You live in an area with the same length of growing season that my area has. A basic simple greenhouse or hoop house is a really handy thing to have in this climate, especially in the spring. My first greenhouse was only 6 feet deep, front to back, and 8 feet long, but it made a big difference in getting a head start on the tomato plants.
I also save my food scraps and coffee grounds for the compost pile. :-)
RE: Getting dirty about it