SUMMERSET, S.D. – Since 1996, the Bonnie Crops third Grade Cabbage Program has cultivated curiosity in college students to study the place their meals comes from via a nationwide cabbage-growing program.
Every state hosts their very own contest, with taking part faculties giving their college students a cabbage plant. College students are tasked with cultivating and caring for the plant, with the biggest within the state successful a money prize.
In South Dakota this 12 months, the winner was Summerset resident and St. Elizabeth Seton scholar Leo Edwards.
Leo acquired his cabbage plant from his instructor in direction of the tip of his third grade faculty 12 months, rising it over the summer time.
“It was fairly shriveled as a sprout,” he recalled. “We didn’t suppose it could survive after we put it exterior.”
As soon as within the floor, the cabbage plant took to the brand new circumstances efficiently, rapidly exhibiting indicators it was transferring forward of the competitors.
“I obtained fortunate and didn’t have a lot hassle in any respect. I didn’t must work too onerous at rising this cabbage,” he mentioned. “In the future I went exterior and I used to be shocked at how huge it had grown! I couldn’t wait to enter it within the contest!”
On the time of its harvest in October, the cabbage weighed 10 kilos. And although that will appear to be an unusually giant measurement for a cabbage plant, it isn’t too out of the query.
The cabbage crops handed out via this system are a selected kind referred to as the O.S. Cross. The O.S. Cross is a big hybrid cabbage that develop to shut to fifteen kilos on common, with the biggest ever recorded being 75 kilos!
For his efforts, Leo acquired state bragging rights and $1,000. This 12 months, he plans on serving to his youthful sister who’s in third grade develop a cabbage when this system rolls round once more.
His technique? Discovering a spot the place it will get loads of solar and water.
“Like my brother says, ‘work smarter, not more durable’,” he defined.
As for the cabbage, Leo’s household used it in a corned beef and cabbage meal. And though he isn’t an enormous fan of cabbage itself, he does take pleasure in rising his personal greens within the backyard.
“It’s enjoyable to seek out ripe greens prepared to select after which eat them proper from the backyard,” he mentioned.
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