I think the best approach for the garden bed is to go with raised beds this year. We tried in-ground last season and the drainage was just not there. Plus the soil we amended kept washing away with every heavy rain. I have been looking at cedar planks since they rot slowly and look nice. Would you want to split the cost if we build two side by side? That way we can rotate crops between them. My neighbor did something similar last spring and his tomatoes were incredible. He also added a drip irrigation system with a timer which I think we should copy. It was only about forty bucks for the whole setup online. We could probably knock out the framing in a weekend if we pre-cut everything. I found some good plans online that use notched corners so you do not need brackets. That would keep it looking clean. Let me know what you think and we can grab the materials next Saturday morning if the weather holds. Also I saw that the garden center finally got their compost delivery so we should stock up before it sells out again.

I also wanted to mention that the variety of tomato seeds we talked about are back in stock at the nursery. I ordered a few packs already. They are the Brandywine and Cherokee Purple types. Both do really well in raised beds from what I have read. We should start them indoors around early April if we want strong transplants by late May. I have a heat mat and some grow lights we can use so no need to buy new ones just let me know if you want to come over and start them together. It makes the process more fun when someone else is around to help with the potting mix and labeling trays.

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I finally tried that sourdough recipe you sent me and it turned out way better than I expected. The starter took about ten days to get really active. I fed it twice a day toward the end and kept it in the warm spot above the fridge. The first loaf was a little flat but the crumb was nice and open. The second one I shaped tighter and let it cold proof overnight in the banneton. That made a huge difference in the oven spring. I used a mix of bread flour and spelt for some of the batches. The spelt gives it a slightly nutty flavor that goes well with butter. I brought a loaf to the book club and everyone asked for the recipe. Next I want to try a version with roasted garlic and rosemary folded in. I think I will also experiment with a higher hydration dough around 80 percent. That should give an even more open crumb structure. It is now in my regular rotation and I am already planning next weekend's bake. DYR4mxIujzV

The trick that made the biggest difference was using a cast iron dutch oven for baking. I preheat it at 500 degrees for a full hour then drop the dough in and cover it for the first 20 minutes. That steam trapped inside gives the crust that deep golden color and satisfying crackle when you tap it. I also tried scoring the top with a simple cross pattern instead of the usual single slash. It opened up beautifully and looked almost professional. If you have not tried baking in a dutch oven yet I highly recommend it. It has completely changed the texture of my loaves. The crust stays crisp for two days if stored cut-side down on a cutting board. I wrap the leftover slices in a cloth bag and they stay soft enough for toast in the morning.