SUMMERSET, S.D. – Since 1996, the Bonnie Vegetation third Grade Cabbage Program has cultivated curiosity in college students to find out about the place their meals comes from by a nationwide cabbage-growing program.
Every state hosts their very own contest, with collaborating 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 yr, the winner was Summerset resident and St. Elizabeth Seton pupil Leo Edwards.
Leo obtained his cabbage plant from his instructor in direction of the top of his third grade college yr, rising it over the summer season.
“It was fairly shriveled as a sprout,” he recalled. “We didn’t suppose it could survive once we put it exterior.”
As soon as within the floor, the cabbage plant took to the brand new circumstances efficiently, rapidly displaying indicators it was shifting forward of the competitors.
“I received fortunate and didn’t have a lot hassle in any respect. I didn’t need to work too onerous at rising this cabbage,” he stated. “In the future I went exterior and I used to be shocked at how large 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 which will look like an unusually giant measurement for a cabbage plant, it isn’t too out of the query.
The cabbage crops handed out by this system are a particular 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 obtained state bragging rights and $1,000. This yr, 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 a giant fan of cabbage itself, he does take pleasure in rising his personal greens within the backyard.
“It’s enjoyable to search out ripe greens prepared to choose after which eat them proper from the backyard,” he stated.
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