A simple cabbage plant saw two local citizens work together for a common goal.
Alexis Nunley is an eight-year-old incoming fourth grader at Happy Valley Elementary School and during the summer, she’s been working on a project involving growing a cabbage. The project started during the end of her third grade year with the assignment being spearheaded by teacher Robin Fleenor as a summer project for students.
“It was little when they gave it to me at school,” Alexis said.
But that isn’t the case today, as the Lady Warrior sat proudly with her cabbage plant at her residence in Elizabethton which weighed in at 13 pounds and was having to be supported by a box.
The cabbage was a group effort from Nunley, with assistance coming from her great-great-aunt Edna Pollack and cousin Sean Pollack. But it was a friendship across the street with resident Fred Bowers that got things rolling in the right direction, according to the student.
“It was starting to die,” Alexis said. “I gave it to Mr. Bowers to grow it. He put fertilizer on it and it came back to life.”
Fred was all about helping Miss Nunley. Being no stranger to growing plants, Bowers has had various plants come from his garden peak at large weight in the past — including sizable watermelons and tomatoes, which he still grows to this day.
“It was a little plant,” he said. “We started to grow it in my garden. The soil is so rich around here.”
Alexis said the growth process took two months and once the final tally was shown — with Sean announcing the weight — the cabbage surpassed her expectations.
“No,” Alexis said simply, smiling ear-to-ear when asked if she expected the plant to grow to that size.
According to the smallfarmersjournal.com website, “Cabbage is the most important vegetable commercially of the cole crops, which include cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, collard, broccoli, and many others. It also ranks as one of the most important of all vegetable crops and is universally cultivated as a garden, truck and general farm crop. The market for cabbage, like that for potatoes, is continuous throughout the year, and this tends to make it one of the staple vegetables.”
Out of the various cabbages listed on the site, the 13-pounder goes above the average size of the heavier cabbages, which typically runs between eight to 12 pounds.
With the goal of the project to see who can grow the biggest plant, Alexis provided a simple “yes” when asked if she thought the plant would be the biggest once the school season rolls in.