Hi all. I've dabbled in gardening before but never really was serious about it. I want to change that this year. So first off, can anyone give me any suggestions on how to dig my garden? I've included a video (HD available) of where I plan to dig it (sorry for the shaky-cam):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwZftDqlEUc&hd=1

As you can see, there are remnants of past gardens my parents had (they have no inclination to do it any more). You'll also notice that I'm at the bottom of a slight hill, with the rise being directly east of my garden. Here's a satellite photo of the area (click for a bigger version):



I guess my main question would be is this a suitable location for a garden? Also, how big do you think I should dig it? I'd love to have fresh vegetables for my family throughout the season and also be able to give some to friends/family. If it helps, I live in Zone 5.

Sorry for the novice questions. Thanks in advance!

Here are the two top things to consider when starting a garden.
Sun and Soil.
How much sun does the area get?
What is the composition of the soil?
We don't always have choices about the placement our garden, but be aware if your area gets shade that some sun loving plants like corn and watermelon may not get the solar energy they need.
Getting your soil tested professionally for $30-$50 may seem expensive, but it is nothing compared to adding the wrong fertilizer year after year and wondering why your plants aren't doing well.

More stuff:
Hardiness Zones are more for fruit trees and perennials than vegetables. For vegetables you want to know your last spring frost date and first fall frost.

Are you interested in fresh veggies are storing for winter? Here is an article we wrote on 7 strategies for veggy gardening
http://plangarden.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/7-different-strategies-to-plan-your-vegetable-garden/


Play with what you want to grow here. Shows you roughly how much space it will take and how much you will get.
See http://www.plangarden.com/app/vegetable_value/