Hi everyone, I want to tell you about the new raised vegetable bed I've put in my back yard. I've always wanted to have a small vegetable garden, nothing that requires a great deal of work but one that makes me feel I am at least trying to cultivate some of the food we consume. Putting in the bed was not a solitary venture, I had lots of help, beginning with obtaining the rough sawed 2" x 10" fir boards. Those came from good friends in Fort St. James; Joyce and John Helweg who have a small sawmill. Next, delivering the lumber to my house in Prince George; for that I asked more Fort St. James friends; Sharon Buck and Earl Christian who were coming into town to visit their Grand daughter. Now, we're logging as the boys in the 'Fort would say. A spot was chosen for the bed, right next to the newly planted raspberry patch and last week-end with the help of Simon and Josephine Nyandwi, new friends from Burundi, the sod was removed from the site and hauled to the City compost. On Monday evening Joyce was in town so we put the lumber in place to frame the bed and nailed it together with the few nails I had on hand. Then it was decided that perhaps the frame should be reinforced and screwed together so on tuesday evening my Grand daughter; Alex took care of that part of the construction and we were ready for the soil. 1 1/2 yards of outdoor garden soil was purchased from Art Knapps and arrangements made to have it delivered. Thomas; a helpful, good natured young man who works at Art Knapps showed up last night just before 6 and in no time the bed was full of the most beautiful black dirt to be seen. So, now, everyone is standing back and waiting to see what I can grow. Since it's so late in the season I'll probably just plant swiss chard, yellow beans, early yellow squash and probably a few onion sets. But, next year, watch out, my little raised bed on Douglas street will be the envy of the neighbourhood. There's no one so optimistic as a northern gardener with good friends!