I don't know anything about that kind of soil, but my guess would be that it would be easier and better to let the farmer disc it all. Then make wide rows -I do just over 3 feet wide and 2 feet to just under 3 feet wide paths. Add the amendments (compost and manure) just to the wide rows aka beds and fork in for now being you have clay. Do a soil test before adding other fertilizers. Use 2 lines of T tape per bed. Heavily mulch. Another thing you can do is Steve Solomon's plumped up bed method; I call this heaped beds. Instead of making a big rectangle just make 3-4 feet wide and very long heaped beds of added compost and manure. Leave the area between them as grass and mow it. This might work fine for your soil. I would put 3 tapes in a 4 foot wide bed.

I'd agree with all that. Like Dee, I am also a big believer in disturbing the soil as little as possible. I try not to turn it over with a pitchfork, I just insert the pitchfork to the depth of it and lift the soil to loosen it. And you can add good organic compost to the top and just work it in to the top 3 - 6 inches of soil before planting. I like Coast of Maine organic compost in the bags if I don't have my own With a spade, just loosen the soil around the weeds and they should all pull out very easily. For an easy way to grow pole string beans, I buy four 8 or 10ft tall bamboo poles and make a teepee with them and tie them at the top with string and you can directly sow pole string beans, it's not too late. I like purple podded string beans called 'Trionfo Violetto Pole Bean' if you can find the seed. Why? Because the bugs seem to be less interested in them, they are prettier, they cook up green, and they are not too stringy. You don't have to do much to grow string beans, they are easy and fast. If you are planting tomatoes, I actually grow them in raised 4ft square beds and they get large and no more than two plants will fit in each bed. Plant them diagonally from each other so they won't shade each other. I use grass clippings from the lawn to mulch with, but that is because I don't use any chemicals or fertilizer on our lawn. I also put flowers in the corners of the bed or Basil plants along the edge. Nasturtiums or Marigolds are easy and pretty. And you will need some kind of support for the tomato plants. Regular tomato cages are pretty much inadequate for the size the plants will get. But if you stake them and tie the tomato to the stake as it grows and put the largest tomato cage you can buy over it, it should be pretty good. I use 8ft stakes, because they will grow 6ft tall and you need to hammer the stake about a foot into the soil. Good luck and hope you have fun!

Anybody have any experience with one? Any names?

General guidelines for MW placement... Best location...MWs (and refrigerators) should be on the periphery of the kitchen so they are (1) easily accessed by those working inside the kitchen and (2) easily accessed by those from outside the kitchen who may be looking for a snack or other use without interfering with those working in the kitchen. Second best location...Inside or just outside the Prep and/or Cooking Zone b/c that's where it's used the most. Less desirable location...In the Cleanup Zone, especially over the DW or anywhere taking up needed cleanup work space. You don't want to be tripping over an open DW or getting in the way of someone cleaning up while trying to use the MW. Bad location...Over the range b/c you have to reach over a hot stove and hot food (think steam from boiling water wafting up or greasy smoke from browning meat or frying as you try to use the MW or even check the food that's in the MW; if you have gas, you're reaching over a flame. Additionally, it is too high for the majority of people to truly use safely...i.e., they're above the head & neck level. Oh, and OTR MWs are notoriously bad vent/range hoods b/c of inadequate venting as well as inadequate coverage of the cooking surface (you need coverage that extends past the front burners by about 3 inches to capture the steam/smoke/grease/odors/etc.). [These MWs are also more expensive and shorter than other MWs...countertop or built-in. On OTR MW may also lock you into a specific brand in the future b/c of sizing and installation procedure.] Ideal installation height...Between your waist and chest, inclusive for "regular" MWs with a door (i.e., above your hip and below your neck). With a regular MW, you have to reach inside and pull food out to check/remove so you don't want it so high that you're in danger of spilling it on you as you reach up and in and you don't want it so low you have to squat to get to the food inside. MW Drawers can be below your waist b/c the drawer comes out from under the counter when open and you can simply reach down & stir or place/remove food. Ideally, the MW should also be near a water source as many items that are MW'd need water added to them (leftovers, veggies, etc.) However, the periphery location is more important as it's easier to bring water to the MW or take the dish to the sink than it is to work around someone else using the MW. Our MW Drawer is in the Prep Zone. Unfortunately, we did not have a periphery location so we had to settle for the "second best" location. But, it is near a sink and it is out of the way of people working at the cooktop. We also have two primary Prep Zones, so it hasn't been much of an issue...only very occasionally. Even if you decide to go the route of the MW over the wall oven, I would consider having your builder put it in a MW alcove (with finished sides/top/bottom on the inside) instead of building it in so you can place the MW inside the alcove but not build it in. As others have said, most MWs do not last as long as other appliances and will need to be replaced. It is much easier and less expensive to remove & replace a MW sitting in an alcove than one built-in. You also will not need a Trim Kit if you place the MW in an alcove instead of building it in. Just remember to make the alcove big enough for a full-size MW + air clearances on all sides, top, and back + plug. If you're putting it in a cabinet for a 27" or 30" oven, width & depth should not be a problem (a 24" wide x 23"D opening should be plenty of width/depth). Don't forget about height as well. You will also need an outlet inside the alcove to plug the MW in. And, be sure the inside of the alcove is finished to, preferably, match your cabinets. This may require "skins" to put on the inside (if so, be sure to include the thickness of the skins in your calculation of the inside space).