Fiona and Nancy,
Here's what I found of Martha Stewart's cold frames: Cold Frames
(
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jh...nt&id=tvs3084a ).
Read her section on raised bed gardening which might well apply to that Scottish soil:
Building Raised Beds
(
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jh...age=1&dp=false )
When I visited Scott Nearing in Harborside, Maine back in January of 1974, his neighbor Eliot Colman (a now famous organic gardener/author) stopped by several times and helped us shovel snow off of the Nearings greenhouse that was made of stone walls and a sheet glass roof and wall facing south and contained hardy greens that were almost frozen.
Here is a reference to cold frame gardening and Mr. Coleman while promoting a book of his:
Catching the Retreating Sun for Fresh Greens
(
http://www.chelseagreen.com/Coleman/NYTNov01.htm ).
Of course you know about Masanobu Fukuoka. No?
Well, back in 1974-75 when I was living in a macrobiotic study house here in Boston attending lectures given by Michio Kushi, he mentioned natural agriculture (see The Book of Macrobiotics, page 246) and showed us a book written in Japanese (with beautiful photographs) written by Mr. Fukuoka and a few years later his book, "The One-Straw Revolution" was published, promoted in the Eat-West Journal, and was sold (by Rodale Press) out before it was printed!
Here is more information on Masanobu Fukuoka and natural agriculture:
The Natural Way of Farming: Masanobu Fukuoka
(
http://www.hollowtop.com/cls_html/thestore/Fukuoka.htm )
The Fukuoka Farming Website
(
http://www.FukuokaFarmingOL.net/ )
His method of planting seeds on the ground instead of in the ground is quite revolutionary (encase the seeds in clay so that they won't be eaten by wild creatures and then when it rains, the seeds sprout putting down roots and putting up leaves).
Fiona, perhaps you will now be able to grow more food to sustain you and yours.
Thank you, very much.
Bruce Paine