> Just bought a rototiller yesterday!

Have you considered a no-dig garden?

Keep in mind that good soil has loads of humus.  Each time you till your
garden, you will release 20% to 50% of your humus to the air.

Many midwest farms are no longer soft soil, but rock hard dirt because
they have lost all of their humus.

> I'm going to grow vegetables on about
> 1500 square feet in my backyard next year.  I can hardly wait.  I'm always
> conscious of unnatural fertilizers and pesticides in produce, but it's
> difficult to get organic stuff consistently around here.  I'm going to grow
> everything completely organically.

Excellent!

> If anybody has any tips for me, anything I should know to avoid disaster on
> my first try at growing my own food, please respond to me directly.  I'd
> really appreciate it.  I'm not sure if this topic is ok for this list.
>  (Grant or Don, please send me a note and let me know, thanks.)

I suggest that you buy the book "Square Foot Gardening" by Mel
Bartholomew.  I have read over 100 gardening books and it is by far my
favorite.

Paul Wheaton, certified master gardener