water off, not just eat the grass.
I love providing greens for them, not only for the nutrition, but to meet the innate need to graze and munch on grass. It was a hit and we have now started our second round of grass. My goal is to start the seeds as the current grass is ending its life cycle, which seemed to be about two weeks or so.
It also made a beautiful addition to the home. I exchanged the pan for a basket and it looks like we are decorating with wheat grass. I saw a plastic version of this at a local home decorating store for $99! This real version was so much more beautiful and definitely useful. | 
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