Palmer man wins the 2024 Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off for the second straight year

Scott Robb won the Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off for the second time in a row at the Alaska State Fair Friday, August 30.

Robb's winning cabbage came in at 97.35 pounds. The Palmer-based grower said that growing giant vegetables is one of the ways he likes to spend his retirement and he takes a lot of joy from the process from seed to scale.

“I just enjoy doing it," Robb said.

Several contestants were unable to enter their cabbages this year due to splitting and other factors. This summer was challenging for many giant cabbage growers, according to Robb. He said that cabbages grow in phases and if they get caught in unfavorable conditions, it can seriously delay the overall growth. He said the fact that the snow took particularly long to go away didn't help anyone.

‘We just had so many off and on fronts come through," Robb said. “There's only so much you can do. Cabbages are finicky… Weather is gonna do what it's gonna do.”

Robb is no stranger to giant cabbages. He has participated in numerous weigh-offs at the Fair for many years. He not only holds the current Fair record but the world record for the heaviest cabbage grown. His record-setting cabbage was entered during the 2012 Fair season and it came in at 138.25 pounds.

"That's something to be proud of," Robb said.

Robb said it was encouraging to see so many youth contestants this year. He said that helps keep the competition going.

“I was really tickled seeing that many kids being bitten by the cabbage bug so to speak," Robb said.

As more people age out of the cabbage growing game and new young growers take their place, Robb thinks it's only a matter of time before someone breaks his record. He said that he welcomes that wholeheartedly.

“You just hold these records. You don't own them," Robb said.

Madison Shomler represented Dena'ina Elementary School which won the Junior Cabbage Grower Division during this year's competition. Shomler and other students helped take care of the school's cabbage over the summer. She said that she enjoyed watering it and watching it grow.

Shomler's mother Heather said that checking in on the cabbage was an enjoyable outdoor activity for their family.

“It was pretty cool. I think next year I might try to grow my own," Heather said with a laugh.

Heather said that she’s glad the Fair offers a youth division for growing giant cabbages and giant pumpkins.

‘I think that's neat. They want the kids to do that. It kind of makes it more exciting for them to try and do that for the future," Heather said.

ASF Crops Superintendent Kathy Liska said that she was happy with how everything went during this year's Weigh-Off. She said they had more entries than she expected given this summer’s poor growing conditions.

“I felt good about everything,” Liska said.

All in all, Liska said that she's pleased with how the two giant vegetable contests went this year and she's happy with the continued interest in the agricultural exhibits in general.

“It's been a good fair. I've enjoyed the ride," Liska said.

Liska credited her dedicated crew and the various community members from across the state who work tirelessly to help make these giant vegetable competitions possible. She noted that Colony High School’s JROTC students were very helpful this year and she was thankful for their support.

“Without all these people this doesn't happen. I'm really lucky," Liska said.