Calling all students 6th-8th grade:You are invited to see who can grow the most food withina one cubic meter garden space!
RCB Bank will sponsor five winners from Oklahoma and five from Kansas. Each winner will receive a camp experience during Summer 2019 (Cosmosphere Camps Space 101 or 201.)
Contest open to students currently in 6th–8th grade.
Contest starts February 1 and runs through April 30, 2019.
How it works: Participants must register by Feb. 28 to education@cosmo.org. Any student who wants to participate needs to carefully read the rules, set-up their garden, collect the required data, and turn in all results to the Cosmosphere at education@cosmo.org on or before April 30, 2019. The full set of rules and FAQ are below, or you can download them here.
Space Agriculture Contest 2019 General Contest Rules:
- Contestants must be entering sixth, seventh or eighth grade to compete.
- Contestants must keep an accurate weekly journal that includes at least one photo per week.
- Contestants must register to participate by emailing education@cosmo.org.
- Contestants must have results emailed to the Cosmosphere by April 30, 2019. Send to: education@cosmo.org
- The five students who are able to grow the most food from each Kansas and Oklahoma will be selected as the winning participants.
- Winning totals will be calculated by the amount of edible food product, waste product, design, and reporting.
- Winners will be notified by May 15, 2019.
- Questions can be directed to education@cosmo.org
Rules for Growing Plants:
- The plant growth area is not to exceed one cubic meter. Contestants must include the plans of their garden and images that show measurements.
- Plant vines, leaves, and fruit are not allowed to wander out of the competition parameter. Everything must be contained within the cubic meter except the light source.
- Any type of growth medium is allowable from hydroponic or aquaponic systems to soil.
- Any type of light source may be chosen. Contestants may use different types of grow lights or the sun itself.
- Plants must be grown from seed. A weekly photo journal of the sowing of the seeds and the plants’ progress is required. A variety of plant types may be chosen or just one.
- Any type of fertilizer may be used.
- Competitors will have to grow and catalog the edible parts of the plant by weight. In addition, they will need to catalog the “waste” or non-edible parts of the plant during the given duration.
- Contestants need to catalog by weight each week how much edible matter was harvested and how much waste matter was produced in the cubic meter.
- Contestants may harvest crops any time during the contest period.
Space Agriculture Contest Frequently Asked Questions
No. All of the growing area including roots and plant must remain inside the cubic meter area.
Yes. You can plant any combination of plants you chose.
No. It may be above and can be natural such as sunlight or you can use a grow light.
No. It can be any shape as long as the total volume is only one cubic meter.
Yes. It does not have to be a closed system. You may use water as you wish. (Don’t tell our astronaut friends!) Since the system does not have to be closed, water will be lost depending on wind and heat so we are not limiting how much water can be used.
No. You just need to measure and make sure the growing area (roots and plant) are all within a cubic meter volumetric area.
Yes. Any light source is acceptable.
Yes, the entire plant including any leaves and roots, are included and must be inside of the cubic meter area.
