Large Garden To Feed The Hungry, Hills vs. Rows?

Hi all,
I am Thor and we are doing an (ambitious for the first year) 100x50' garden, with all produce and herbs to be transported directly to the region's largest Food Pantry. (Doles out a much-needed 2 tons of food per week-gives you some idea of just how bad hunger is in the Massachusetts and likely most other areas!) I am desperately trying to get a layout plan of the garden completed and, all my life growing up, we planted the vine crops (namely the squash, cucumber, pole beans, and usually large varieties of tomatoes) into hills. Well, my question boils down to a couple of things: a) While making rectangular or squares in the garden layout software is easier and less time consuming than circles, does it waste space? and b) What is the farmers' reasoning for hill planting for these crops vs. using beds-there's got to be a reason-I just don't know what it is and if, given our size, which would make the most sense? This is very much a group effort and I know I'm going to hear noise about the use of hills vs. beds, so if we have some Master or very experienced farmers/gardeners who can answer the questions, it would be GREATLY APPRECIATED if some of you would please level with me and answer the two questions with any supporting sources you would have (well...of course your experience counts greatly, this is just a highly inexperienced group and I don't want to come to the meeting ill-prepared. Also, they want to get ambitious and get the beds made, so they could then rake or hoe them into beds and then form hills after everything sprouts, right? If so, how big do the plants need to be and the hills should be how high in relation to the plants? Thanks so very much!

Sincerely,
Thor Montgomery
gardenerthor@comcast.net

One of the best sources of info I have found for veggie cultivation for our region is the Stokes Seeds site:

http://www.stokeseeds.com/cgi-bin/StokesSeeds.storefront

Since they cater to growers, they have very detailed growing information for everything they sell, and it is directed towards people growing in the northeast. Under each individual entry, click on "Product Details" and then click on "Detailed Growing Instructions." Here's what they have to say about winter squash:

http://www.stokeseeds.com/isroot/StokesSeeds/webroot/ftp/detail_growing/squash_winter_storage.html

Why they say "hill," they don't actually mean a hill. They just mean a group of seeds. It isn't elevated.

This message was edited May 15, 2008 12:19 PM

Thor, while that is a relativly small plot and you you have your choice, larger plots that are machine cultivated typically use lists for plants that are "hilled" A list is just a long continuous hill. As paracelsus pointed out, some folks refer to a hill as a cluster of plants, but for most it is a slightly elevated mound. If you are using mechanized planters, you get continuous spacing not clusters.There are a lot of plants that perform better on slightly elevated soil. There include cucurbits, sweet potatoes etc. The earth warms faster, drains better if you have a cool wet spell, and generally provides a looser environment for plant roots.

Under my conditions, my lists are 2-4 inches high and 12 ( beets) to 48 ( watermelons) inches wide.

I'll add my 2 cents. Consider using a trellis for some vining vegetables to increase production/space. I get much nicer cucumbers this way, they are easier to see and pick before getting too large. I hill 3 or 4 plants together on each trellis. I use metal ones because they are light but long lasting.

Good Luck with this noble project, feeding the needy is one of my passions. If you need seed, you might check with Plant a Row for the Hungry at: http://www.gardenwriters.org/par/ or ask here on Dave's for donations.

I will second the trellises for cukes. I used them last year and saw a big decrease in disease and bugs.

www.foodforeveryone.org is a wonderful site for mass plantings in beds or rows. Altho I don,t subscribe to the constant adding of nutrients, I hafta admire their success.. The pics are impressive. Small space and tons of produce. and trellis trellis trellis..
I,m doing a variety of raised beds and greenhouse growing this year. Lotsa comparison plantings and even using different soils in the beds and keeping notes on production. should be interesting. here,s a pic of a couple beds
Gord

and if space is really scarce.....