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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

Well developed organic soil does not compress, flatten, erode or otherwise 
move even in very hard wind and rain.  My entire Center of the Universe 
garden is in what you'd technically call "raised beds" but there have never 
been 
any sides on them.  Depending on their age, composition, purpose, etc. they 
are anywhere from 6" tall to 30" tall.

Here is one of this year's spinach beds:

www.geocities.com/one7thfarmer/spinach.jpg

Traipsing down to the garden in the dusk I knew I wouldn't have good light 
to show the contrast.  I am going to try to get some of these shots in the 
morning sun so the heigth of the beds shows up better.  This bed is about 14" 
tall (from the paths).  It will keep this shap all summer.

Here is a carrot bed 16" tall:

www.geocities.com/one7thfarmer/carrots.jpg


In the fall all manner of organic material is piled on top of any fallow 
bed.  Then it is covered with stable or barnyard litter and spends the winter 
like that.  In this picture a wintered over bed is to the left.

www.geocities.com/one7thfarmer/insitu.jpg

to the right is another bed that has been prepared for spring.  Anything 
that didn't rot into duff during the winter has been forked away and is being 
used as mulch elsewhere.  In the background is where the bed has been shaped 
and Red Russian kale transplanted into it.

The whole garden is made of concentric rings of such beds:

www.geocities.com/one7thfarmer/beds.jpg


James