PATCHWORK

PALMER — Steve Hubacek continues to leaf his way through the Alaska State Fair record books.

The Wasilla dentist wowed a packed farm exhibits barn last year, winning the 15th annual Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off with a world-record 127-pound entry. On Friday, he proved last year’s behemoth was no fluke, winning his third consecutive weigh-off with a 105.6-pound giant.

With the exception of Hubacek’s winning cabbage, it was a down year for local growers in a season dominated by rainy and overcast days. Hubacek distanced himself from the rest of the entries, topping second-place winner Scott Robb’s 57.4-pound entry and a 56.9-pounder brought in by 12-year-old Thomas Van Diest. In fact, Hubacek’s 48.2-pound margin of victory would have been enough to place sixth overall.

Before the weigh-off began, Hubacek predicted his cabbage would weigh in at 95 pounds, but admitted afterward he was hoping to break the century mark.

“I didn’t want to jinx it, but I was hoping this variety would do it,” he said. Although not another world record, he was “very much pleased, because the 100-pound jinx is now broken.”

The winner also impressed Robb, who counts Hubacek as a friend. They talk during the growing season, sharing knowledge — but not closely guarded secrets.

“He’s got something figured out, doesn’t he?” Robb said of Hubacek’s streak of wins. “I call him all summer long trying to pick his brain hoping he’ll slip up.”

For Hubacek, he enjoys another professional’s opinion talking cabbage.

“It’s all boring stuff, and my wife’s tired of hearing about it,” he said. “You have to have someone to talk cabbage with. He’s my cabbage buddy.”

But it wasn’t just the perennial favorites talking cabbage at the weigh-off. Wasilla resident Pat Fan said she’s also a fan of the green giants.

“I love to look at them every year,” she said, recalling last year’s record. “That was a whopper one last year.”

Her friend, Mary Ann Evtuskek, is from Michigan and admitted Alaska’s giant produce is impressive.

“I have never seen one this big,” she said, pointing out Hubacek’s entry. If she had a giant cabbage, “I’d make stuffed cabbage. It’s a little meat loaf covered with a cabbage leaf, so I could feed a lot of people with that one.”

Donna Prator had a prime seat in the bleachers for the weigh-off, attending with her mother, Francis Prator. They’ve attended the event every year and said they never tire of watching the giants be weighed.

“It’s like mountains, every one’s different,” Donna said. “Hopefully Steve will break the record this year. If he doesn’t, then he has another year or two to try again.”

With headline talent like Ricky Skaggs and Howie Mandel, the huge heads of the weigh-off still have star power for the Prators.

“I’d rather see the cabbage, hands-down,” Donna said. “It’s so unusual. You can’t just go to any state and see this. It’s this good glacier soil we have here in the Valley.”

While that glacier soil makes growing large vegetables possible here, they also need plenty of sun, which was in short supply for much of the growing season. Many of the weigh-off competitors cited huge amounts of rain and not enough sunshine as obstacles. In the Junior Division, second-place winner Timothy Downing brought a 33-pounder that he named Noah.

“That’s because it survived the flood,” he said.

Topping the junior growers were brothers Dane, 6, and Ty, 4, Harmon. Their 37.4-pound cabbage earned them $250 and a large blue ribbon.

“They had a lot of fun planting it,” said mom Amy Harmon. The boys were busy playing in the wood shavings in the arena. “They mixed compost into the soil and they love dumping water on things, so watering it was fun for them.”

Making another trip to the podium was Van Diest, who placed third overall at 56.9 pounds, just a half pound behind Robb.

Van Deist also placed second last year with a 68-pounder he and his sister, Anna, grew.

Seeing the young growers is gratifying for Robb, who owns a commercial greenhouse and helps children with starter cabbages.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “Farming’s not for everybody, but we all do have to eat, and there are quite a few small family farms around here.”

Bringing in the lightest cabbage in 2009 didn’t deter Mat-Su Borough Mayor Talis Colberg from entering again.

His 23.5-pound entry, which he named “Brussels Sprout” placed 16th. He chose the name following news coverage of last year’s contest, which said he apparently became lost on his way to the giant Brussels sprout contest.

“I loved that article,” he said. “It said my cabbage was so pathetic last year.”

He vowed to continue entering the contest and naming his entries Brussels Sprout “until I get a big one.”

2010 GIANT CABBAGE WEIGH-OFF

Open Division

1. Steve Hubacek, 105.6 pounds; 2. Scott Robb, 57.4; 3. Thomas Van Diest, 56.9; 4. Brenna Dinkel, 55; 5. Daniel Walsh, 51.8; 6. Tom and Faith Hundley 47.1; 7. Carol Kenley 43; 8. Newkirk Family 38.3; 9. Robert Thom 37.9; 10. Jarye Murphy 37; 11. Lauren Guinotte 34.9; 12. Cathy Glaser, 33.3; 13. Elysha Menefee 28.6; 14. Quillan Jacobson 28.4; 15. Tyrell Adkins, 25.9; 16. Talis Colberg 23.5; 17. Rosalyn Singleton 23; 18. Avenir Mikhaylyuk, 21.4; 19. Donna Dewhurst, 20.3; 20. Jonny McQuillin 15.5.

Junior Division

1. Dane and Ty Harmon, 37.4; 2. Timothy Downing, 33; 3. Anna Van Diest 24.3.