Chilly green giants

WASILLA — Alaska State Fairgoers can expect big things at this year’s 20th annual Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off.

Scheduled for Friday (Sept. 4) at 7 p.m., the event should host a few more competitors than last year, and spectators will see many familiar faces, according to Alaska State Fair Crops Superintendent Kathy Liska. (Thirty-one entrants initially signed up, but a few likely won’t show up, she said, as happens every year.)

After a hot and sunny summer, many Alaskan growers have seen increases in the size of vegetables such as cabbages and zucchinis. However, this year’s weigh-off will be something of a race against the clock, as that early potent sunshine has caused some of the chilly green giants to grow too fast.

And having a late fair isn’t helping, Liska said.

“Some things are already past their prime,” she said.

Liska said the excessive warmth, followed by a period of heavy rains — however brief —can cause the cabbages to soak up too much water too quickly. When the temperatures increase again after that, the veggies essentially blow up, she said.

In years passed it’s been either the moose or heavy rains that has taken a toll on giant veggies, Liska continued, but anything can happen.

“I don’t wanna say every year is a crapshoot, but … you don’t know what to expect,” she said.

Florene Hubacek, the wife of defending cabbage weigh-off champion Steve Hubacek, said they had a situation like the one Liska described, and had to harvest one of their cabbages two weeks ago, before it could explode. But after bringing in a 107-pound cabbage at the first weigh-in on Aug. 26, and a 106.8-pound cabbage Wednesday night, she remained optimistic about her husband’s chances of winning this year’s competition.

“The one he entered (Wednesday) night looks kind of raggedy because of the wind, but the head is really awesome,” Florence said of her husband (who was unavailable for comment Thursday.)

Florence said they had “at least three more” cabbages in excess of 100 pounds, a couple of which come close to the height of her shoulder — and she’s 5 feet 4 inches tall.

But it’s no surprise the Hubacek plants are doing so well. The couple has been growing fruits and vegetables for the fair since they moved to the Mat-Su Valley in 1993. Steve gained his first blue ribbon with a watermelon in 1994, Florence said, and he held the world record from 2009 to 2012 with a 127-pound cabbage named “The Beast.”

Now Scott Robb holds the world record for both of those kinds of produce, presenting a 168.6-pound watermelon in 2005 and a 138.3-pound cabbage in 2012. But he won’t be going for a green record this year — he was too busy taking on the red cabbages.

After a Wednesday-night weigh-off, Robb’s red came in first, but at just 31 pounds. The current red cabbage weight record in 45.3 pounds, set in 1994 by Mary Evans of Palmer.

Robb said at the pumpkin weigh-off on Tuesday that that he may come back to the green giants after tackling the red record, but is content for now to watch the youth growers continue to crop up in the competition.

“Kids have more room for growth,” he said.

So if they start young and receive the necessary plant education from their parents, they’ll have a shot at some records in the future — though there’s one caveat.

“They have to have a passion for it,” Robb said.

But not everyone grows cabbages primarily for potential glory. Some, like Mat-Su College Director Talis Colberg, do it just for fun.

“I had a really good one,” he said, of his contending cabbage this year. “But I had a slug situation.”

Colberg has participated in just about every giant cabbage weigh-off the state fair has hosted, missing two or three, he guessed. His biggest cabbage and best finish in the competition, he said, was a 57-pounder that took seventh place.

“Some of the kids have actually placed higher than me,” Colberg said.

But by now entering the competition is just tradition for him, and he hopes his involvement in the weigh-off will encourage others to sign up. After all, prizes are awarded down to 20th place.

“People go, ‘you won a prize with that? I’m gonna do it next year,’” Colberg said, referring to gardeners’ response to his cabbages.

Although he still hopes to be a contender someday, the college director maintains that the Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off is “good for the fair and for the Valley.”

To view all giant veggie records to date, visit bit.ly/1fXC8c7.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.