Boxes, Boxes, Boxes..

I got the boxes done today! As much as I love to use reclaimed material any chance I get, I decided that I would make my raised boxes out of new cedar. Cedar is excellent in that in naturally resists rot and man it's pretty. They should last for years. I made two 3x12's facing east west and three 4x 8's facing north south.  I used 2x 8's for the frame. I feel like 8 inches will be plenty deep enough for what I am going to plant. Some people say you need at least 12 inches, but calculating money and effort, I did the math and the amount of soil I would have to haul would make me hate gardening forever. The boxes were placed in an area that should get at least 8 hours of sunlight a day. In my previous garden experience,  the crops really didn't get enough sun. With the yard now, I'm hoping that it doesn't get too much sun. 

All leveled for proper drainage

I was able to score some leftover coffee sacks from my friends the Haynies (remember they own the Austin Roasting Company). I figured that instead of buying weed barrier for the beds, I would use these leftover sacks. I did some research and they take about two to three years to degrade and compost. The good thing is there aren't a lot of weeds that grow in that area, so I think they will be perfect. I talked to the lady at the garden store and she is going to use the ones she found for mulch because they are excellent in helping to keep moisture in. 

A new bed begging for some good soil

And on a very good note, I am happy to report that my girls/TWO! potential boys(more on that later) are some of the smartest birds around. I mean chicken poop is like gold in a garden right?  Well, my girls have discovered the compost bin. And they love to take a load off those little feet and roost right on the top of the bin. I mean seriously, who else has such classy girls and handsome gentleman(again more on that later) that poop right in the compost. In no time, Im going to have the most nutrient rich compost thanks to them!

Exhibit A: Genius Birds

A view from the back porch...just to give an idea of where the boxes reside