Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program Teaches Third-Graders About Gardening

By Joan Casanova
Published on February 8, 2011
1 / 3

Randomly selected by the Tennessee Commission of Agriculture, Brandon Lee Bennett was named the state’s winner of the Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program.
Randomly selected by the Tennessee Commission of Agriculture, Brandon Lee Bennett was named the state’s winner of the Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program.
2 / 3

Kylee Bushea took top honors in Arkansas when her efforts were recognized by the state ag commission.
Kylee Bushea took top honors in Arkansas when her efforts were recognized by the state ag commission.
3 / 3

Virginia’s winner Rhett Tomlin shows off his plant.
Virginia’s winner Rhett Tomlin shows off his plant.

Children across the United States are growing, and some are earning, a lot of “green” as they participate in the national Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program. Last year, more than 1.5 million third-graders in 45 states gained hands-on gardening experience growing colossal cabbages with hopes of winning “best in state” and receiving a scholarship from Bonnie Plants and the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program.

Each year Bonnie Plants delivers free O.S. Cross, or “oversized,” cabbage plants to third-grade classrooms when the teacher has signed up for the program. Teachers can register their classes for the 2011 program now at the Bonnie Plants website. The deadline is March 1 for southern states, and April 15 for northern states. When nurtured, the cabbages can grow bigger than a basketball and tip the scales at nearly 40 pounds!

First launched in 1995, the program awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each participating state. At the end of the season, teachers from each class select the student who has grown the “best” cabbage, based on size and appearance. An entry photograph of the cabbage and the student is submitted to Bonnie Plants by mail or online, and that student’s name is then entered into a statewide drawing. The winners of each state’s drawing are randomly selected by the Commission of Agriculture, state by state.

“The Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is our way of engaging children in the joy of gardening,” says Stan Cope, president of Bonnie Plants. “Gardening provides children with a safe place to experience nature, discover the cycles of life, and develop an understanding of our environment. It also exposes children, firsthand, to the benefits of growing your own nutritious food, and it’s a great source of physical activity. The cabbage program, over the past 15 years, has proved to be an enriching hands-on experience that kids and teachers across America have embraced. Seeing students excited about learning and the art of gardening is what we strive for.”

Getting it growing

Growing a colossal cabbage may seem like a giant undertaking for little ones, but it’s easier than you think. All you need is:

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-803-7096