We are not exactly Tom and Barbara but we have been helping out some friends who are renovating their place and have a veg patch on the go. We have found that unless you put plenty of mulch, compost and your neighbours chicken stuff in the soil it can go rock hard after watering.

We've been told to plant seedlings not seeds and they should be well spaced out (as with pot plants...)
Failing that,grow goats.

Nobrots other half.