You should look into square foot gardening. You can get a great deal of food from a small space as compared to row planting. I would start small with maybe two 8x4 foot beds that are at least 6 inches deep. I now have 11 beds that I put in this December, but I started out with two and wanted more.

There is also another way of planting called biointensive planting. You should check out both.

Good luck with you garden.

Here is a link that might be useful: How my garden grows!

One way to decide how big your garden should be and how much you should plant is to jot down what veggies you like to eat and how often--an informl food log. Do you plan to give some of your harvest away or freeze or can it? From this estimate you can plan and plant your first garden and in a year's time you will gather your real-garden experience which will inform next year's garden--size and amount. Starting small is a good way to get your hands dirty without getting overwhelmed and discouraged.

How long is your growing season? Will the crops you have in mind grow in your region? These are basics you can learn quickly by chatting with a neighbor or friend who has a veggie garden. What grows well in your area -- crops and varieties is useful information to collect before you plan and plant.

Here's a list of very productive vegetables that require either little space or little effort or both. If you are growing just for you and your friend, then you can grow just a few of each of these and certainly feel as though you are the most productive veggie gardener on earth:

Bush beans
Dwarf beans
Pole beans
Beets
Broccoli
Carrots
Cabbage
Chard
Chinese cabbage
Cress
Lettuce
Mustard
New Zealand spinach
Onions (from sets)
Radishes
Rutabagas
Spinach
Summer squash
Tomatoes
Turnips

You won't be growing all of these at once. Some are cool-weather crops for spring and autumn harvest. Some are warm weather crops for summer. Check out the days to maturity for each crop you choose and whether it favors cool or warm weather--then you can make a map of what you want to plant in spring, summer, and late summer for fall. That way you will get the most from your space.

When you make your garden map--sketch in the size of each plant at maturity (the plant's footprint) and then you will know how much space you need: square feet or rows. Intenstive square-foot planting is not too difficult with a map and calendar in hand (use the calendar to plan how long each crop will be in the garden). If you are growing for two people, you probably won't need rows and rows of crops.

Here is a link that might be useful: HarvestToTable.com

I bought a few books written by some REAL Louisiana garden "experts". I also read everything LSU Cooperative Extension Service wrote concerning the veggies I wanted to grow. In the beginning a lot of it was confusing. The more I read, the clearer the principles and the terminology became. After reading everything I had several times, I was ready.

I've not searched Indiana's material on gardening but, assume it is a valuable source of information.

By the time I built the raised beds, I had spent many hours reading. My first season consisted of four beds 4'X4'. That garden produced spectacular results.

In my very sparse spare time I hauled dirt, leaves, manure and other materials. It paid off! That was many years ago and, the same is true today, EDUCATE YOURSELF!!

Thanks so much for your responses! We'll be composting as well. He and I are trying to go green as much as we can. It's a process and a whole new way of thinking. Thanks for the links! I can't wait to eat my own food....

Just start on a smaller scale and work your way up. There's nothing better than standing up after working in the soil and just enjoying the feeling of being in the center of your garden when it's green and growing and all the weeds are under control. Start too big and the work comes faster than the joy... better to "catch the bug" and let the garden grow along with it! I started mine about six or seven years ago at around 10 x 15... and this year I'm up to 60 x 60. Not a "truck patch" yet, but it's well worth the work!