In the back of the backyard, I’ve got an expanse of thin, sandy soil. I’ve put up a temporary chicken wire fence around a 15 foot diameter area and dumped in all of last year’s compost. I’ve set up an old patio umbrella, put out a waterer, and when the weather is good – like today – I take three hens out there. They turn over the old leaves and grass clipping and garden scraps, eat up bugs and level it out. They’ll have about 7 weeks of glorious scratching, and then I’ll kick them out and plant pumpkins. When the growing season is over, I’ll have a lovely plot of dirt. Last year’s pumpkin patch is ready for wildflowers. I bought 3 packets of seeds today.