Warm summer wilts giant cabbages

By Matt Tunseth

PALMER -- A dry, hot Mat-Su summer wilted any chance of a cabbage world record on Friday at the Alaska State Fair’s marquee event.

“We had too many 80-degree days,” said Wasilla’s Steve Hubacek, who took home the blue ribbon with a relatively modest 92.15-pound entry in the fair’s 20^th annual Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off.

Hubacek said this year’s sunny summer slowed the growth of his cabbages, a veggie that does best in mild temperatures. When temperatures get past the mid-70s, he said, cabbages tend to shut down.

“They don’t want to grow,” he said.

Hubacek’s green giant was nowhere near the record 135.28-pounder grown in 2012 by fellow Mat-Su gardener Scott Robb, who sat out this year’s event. Still, Hubacek said his disappointment over the winning cabbage’s weight won’t deter him from trying again next summer.

“It’s one of those things that gets in your blood,” said Hubacek, a Wasilla dentist.

Salcha’s Brian Shunskis was second with an 83.35-pound cabbage. Shunskis said he thought he had a solid shot at the title this year because of his home’s location north of the Alaska Range. However, his issue was an early chill that stymied growth in the home stretch.

“We had a pretty good growing season until August and then it got cold on us,” he said.

Keevan Dinkel, a Palmer 12-year-old who won the open title in 2013, finished third with a 75.2-pounder.

Growing massive cabbages requires a delicate touch, one that many of this year’s entrants are still honing. Competitors said the leafy green veggies require constant care, from pumping in huge amounts of water (Hubacek’s drank as much as 100 gallons a day) to keeping slugs and moose at bay.

And then there’s faith.

“Prayer, Miracle Grow, water and more prayer,” said Stuart McQuillan, 10, who teamed up with brother Nik, 8, to take third in the junior division with a 52.9-pounder.

The McQuillan brothers were all smiles when they found out they’d won $100 for taking third place, and had immediate plans for what to spend the money on.

“Stuff,” Nik said.

The McQuillan’s father, Duane, said the contest is more than just a good time for his kids (sister Lizzie also entered the contest), who must learn discipline by keeping the cabbages fed, watered and safe from pests.

“It’s a really good thing for them,” Duane said.

As is customary, the event drew a huge crowd to the fair’s Farm Events Center, where hundreds of people crowded to get a glimpse of the dozens of humongous cabbages packed into a corral at the center of the building. The event drew throngs of media and was broadcast live on television. The weigh-in is something people in the Mat-Su and Alaska look forward to with anticipation each year said announcer Wayne Mitchell, who noted the huge cabbages have become part of the oversized state’s identity.

“It makes you proud to be an Alaskan,” he said.

Growing huge cabbages isn’t easy. Hubacek said the veggies require almost constant attention in order to grow so large beneath the midnight sun.

“No fishing, no hunting until after the cabbage is pulled out of the garden,” he said.

Rather than a chore, however, he said the dedication needed to become a top grower is worth the payoff.

“Some people can’t understand why we do this, but you’ve got people who climb mountains and I don’t understand people like that,” he said. “And they can’t understand why we’d be veg heads.”

All of the cabbages will go to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to be fed to the animals there after the fair concludes on Monday.

As for next year, growers said they’re hoping temperatures are more moderate in 2016. No matter the conditions, however, this year’s the cabbage competition is likely to heat up once again. When asked if he thinks he can knock Hubacek off the top spot, Shunskis flashed a massive grin.

“Oh I know I can,” he said.