 Growing the Next Generation of Gardeners
This is Maryland’s winner, Abby Goodman who grew a humongous cabbage and was randomly chosen by Maryland’s Agriculture Commissioner as the state’s winner. Abby will receive a $1,000 saving bond towards education from Bonnie Plants.
MARYLAND STATE WINNER: Abby Goodman
School: Saint John the Evangelist, 669 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, Maryland, 21146
Kids grow green giants in the Bonnie Plants colossal cabbage contest!
It's easy going and growing green with the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program. Kids across America are learning to garden and some are earning a lot of “green” participating in Bonnie’s Cabbage Program. This season, more than 1.5 million third graders in 48 states dug in and got hands-on gardening experience growing colossal cabbages, reaping hefty harvests and holding high hopes to win “best in state” and receive a $1,000 scholarship towards education from Bonnie Plants.
Each year Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants in North America, with 75 growing stations across the country, trucks free O.S. Cross, or "oversized," cabbage plants to third grade classrooms whose teachers have signed up for the program online at www.bonnieplants.com <http://www.bonnieplants.com/> .
If nurtured and cared for, kids can grow green, giant cabbages, some tipping the scales at 40 pounds!
First launched in 2002, the program awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each participating state. At the end of the growing season, teachers from each class select the student who has grown the “best” cabbage, based on size and appearance. A picture of the cabbage and the student entry is submitted to Bonnie Plants by mail or online. That student's name is then entered in a statewide drawing. The winners of each state’s drawing are randomly selected by the Commission of Agriculture’s office, state by state.
“The Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is a wonderful way to engage children’s
interest in agriculture, while teaching them not only the basics of gardening, but
the importance of our food systems and growing our own”, said Stan Cope,
President of Bonnie Plants. This unique, innovative program exposes children to
agriculture and demonstrates, through hands-on experience, where food comes
from. The program also affords our youth with some valuable life lessons in
nurture, nature, responsibility, self-confidence and accomplishment”.
“Over the course of the past 9 years, the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program has
proved to be an exciting, worth-while experience that children, teachers and parents
across the country have embraced. We're pleased and proud to provide our youth
with this enjoyable and enriching opportunity and engage their interest in the art
and joy of gardening”, said Cope.
Why a cabbage? Cabbages were the first plant sold by Bonnie in 1918. The cabbages used for the 3rd grade program are OS Cross (over-sized), which is known for producing giant, oversized heads, making the process even more exciting for kids.
Get It Growing: Growing a colossal cabbage may seem like a giant undertaking for little kids, but it’s easier than you think.
To see the 2011 winners and learn more about the 2012 contest, visit www.bonnieplants.com <http://www.bonnieplants.com/>
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