PLEASANT HILL — Christmas came a little early for Betty Wood.
In mid-November, she learned she was the winner of the Dole Souper Gardener contest, which is a search for America’s best gardener. Along with the title, she won $5,000, a gardening kit and a year’s supply of Dole Garden Soup. The contest was held in conjunction with the launch of Dole Garden Soup, which is a ready-to-serve soup.
In addition to awarding $5,000 to the national winner, Dole was to contribute $5,000 to a community garden of the winner’s choice. Wood chose Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs.
She said her son, Ray, who lives with her in the Pleasant Hill community just outside Hot Springs, had learned about the contest on the Internet and nominated his mother. Contest entrants submitted photos of their 2014 garden with a description of why they should be named the Dole Souper Gardener.
“Ray said, ‘Mom, your garden looks cute,’” Betty said.
“It did look pretty, so I took a picture, and he entered my name,” she said. “I was a little negative about it. It’s just a tiny little garden.”
When representatives from Dole called Betty to tell her she was one of three finalists in the contest, “I thought it was great,” she said. “I thought I would get some soup, and that would be it.
“When the lady called me again to tell me I was the winner, I had just gotten in the door and was trying to take care of my two dogs.
“She said, ‘You won.’
“I said, ‘Is this for real?’ I really didn’t think I would win it. I was just kinda blown away. I’ve never won anything. It’s been a lot of fun.”
“We raised a lot of things you can put into soups,” Ray said. “We grew tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplant, squash, stuff like that.”
Betty, 66, said Ray has become interested in gardening over the last couple of years.
“He knows what it takes to make things grow,” she said. “He learned it from his dad.”
Ray’s dad, and Betty’s husband, Ed Wood, died in 2012.
“I order the heirloom seeds,” Ray said. “I think they make the best plants.
“When I nominated her, I had to tell how we made the garden and what we planted,” Ray said. “I think part of the reason she won was because we use the heirloom seeds.”
Wood said Ali Larter, a movie and TV actress and the author of a cookbook, judged the three finalists in the contest.
“Pure and simple ingredients are important to me and my growing family,” Larter said in a prepared news release from Dole. “I’m excited to team up with Dole Souper Garden Soup to launch this new line, reward Souper Gardeners everywhere and spread awareness about the importance of healthy eating.”
Betty, who is originally from Gurdon, worked as a licensed practical nurse for 23 years. She lived in Magnolia for 31 years. Betty also has a daughter, Abby Wood, who lives in Dallas.
She and her husband moved to the Pleasant Hill community in 2011, and she still works part time. Betty said her hobbies include shopping and cooking.
“She cooks very well,” Ray said with a smile.