To help you figure things out, there is a Scoop Admin Guide which can hopefully answer most of your questions.
Some tips:
Most of the layout is changed in "Blocks", found in the admin tools menu
Features can be turned on and off, and configured, in "Site Controls" in the admin tools menu
Stories have an "edit" link right beside the "Full Story" link on an index page, and right beside the "Post a Comment" link on the full story page. They can also be edited by clicking the story title in the "Story List" admin tool
Boxes are what allow you to write new features for Scoop; they require a knowledge of the perl programming language to work with effectively, although you can often make small changes without knowing much perl. If you would like a feature added but cannot program it yourself, ScoopHost does custom Scoop programming as one of its services.
If you aren't sure where to look for a particular feature or piece of display, try the "Search Admin Tools" link in the admin tools menu.
It's no secret that along with the national economy, our Michigan economy is going to get much worse. So finding ways to cut costs makes sense. Besides, even if you're not worried about the economy ... gardening is fun!
Gardens are popping up all over America, partly because of the "green movement."
Hey, I may be a "global warming denier," but you don't need to "go green" to enjoy gardening. You can do it for the improved quality and taste. You can garden to be self-sufficient. You can do it because you're the type of person who thinks about next year, and the year after that - long-term. Gardening is taking individual action!