This past weekend, my wife and I took on the task of putting in our raised beds for our new vegetable garden. It was grueling work in 95 degree weather and my back is feeling it today, but it’s a worthy investment that will pay off many times and bring us a lot of food and joy. The plan: four 4x8 raised cedar beds with 2 feet wide walking paths in between.
I’m going to experiment with growing during all the seasons based on Elliot Coleman’s methods found in his book The Four Season Harvest. This book is awesome and is a must read for people who are curious about extending their gardening season. He gives much detail on how to construct cold frames to keep your vegetables thriving during the winter months. The plans are fairly easy and anyone with basic building skills can do it. He also provides an abundant list of crops that do well during the cold. I look forward to “eating with the seasons”, and will be trying a variety of vegetables that I’ve never eaten before like Mache, Sorrel, and Endive.