As a species, we quite often use our big brain to make life more enjoyable. We can do this by making routine tasks easier. If you like to garden and you are a mature adult, you know the benefits of making things easier across the board.

This year, my wife and I are getting back to producing more food. Sue and I both agreed that raised beds are the way to fly. Now, I'm not talking about 18 inches above the ground; I mean a full 30 inches tall, basically waist high. When I say easy, I really mean effortless, and that goes for the construction as well. Of course as soon as I saw the price that gardening supply companies were asking that ranged from $120 (18 inches tall) to $390, I knew the decision would be for me to construct them myself.

I thought about what to construct the walls out of, and, of course, our native red cedar is the way to go. Cedar, however, can be expensive, so instead of building solid walls, I built a framework from 2-by-4 structural lumber. I made the boxes 21/2 feet wide by 8 feet long and 32 inches tall. I had a little waste so a little more planning would have heightened my efficiency rating.

Once the exterior frame was constructed, I installed some cross pieces in the middle to literally hold the soil surge in place. Now for the actual sides, I used horse fence panels from the local feed store. These panels are 5 feet tall by 16 feet long, galvanized 3/16 inch steel. They are really rigid and cut easily with bolt cutters. I framed up the boxes so the fencing would be recessed and held in place by exterior trim. I then lined the sides of the boxes with road fabric (weed barrier will work also), leaving the bottom open, and began to fill the constructs. They are nothing short of awesome. Total cost for lumber, horse fence panels and fabric per box: $125.

Al Shay is a consulting horticulturist and instructor at OSU. Contact baxtersnoo@yahoo.com.