I will show a picture of my most used tools. Starting from left to right showing most used, the first two are Ken Ho weeders, long and short handle. Next is a cheap $4.00 hoe I cut into a "V", which I lay the rows off with. I don't till after I have the crop planted. My crops seem to grow fine without tilling, but I do weed and mulch.

Larry

We usually only till once, (sometimes, if like this year the winter weeds take over again, twice) and then like Larry, weed and mulch. We use a hoe shaped a lot like Larry's to lay out rows for big seeds, and the handle of a hoe to lay out rows for small ones. We weed and cultivate with hand tools--hoes, tined cultivators--before laying out the compost, soaker hoses and mulch in between each two rows. We do 6000 sq ft this way, which is a lot of work. For smaller beds that the troy won't fit into, one of us turns the soil with a spading fork, beats the clods out with a garden rake and then composts and mulches.

Thanks for sharing, especially for the photo. I feel better now that I know there's no "easier way." Just got to get out there and exercise, right?