New vegetable plot (and new gardener!!!)

[Quorlia]

Hi,

I want to start a predominately organic kitchen garden. The place I want to put it is currently lawn (and has probably been stripped of nutrients by the conifer "hedges" that we are going to take out ASAP). We have a load of old sleepers or joists which we are intending to use to edge out two or three 4ft wide beds.

I have been advised that the initial digging will be best accomplished using a heavy fork. Is this right? My digging experience is limited to being handed a spade as a teenager and being told to dig over beds already in use.

I am imagining that we will need to remove the turf and double dig this year. What should we add to the soil? We would like to plant potatoes (have been offered some Romano) and carrots. Are peas and beans good starter crops too?

Finally a question about the order of things - should we build the edges then dig or dig then edge? Things are slightly complicated by the fact that we will have tree surgeons in to remove the conifers and builders in to do some work on the house itself which will necessitate them walking (hopefully) around the plot.

Thanks in advance,

Kirsty