New garden plot

This fall I expanded my garden by about 75%. From past experience I know that it will take a couple years of amendments, mostly composted manure to get my best crops. The question I have what are the best crops to plant in the new area that I know is not going to produce tomato's, cucumbers, beans or root crops. Zone 5. Ag rating seaton silt loam.

Tomatoes ,beans, cucumbers, carrots, beets are not high nutrient demanding crops. If you have any soil at all, you should not have a problem. After all our ancestors just plowed up a plant and planted with out adding nutrients. I would recommend tillage and addition of nutrients including organic material.

I agree with Farmerdill's post. My plot evolved from a gravel road bed four feet at a time. I had to screen out the gravel and ammend but always had great results with all the crops you mention from the first year onward. I plant a lot of beans the first year because of their nitrogen fixing ability. Tomatoes and cucumbers can be coddled but do just fine with nothing. New soil has the advantage of fewer insects and diseases. It is generally rich, having not been depleted by previous crops.

I looked up your hometown on Google maps. You have some good looking farmland around that area. You should have very good soil for growing your garden.
I agree with the others. Till or plow it up, plant some things and take a soil sample to find out what you need for fertilizer.
Hey Farmerdill, long time no chat. I'm still doing the large garden & doing Farmers Market 3X a week all summer. Expanded my hoophouse for tomatoes. Had over 700 plants last summer.
1st picture is the small house that is heated for early tomatoes. Picked the first ones June 5. That normal planting date outside for tomatoes here.
2nd picture is the cherry tomato house. 3rd picture is in the large house, 275 plants.
4t picture is planting in the large house. We tried the landscape fabric in all houses. It worked great, no weeds to pull! Going to use it in the outdoor gardens this year.
That will be like 1½ acres covered with it.
Last picture is our pickling cucumbers. There were 7 rows 220 ft long.
Very profitable crop that everone wants. Will plant more this as we didn't have enough last year.

Country gardens. It has been a while, not much traffic on this site anymore. Loks like you have a great set-up. my farmer partner who owned the land died last year at 97. I will be 85 this year so I am down to a kitchen garden, from the 5 acres I did a few years ago. The old Farmall and I are both pretty much retired now.

I am 77, but I have a stepson & his buddy that live here & help out. I'm kind of the overseer.

A real Farmall, Dill? Honestly? I'd love to see a photo. I use an old Troy-bilt Pony, circa '80's in my kitchen garden. I bought it well used in the late 80's and the seller threw in a copy of Dick Raymond's, "Joy Of Gardening". To this day I think it is the best kitchen garden/small space book ever written.

You guys are both young at heart and sharp as tacks. You have more energy than most half your age. A while back I read that the one thing people with great longevity and mental acquity had in common around the world is gardening. I plan to keep it up as long as I can remember where I left my gloves and shovel!

Maypop here you go. Water melon, cowpea field a couple years ago/

Here's what I am going to try and sell at Farmers Market.
Plant some flowers in the middle.

What a great looking tractor, Dill! I remember the toy version that came in a cardboard box.