Resource help for clean slate please

[penstamon]

We are very excited to be moving into a new home we just purchased from friends (although scared because this home hasn't sold ). We will have over 3x the land and I have already staked out the minimum area for the garden and greenhouse. But this is all in the dreaming phase and since we have a new LO due in May next year we may not see our dreams materialize quite yet.

Anyhow we have never had this much space to work with and I would really like some good reading to help me plan this through the cold winter months. I will need to partially terrace the space (gentle slope) and start from scratch as our friends only have one tiny patch of greens. We are in zone 6.

Any suggestions are much appreciated!

[FarmerCathy]

Congratulations! That is very exciting! I would first recommend going to your local agriculture extension office and get a soil testing kit. Then you can find out what you need to add to your soil. I will add more later, I'm going back to bed, I guess I need more sleep. Cannot think. :P

[JamieCatheryn]

What are you looking to to? Lots of veggies? Fun things for children? Gorgeous landscaping? Party and relaxing area? Some of all that?

[FarmerCathy]

I would till it up if you can and add compost and plant a cover crop like these. Then early spring get a soil test done with the ag extension office, get your info now so you know where to go in the Spring. I like the books "The Gardener's A-Z Guide tGrowing Organic Food" and "The New Organic Grower," but this book looked awesome, I might go to the library and see if I can get it. With the greenhouse you may be able to do some of the "Four Season Harvest." I'm going back and trying to read that over again. I need greens for the winter.