Pint-sized farmer grows Valley's largest cabbage

PALMER -- Brenna Dinkle, this year's winner of the Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off, had a little bit of extra spending cash for back-to-school clothes this year. The young Dinkle said her aunt helped her pick out the perfect outfit.

"I bought these [boots] with some of my money," said 8-year-old Dinkle, who attends Snowshoe Elementary school. "This skirt is really shorts. My aunt picked it out and said I should wear it on the first day of school."

Dinkle and the rest of her family are no strangers to the cabbage contest at the Alaska State Fair; last year she took third place, and her second cousin took the blue ribbon.

This year she beat 38 adults and juniors, including her cousin, to claim first place with her 77.6 pound cabbage, which she named Creature.

"I don't know why I do it, we just do it," said Dinkle, who won $2,000 for her colossal cabbage. "I hope I win second place next year, so I can get all of the ribbons."

The rest of this year's winners, including the KMBQ Max Sherrod Junior Cabbage Contest, are listed below.

Second place: Scott Robb, "Giant Jac," 75.7 pounds.

Third place: Bob Thom, "Avoider," 73.6 pounds.

Max Sherrod Junior's first place: Christopher, Annie and Rosie Rush, "Rocky," 35 pounds.

Max Sherrod Junior's second place: Timothy Downing, 33.6 pounds.

Max Sherrod Junior's third place: Jenifer and Luke Faulkuer, "Miraculous Martha," 30.2 pounds.

The Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off took place Monday night.