Plains 3rd grader is the top gardener in Montana
Damien Paquet with his winning cabbage.
What do you get when you start with a small cabbage plant, add water, sunshine, and the tender loving care of a 9-year-old from Plains, named Damien Paquet?
You get 17.3-pound cabbage.
Not only do you get a huge cabbage, you become the Montana state champion of a national competition, sponsored by Bonnie Plants, a company based out of Opelika, Alabama, founded in 1918.
Each year since 2002, Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Program delivers more than 1 million free cabbage plants to third grade classrooms across the country. At the end of the growing season, teachers from each 3rd grade participating class select the student who has grown the best cabbage, based on size and appearance. The program awards $1,000 to one student in each participating state.
The cabbage program starts with a third grade teacher registering students that want to participate in the competition.
In Damien’s case it was Plains Teacher Ronda Leeper who said, “Last year, when I taught 3rd grade Gennie Loveall, who works at Bonnie Nursery, asked if we would like to do the Bonnie Cabbage growing activity. I said sure. She came in and did a presentation. She brought the little cabbage starts, gave the kids instructions, and sent them home.”
Bonnie Plaints has a distribution center in Plains.
Damien’s mom, Danielle Paquet, said, “He as been part of gardening sine I first stated a garden years ago. At the beginning he wasn’t all that helpful, just enjoyed playing in the dirt. Honestly, he still enjoys playing in the dirt.”
Danielle continued, “He chose to plant his (cabbage) in a big tub. That was if we ever had to move it for any reason we could. He was in charge of watering it, checking for pests, and fertilizing. The kids get from April to September. They grow it to the best of their abilities and then send an email with the weight of their cabbage and a picture of themselves with the prized giant cabbage.”
Adam Bason, the Bonnie Plants Station Manager in Plains, said that Damien may be the first winner from Plains.
“I’m very surprised I won and really glad I won. The card (planting instructions) said I had to pick the bugs off it. It took me 20 minutes each time, four times a week. We ate it when we finished,” Damien said.
When asked what he was going to do with the scholarship, Damien said, “I don’t really know. I will find out when I get it.”
Danielle, Damien’s mom, asked her son what he thought he would do with the money, Damien said, "Legos."
Moms replied with a smile on her face was, “I can guarantee we are not going to spend $1,000 dollars on Legos.”