New Mexico youth grows 11-pound cabbage

Jun 05, 2015

Won a $1000 scholarship in the process

A nine-year old boy is the talk of the cabbage patches in New Mexico as he successfully grew an 11.7 pound cabbage.

Ben Roesler

Ben Roesler, a 4^th grade student from San Antonio Elementary School was honored for his achievement and received a $1000 scholarship in the process from Bonnie Plants, a producer of vegetables, herbs and flower plants across the United States.

“Every one of us is already a part of agriculture because we all have to eat,” Anthony Parra, deputy director of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture told the students at Ben’s school, who gathered for an assembly to kick off their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Festival. “Ben is proof that you can play a bigger role in agriculture – all you need are some seeds, soil, water, and sunlight.”

Ben’s journey to grow the cabbage started last year when he started to grow a cabbage, but when his family had returned from a trip, Ben discovered the cabbage had been conquered by caterpillars.

He offers some sound advice to young growers.

“Just try to protect it,” he said.

In honor of Ben’s 11.7 pound cabbage, here’s a look at some of the biggest fruits and vegetables ever grown.

Sweet Potato – A Lebanese farmer named Khalil Semhat produced a sweet potato weighing in at 24.9 pounds.

Jackfruit – George and Margaret Schattauer from Captai Cook, Hawaii grew a jackfruit weighing 76 pounds.

Watermelon – Lloyd and the team at the Hope Farm Store in Hope, Arkansas, grew a watermelon weighing 268 pounds.

Pumpkin – Ron Wallace of Greene, Rhode Island grew a pumpkin weighing 2,009 pounds.

Tell us your thoughts about Ben’s 11.7 pound cabbage. Are you encouraged that the younger generation will also be interested in farming?

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.