Committed Elementary Schooler Grows 31-Pound Cabbage

Jun 21, 2020

A North Carolina third-grader has grown two enormous cabbages in her family's garden earlier this month, one of which weighed 31lbs.

During the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the home garden has become a sort of sanctuary and source of provision. The pleasure derived from caretaking seeds all the way up through sapling to a full-grown plant truly helps one appreciate the natural life cycle and where our food comes from. Commonly overlooked however is the potential that a garden has for educating children and providing them with exercise and entertainment.

With the heat of summer upon us, many have taken up the trowel in the great backyard outdoors. With some seeds and some dirt, an adventure can be had in as little a time it takes to walk outside. Not to mention, this also increases the self-sufficiency of the home and keeps people from spreading the coronavirus through close contact.

One young girl named Kyra Sutton took up the call to gardening. Hailing from Riegelwood, North Carolina, she was originally assigned by her elementary school the task of gardening in order to be more in-tune with the food chain and the natural cycle. Little did anyone know to what extreme young Kyra would take her vegetable endeavors!

Toward the beginning of the year, her school gave out small cabbage plants in order to cultivate a “cabbage program” for the school. Kyra was given two plants to take home to plant into the ground and care for. Kyra viewed her task as a comprehensive learning opportunity relating to gardening. She put her little sprouts in the lush soil of her great-grandparents' own garden.

The assignment ended up being delayed overall due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. However, Kyra didn't care at all. Her desires were focused on seeing a pair of fat, healthy cabbages sitting in the garden. Fortunately for her, the cabbages have responded to her tender love and care, and the highly productive garden soil performed its magic. A few weeks later, each cabbage exploded to a ridiculous size. From baseballs to basketballs to eventually over-inflated beach balls, the cabbages would not be constrained.

Kyra's mother, Angie Young-Sutton, praised the careful watering and daily attention that her daughter provided to the crops. However, eventually, the entire family became gears in the cultivation machine.

With three generations of relatives at her side, their love and dedication to their legacy have seen not only the events of the cabbage blossom into health but also the family into a garden-growing superteam. Kyra is most proud of the fact that she did not allow the coronavirus to stop her from completing her assigned mission from elementary school.

It took over four family members to dig one cabbage up and even attempt to weigh it. After using an indoor digital scale, the cabbage was finally able to be placed on top of a table for the dramatic weigh-in moment. The cabbage clocked in at an amazing 31 pounds!

The Guinness Book of World Records states that the largest grown cabbage ever recorded weighed approximately 138 pounds; that’s over 100 pounds more than little Kayla’s crop. It looks like the little girl from North Carolina has a bit more work to do before achieving that record; she is determined to continue gardening and grow even more record-breaking plants!

What's the biggest vegetable you have ever grown? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.