Hi Ketch!
It is so exciting to start a garden! I would love to be able to help you out! If your goal is to be able to grow your own food the best layout and type of gardening would be square foot gardening. it really makes the most of the space that you have. Raised beds are great and the plants grow so much better. Finally something that really helps is companion planting, planting plants that help each other out by repelling different pests or dieases. I do this with my garden and I do not have to use any chemicals or have any issues with pests at all.

Also look into using vertical space for gardening. So like tiered raised beds, pots or hanging planters.

Please feel free to take a look at my trade list I would love to send you out some seeds!

http://members.gardenweb.com/members/exch/bplace

Both of you should read the required first thread in this forum. You will find all kinds of important information there about how the forum is to be used.

Here is a link that might be useful: special instructions for the exchange