Taking initiative

A big step in growing one's own food is having a place to put the plants in the ground. Easier said than done in our yard, which is shady thanks to our giant Linden tree (I only just learned what it was this week when my neighbors asked if we minded their giving it a trim) and full of good ole Albany clay. Shade and clay work nicely for our hectic schedules - we have lots of moss and clover, which really doesn't need all that mowing - but is not ideal for my urban agricultural ambitions. Enter the raised garden bed.

I've been nagging my boyfriend to build me a bed since the fall, so I could "work on the soil." I have no idea what that really means, but I thought I should do it anyway. We have a friend who is an expert gardener and suggested growing legumes and then setting it on fire. Somehow I feel I'm a bit accident-prone for that. Anyway, my backyard is still sans raised garden bed and my seedlings are actually still alive. So tomorrow, I take things into my own hands - the lumber is in the back of my car as we speak. It's been a long time since woodshop but I'm pretty sure I can handle a simple square frame. If not, I've got bigger problems...