Cat Litter Made From Field Peas

2021 - Volume #45, Issue #3, Page #07

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Pea Pawd sounds like the perfect name for a new natural kitty litter made from field pea chips. It is made by two Minnesota farmers/entrepreneurs and catching on regionally.
    Initially Chad Blaser was frustrated when his cats used his sheep’s feedbunks filled with field pea chips for a bathroom. But, he had an epiphany when he saw how well the chips clumped. He contacted his friend, Wayne Olson, and in 2019 the two began collaborating on how they could add value to a byproduct.
    They purchased a roller mill and began experimenting with how fine to grind the peas for the perfect litter texture. They tested it on their own cats, then supplied the Crookston, Minn., Humane Society of Polk County, with a few bags to test.
    Society volunteers told them that odor control was so effective that even cats with gastrointestinal problems didn’t need to have the litter changed as often. Blaser and Olson say that the soft litter makes it easier for cats to cover up their waste.
    They worked with Minnesota’s Agricultural Utilization Research Institute and were encouraged by the lab’s appraisal that they had a good product.
    “They said for clumping, it was the best they ever had, and the odor control was good,” Blaser says.
    It’s also healthier for cats as clay-based litters have silica dust that has been linked to respiratory problems and is a human carcinogen.
    “We’re purchasing the field pea chips from a processing plant. It’s an underutilized product so this is a good fit,” Olson says.
    The partners set up a small processing plant in Fosston, Minn. The pea chips are run through a roller mill and an aspirator to remove the fine dust before it is bagged in 14-lb. bags that retail for about $15/bag.
    Currently the partners deliver to area businesses (listed on the Pea Pawd website), and work with Ace Hardware in Fosston to ship it for them.
    “We’re getting calls from areas we don’t service, so we are looking for distributors,” Olson says. “With the simplicity of our process, we can expand quickly. Our goal is to be nationwide.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Pea Pawd, Chad Blaser and Wayne Olson, Fosston, Minn. (ph 218 280-1995 or 218 230-4303; shipping from Ace Hardware, 218 435-1977; www.peapawd.com; peapawdlitter@gmail.com).

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Cat Litter Made From Field Peas MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous Pea Pawd sounds like the perfect name for a new natural kitty litter made from field pea chips It is made by two Minnesota farmers/entrepreneurs and catching on regionally Initially Chad Blaser was frustrated when his cats used his sheep’s feedbunks filled with field pea chips for a bathroom But he had an epiphany when he saw how well the chips clumped He contacted his friend Wayne Olson and in 2019 the two began collaborating on how they could add value to a byproduct They purchased a roller mill and began experimenting with how fine to grind the peas for the perfect litter texture They tested it on their own cats then supplied the Crookston Minn Humane Society of Polk County with a few bags to test Society volunteers told them that odor control was so effective that even cats with gastrointestinal problems didn’t need to have the litter changed as often Blaser and Olson say that the soft litter makes it easier for cats to cover up their waste They worked with Minnesota’s Agricultural Utilization Research Institute and were encouraged by the lab’s appraisal that they had a good product “They said for clumping it was the best they ever had and the odor control was good ” Blaser says It’s also healthier for cats as clay-based litters have silica dust that has been linked to respiratory problems and is a human carcinogen “We’re purchasing the field pea chips from a processing plant It’s an underutilized product so this is a good fit ” Olson says The partners set up a small processing plant in Fosston Minn The pea chips are run through a roller mill and an aspirator to remove the fine dust before it is bagged in 14-lb bags that retail for about $15/bag Currently the partners deliver to area businesses listed on the Pea Pawd website and work with Ace Hardware in Fosston to ship it for them “We’re getting calls from areas we don’t service so we are looking for distributors ” Olson says “With the simplicity of our process we can expand quickly Our goal is to be nationwide ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Pea Pawd Chad Blaser and Wayne Olson Fosston Minn ph 218 280-1995 or 218 230-4303; shipping from Ace Hardware 218 435-1977; www peapawd com; peapawdlitter@gmail com

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