Here’s your chance to make 50, 100, 200 or even $300 dollars for your SFG’s.  The rules are simple and at this time. And right now is the perfect time to start your gardens.  You still have plenty of time to plan, take pictures, and then to send in your SFG pictures at the end of the summer.  You can read about it here.  This is a great opportunity for your children to learn about gardening and to even make some money doing it!  When I first read the rules, I mistakenly  thought  the only way to win was to have your SFG in the front yard, which my be prohibited in some area.  But there are other places that you can enter to win-namely, a family garden in the backyard.  Give it a read.  Here’s a picture of my 1X4′ box.  Tonight I will harvest the back row of lettuce.  The reason?  First, it’s time.  Second, if you look closely you’ll be able to see squash plants that are beginning to grow.  If I kept the lettuce in for too much longer, it would end up shading the squash, which  you don’t want to do.  So far, this 1X4′ box has produced: a variety of early crocus and what will be 16 heads of lettuce.  Following that it will then start producing butternut squash all summer.  In the fall, I will replant this box with 8 more heads of lettuce-while the squash is still growing/maturing.  Twenty-four heads of lettuce and a large amount of butternut squash?  See how much that would have saved you at the grocery shop.  That would save you at least $60 in lettuce, and at least another $10 in butternut squash.  Roughly speaking, you’re going to save around $75 from an area that is 4 square feet.  You should be able to save $15-20 per square foot of your garden, and maybe more depending on what you grow.  With things like cherry tomatoes, herbs, and specialty crops you’ll save even more.  What if one of your kids wanted to make some extra money in the summer?  If they had their own 4X4′ box, they could almost effortlessly make at least $250.  What if they had 4-4X4′ boxes?  Given the time they will put into it, that’s pretty good money for the little guys/gals.[ois skin=”below post”]