Tools I’m using:

• Wheel hoe

• Hard Rake

• Soft Rake

• Manure Pitchfork

• Potato Fork/Spade Fork

• Broad Fork

• Garden Twine

• Wood stakes

• Wheelbarrow

• Measuring tape

STEPS:

1. Do the initial sod busting by leaving pigs and/or chickens in the area long enough to clear or prepare however you prefer.

2. Potato fork out any remaining (large or well rooted) sod and/or weeds

3. Level and further weeds.

4. Make piles of weeds with a hard rake while sifting out the soil

5. Haul off weeds to a compost pile or other location. I haul it off to a compost pile to a future garden area.

6. Mark your rows and paths with garden twine and wooden stakes. I allow two foot walking paths. Minimum would be one foot.

7. I create a 42” garden bed to accommodate low tunnels as specified in Eliot Coleman’s book, “The Winter Harvest Handbook”

8. To create the beds, pull soil from the paths to form your beds. Sure, you’ll bring up more weeds. Sift out the dirt with your hard rake and put these in a pile for hauling off.

9. Now, your garden area is ready to plan, good job!