Gardening ideas

My plan for this garden plot is to create a raised bed (like in the book, Lasagna Gardening) and to plant it using ideas from the book Square Foot Gardening and also Great Garden Companions. If you want to borrow Square Foot Gardening, I own it, the other two I checked out from the Hennepin Library, but I might have to buy my own copy.

The reason I am doing a raised bed is mostly because the soil in my yard is mostly sand, not dirt at all. I will begin with layers of newspaper (and would be happy for donations - not the shiny advertisement kind, just the regular newsprint). I will be using peat moss, chopped leaves, grass clippings and wood ashes. I will be happy to take donations of any of these items (bagged up) as soon as Sunday. Beng is going to get wood chips from down at Lake Harriet (for free) to use on the top.

If anyone knows where we can get barn litter or horse manure, I would love to use that too.
I am more than willing to hear advice or tips from anyone (even if you aren't in the neighborhood).