The Garden Challenge – Time to come clean

Well I hope you have enjoyed reading about my cunning scheme to get my kids to grow vegetables… I would love to say everything is going to plan, but the truth is…. I’m making this up as I go!!!

So, last night I decided it was time to come clean to the poor Grandparents that had been roped into this challenge with no idea what it was, what they had signed up for or a little pre-warning that they were being volunteered. So I wrote an email to Grandpa (Laurie), Granny (Vicki) and Nana (Maz). Here is what I sent to Granny Vicki (the others were the same just with the names changed):

Hi Vicki,

Thanks for agreeing last night to be on Jess’s team and a part of our vegetable garden challenge.

You are probably a little confused and wondering just what you have signed up for, so I thought I would send you and email with a little more details.

So, this all started on Sunday when I came home with 3 vegetable garden kits and set Zac, Tara and Jess to work in the backyard assembling them. I gave them my drill and said work as a team to put them together. 

Things started badly as you would expect, however before long they read the instructions and started to work together. Sure enough before long they had assembled the gardens. While I would love to say they filled them with the dirt as well, we were running out of time, so I had to chip in and  help to fill them with lovely 3-way soil… I’m still sore and will be paying for days to come!!! 

You can see a photo of the result attached. Zac’s Garden is on the left in front of his window, Jess’s on the right in front of hers and Tara’s in the middle.

So, yesterday when I came home from work, the kids all found an envelope on the bench with the attached letter and a $20 note. The result was your phone call last night asking for help. I listened to all 3 calls but I think some were a little clearer than others!!! Attached is the letter they received so you can read the instructions to.

Anyway, you are now on team Jess and your role is to mentor and guide Jess in developing and growing her garden. As I mentioned, she has a budget of $20, but if she needs more she can be encouraged to do jobs to earn more by discussing with Mum and Dad. Of course if you want to contribute that is up to you.

Also, there is no limit on how much time you can spend working on your garden with Jess, feel free to reach out anytime to get an update, or drop by to see how it is progressing and make sure they are watering and weeding. There are no real rules around the challenge, but remember this is Jess’s challenge and the prize… well see below…

So, why am I doing this? 

Well, for one this started as a way of encouraging the kids to get off the electronics and interested in something outdoors. Who knows maybe they will develop a green thumb and find an interest in gardening?? 

Why are you now involved? Well, let’s face it you are way more experienced at gardening than I am. Also if I told them to do it they would see it as a chore. My hope is that by roping you in they will see it as fun, and hey a little emotional blackmail might help to keep them keen as I know they would hate to let you down. Also, it is a great way of developing an interest that they can share and discuss with you.

So what’s the prize??? Lots of yummy fruit and veg for our dinner tables and a money can’t buy experience that they will remember forever (just don’t tell them yet…)

Thanks again for agreeing to be involved and good luck with your planting. I can’t wait to see the results.

Cheers

Craig.

So that’s it, I came clean… The challenge is still on and given I’m making this whole thing up as I go, I’m sure we can invent some prizes along the way, ie: First to sprout, biggest vegetable, first crop to be eaten etc etc

In chatting with Grandpa last night, he suggested I Blog it so that we have a record and others can share in the journey, so that is the reason for the last 3 posts. I’ll do my best to document the progress up here, and I’m sure we will have lots of photos to post as well.

Hope you enjoy following our Vegetable Garden Challenge and are excited as I am to see what Team Tara, Team Jess and Team Zac grow 🙂

PS – would love to here your thoughts about the challenge or ideas the kids should try… add your comments below.