Contact: Ashley Andre (Huibregtse), 608-224-5002, ashley.andre@wisconsin.gov
Jim Dick, Communications Director, 608-224-5020, jim.dick@wi.gov
MADISON – The Wisconsin State Winner of the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is Hailey Richardson of Lodi Elementary School in Lodi. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Ben Brancel, 65th Alice in Dairyland Rochelle Ripp and State Representative Keith Ripp made the award presentation Friday at the school.
“Congratulations to Hailey Richardson, the Wisconsin State Cabbage Winner. This program teaches life lessons about how food is grown,” said Brancel. “Hailey is a great representative of the many Wisconsin students who participated in the program this past season and experienced agriculture first-hand.”
The goal of the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is for children to increase their interest in agriculture, understand where their food comes from and learn the basics of gardening. Wisconsin schools have participated in the program for the past ten years. Teachers sign up for the free program online.
About 12,900 third grade students from across the state received O.S. Cross, or oversized, cabbage plants to take home, care for and grow this past season. At the end of the growing season, teachers from each class selected a student who grew the “best cabbage” based on size and appearance to submit to Bonnie Plants. The submitted students’ names were entered in a statewide drawing.
Richardson was randomly selected as a winner for growing her 35 pound cabbage. She received a winner’s certificate and $1,000 scholarship towards education from Bonnie Plants for growing the oversized cabbage. Richardson named her cabbage Bob and planted it in her grandparent’s garden.
Wisconsin harvested fresh market cabbage on 3,000 acres last year, producing 75 million pounds. Wisconsin fresh market cabbage production was valued at over $11 million in 2012.
For more information on the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program, visit http://www.bonnieplants.com. Connect with DATCP on Twitter at twitter.com/widatcp or Facebook at facebook.com/widatcp.
