When Goshen third-grader John Paul Boswell stretched out next to his humongous cabbage, a shy smile spread slowly across his face, an indication that he was pleased with the cabbage head that he had produced from just a little knot of a cabbage. (Photo/Jaine Treadwell)

Goshen third-graders compete to grow the biggest cabbages

When Goshen third-grader John Paul Boswell stretched out next to his humongous cabbage, a shy smile spread slowly across his face, an indication that he was pleased with the cabbage head that he had produced from just a little knot of a cabbage.

John Paul was one of three Goshen Elementary School students who participated in the 2011 Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program.

Each year, Bonnie Plants distributes free cabbage plants to third-graders all across the country to foster an interest in gardening and the environment, said Jamie Culpepper of Bonnie Plants in Union Springs, which is the nation’s largest producer of vegetables and herbs. The farm started the cabbage-growing program in 1995 and it has grown ever since, pun intended.

“A representative from Bonnie Plants comes to the schools in February and brings cabbage plants for all third-graders and speaks to them about the program,” said Dr. Wanda Corley, principal Goshen Elementary School. “The representatives do a really good job getting the students pumped up about the project. The students compete against other students across the state for a $1,000 scholarship. Although, third-grade students across the nation participate in the cabbage program, they only compete with students from their states.”

Corley said all 85 third-graders at GES were given cabbages but only three will compete in the statewide cabbage competition.

“Growing a cabbage like these takes a lot of guidance from parents or grandparents and it takes a lot of time,” Corley said. “And it’s rather costly because it probably takes a lot of Miracle Grow to produce cabbage like these.”

Corley commended John Paul, Olivia Kyzar and Julie Johns for their dedication and commitment to seeing the cabbage project through.

John Paul’s mom, Gena Waller, said the cabbage program teaches young people about what it takes to put a plant or seed in the ground and then care for it until it’s ready for the table.

“My daughter, Emily, participated in the cabbage program when she was in third grade and grew a really big cabbage,” Waller said. “She didn’t win the scholarship but it was a great learning experience for her. John Paul has worked hard and learned a lot and strengthened his relationship with his adopted grandparents, Mary and James Hilburn.”

John Paul’s cabbage was the largest of the three. It was four feet across and topped the scale at close to 30 pounds.

He said that he put down landscape net before planting the cabbage to keep the weeds down and wood chips to keep the leaves off the dirt.

“We put a fence around the cabbage to keep the armadillos from digging up the plant,” he said. “And we put burlap over the top to protect it from the sun because cabbage is a cool season plant.”

Julie and Olivia planted their cabbage heads in pots, “big pots” and their cabbages grew and grew.

“I had never grown cabbage before but I like to eat it,” Julie said. “My daddy helped me a lot because we had to water it a lot and put fertilizer on it. What I did most was water the cabbage and keep the weeds out of it. It grew pretty fast.”

Julie said growing vegetables takes a lot of time but it’s worth it when they get ready to harvest “and eat.” She said her parents, Jamie and Leslie Johns, were a lot of help and gave her good advice on how to care for the cabbage. Now, that the cabbage has been harvested, Julie said she’s going to “take it to grandmama’s for her to cook it.”

She hopes grandmama has a pot big enough to cook the cabbage and that there will be enough folks around to eat it all.

Olivia’s cabbage was a big one, too, and she wasn’t all that surprised that it grew and grew.

“We put the little cabbage in a big pot so it could grow big,” Olivia said. “We used a lot of Miracle Grow that makes plants grow a lot and fast. And, we had to put something on it to keep the bugs off. Then we just watered it and watered it.”

The “we” was Olivia’s “Poppy” (Watson) and Kay Kyzar, who supported Olivia from the potting to the harvesting of her cabbage.

“I needed a lot of help,” Olivia said, with a smile.

Working with the plant every day like she did, Olivia became very fond of the cabbage head, so fond that she named  “Jake.”

Now that ol’ Jake Cabbage Head is ready for another pot, the one where “he” will get steamed, Olivia said she’s ready to sit down to dinner with him – and a pone of cornbread and celebrate a job well done.

John Paul’s monster cabbage is big enough to feed a log rollin’ so that’s what it will do. It will be “this” Sunday dinner at The Barn near Goshen. Those who dine there will know first hand the good things that come from the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program.

When Goshen third-grader John Paul Boswell stretched out next to his humongous cabbage, a shy smile spread slowly across his face, an indication that he was pleased with the cabbage head that he had produced from just a little knot of a cabbage.

John Paul was one of three Goshen Elementary School students who participated in the 2011 Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program.

Each year, Bonnie Plants distributes free cabbage plants to third-graders all across the country to foster an interest in gardening and the environment, said Jamie Culpepper of Bonnie Plants in Union Springs, which is the nation’s largest producer of vegetables and herbs. The farm started the cabbage-growing program in 1995 and it has grown ever since, pun intended.

“A representative from Bonnie Plants comes to the schools in February and brings cabbage plants for all third-graders and speaks to them about the program,” said Dr. Wanda Corley, principal Goshen Elementary School. “The representatives do a really good job getting the students pumped up about the project. The students compete against other students across the state for a $1,000 scholarship. Although, third-grade students across the nation participate in the cabbage program, they only compete with students from their states.”

Corley said all 85 third-graders at GES were given cabbages but only three will compete in the statewide cabbage competition.

“Growing a cabbage like these takes a lot of guidance from parents or grandparents and it takes a lot of time,” Corley said. “And it’s rather costly because it probably takes a lot of Miracle Grow to produce cabbage like these.”

Corley commended John Paul, Olivia Kyzar and Julie Johns for their dedication and commitment to seeing the cabbage project through.

John Paul’s mom, Gena Waller, said the cabbage program teaches young people about what it takes to put a plant or seed in the ground and then care for it until it’s ready for the table.

“My daughter, Emily, participated in the cabbage program when she was in third grade and grew a really big cabbage,” Waller said. “She didn’t win the scholarship but it was a great learning experience for her. John Paul has worked hard and learned a lot and strengthened his relationship with his adopted grandparents, Mary and James Hilburn.”

John Paul’s cabbage was the largest of the three. It was four feet across and topped the scale at close to 30 pounds.

He said that he put down landscape net before planting the cabbage to keep the weeds down and wood chips to keep the leaves off the dirt.

“We put a fence around the cabbage to keep the armadillos from digging up the plant,” he said. “And we put burlap over the top to protect it from the sun because cabbage is a cool season plant.”

Julie and Olivia planted their cabbage heads in pots, “big pots” and their cabbages grew and grew.

“I had never grown cabbage before but I like to eat it,” Julie said. “My daddy helped me a lot because we had to water it a lot and put fertilizer on it. What I did most was water the cabbage and keep the weeds out of it. It grew pretty fast.”

Julie said growing vegetables takes a lot of time but it’s worth it when they get ready to harvest “and eat.” She said her parents, Jamie and Leslie Johns, were a lot of help and gave her good advice on how to care for the cabbage. Now, that the cabbage has been harvested, Julie said she’s going to “take it to grandmama’s for her to cook it.”

She hopes grandmama has a pot big enough to cook the cabbage and that there will be enough folks around to eat it all.

Olivia’s cabbage was a big one, too, and she wasn’t all that surprised that it grew and grew.

“We put the little cabbage in a big pot so it could grow big,” Olivia said. “We used a lot of Miracle Grow that makes plants grow a lot and fast. And, we had to put something on it to keep the bugs off. Then we just watered it and watered it.”

The “we” was Olivia’s “Poppy” (Watson) and Kay Kyzar, who supported Olivia from the potting to the harvesting of her cabbage.

“I needed a lot of help,” Olivia said, with a smile.

Working with the plant every day like she did, Olivia became very fond of the cabbage head, so fond that she named “Jake.”

Now that ol’ Jake Cabbage Head is ready for another pot, the one where “he” will get steamed, Olivia said she’s ready to sit down to dinner with him – and a pone of cornbread and celebrate a job well done.

John Paul’s monster cabbage is big enough to feed a log rollin’ so that’s what it will do. It will be “this” Sunday dinner at The Barn near Goshen. Those who dine there will know first hand the good things that come from the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program.