Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program 2009 Arkansas Student Winner

Well-known gardening and lifestyle expert P. Allen Smith is partnering with Bonnie Plants to inspire a love of gardening among the nations third-graders. Now in its ninth year, Bonnie's 3rd-Grade Cabbage Program has introduced 1.2 million youngsters to gardening with a free Bonnie cabbage plant, growing instructions and the chance to win a $1,000 awarded to one student in each state.

The program is an excellent way for children to learn the basics of gardening and growing their own food. Cabbage is an easy vegetable to grow, and it matures quickly, making the process especially kid-friendly.

One of my greatest joys is getting kids excited about gardening. The enthusiasm is infectious, and it's fun to share their sense of wonder and amazement in seeing plants grow, Smith said. The Bonnie Plants 3rd-Grade Cabbage Program is such a unique way to nurture a child's gardening talents because these mega-cabbages often grow to 40 pounds or more!

The Bonnie cabbage program was created to foster an interest in gardening and the environment. The P. Allen Smith brand joined the movement this past year in order to help raise awareness about the program and its benefits in teaching the basics of sustainable gardening. By following the simple instructions provided in their Bonnie growing kits, students participating in the competition will see the results of their labor in about 12 weeks.

Gardeners are great people and the world needs more of them, Smith said. I love the idea of adding the joys and educational components of gardening to the classroom experience. The hope is that we can foster future gardeners, help them understand where their food comes from and enjoy the benefits of connecting with nature.

To learn more about the Bonnie 3rd-Grade Cabbage Program or to sign up a 3rd-grade class for the next program, visit www.bonnieplants.com. For more information on P. Allen Smiths sustainable efforts and his syndicated 30-minute shows and book series, visit www.pallensmith.com or connect with the P. Allen Smith team at twitter.com/pallensmith and facebook.com/gardenhomeretreat.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• p. allen smith
• garden advice
• Gardening
• education
• students
• vegetable gardening
• sustainability
• Bonnie Plants
• cabbage

[Geefa1234]

@LaoSoftware Children in Laos don;t know how to grow??

[cam99pink324]

Amy is my cousin!!

[ShushLorraine]

We participated in this. It was great for my daughter. She and her dad really pampered her cabbage. It grew to about 15 pounds. I'm glad for this program.

[LaoSoftware]

@OS253:  I agree with you. It would be very nice to have him visit Laos and show kids how to grow food in our country.

[TheBrassHole]

Gardening and the math of money should be part of the core curriculum of all our nations school systems.

[OS253]

I wish P. Allen Smith would come to Laos and teach kids how to garden. It would be so awesome!