A Bigger Garden

Alan and I go out every day to look over the yard, do a little weeding, watering, etc. Yesterday we were out there and decided to dig up the long area behind our patio...this is only about 1/3 of it and put in a large vegetable garden. Its a big job digging up all the sod. The ground underneath is rather rocky but does have earthworms throughout...he's thinking about getting some soil amendments so once the sod is gone, we will start racking the rocks out..its mostly gravel as before we moved, the whole yard was a gravel pit.
I am going to see if any of the neighbors need any sod for their yards as it seems a shame to throw it out...
Alan and the boys put in the retaining wall the first year we were here....we gained about 8 ft. of yard. On top of the wall, we have roses, Sago palms and in between we are trying to grow strawberries....some berries we bought at a local garden center and others we got at Lowes...the garden center ones are doing much better and spreading. The greenery on the upper wall is night blooming jasmine.....
We went through our seed statch and found some veggie seeds from the first year we tried a garden...we have carrot, corn, bush beans, tomato, cantaloupe and pumpkins....we will probably get others or some plants. We try to use natural gardening techniques but do use some insecticidal soap at times to kill some bugs.
We haven't brought the duck home yet...Don has been bringing us her eggs...and they are very good for baking...makes the batter very rich.....we've seen a big improvement in pancakes and muffins....
If we get a few hens plus the duck...the garden, berries and fruit trees..that's about all we can do here.....it should be enough for our needs and also to help others. I have a pressure canner, jars, etc. plus a small deep freeze and a dehydrator.

I finished the other quilt wall hangings and so have all 3 done...I am pleased with them...what do you think?
I don't think they are too holiday looking, do you? If I decide to list them, I need to cover the backs, I think. I found another old quilt, older than this one with very vintage fabric so see if I can find another large hoop for it....I am thinking of cross stitching a scripture to tack on the front.
I also took advantage of Ebay's free listing promotion and listed a set of redwork towels and 3 tea towels I embroidered....You can find my listings here
well, better go now.....its a school day and I have to take my son to his geometry class...while I wait for him, I am finishing embroidering a pillowcase...