@fishbuds hey couple more questions if you dont mind..
i spoke to some people i know and i have access to horse manure as well now. due to hot weather (~6 months of 30+Celsius) i'm going to do rows with plastic mulch and drip tape. do i amend the whole area in between rows too or just where the mulch will sit? the field currently has winter wheat that i can either wait till its ready and harvest or remove now. would the root systems be better preserved and just put manure on top or do i plough?
this is already becoming a bit of a headache for me, i tried to find the books you mentioned, i saw a lot of positive reviews but didnt fancy paying 14e for an ebook and nothing delivers to this stupid country! still enjoying the learning curve and process tho, this is definitely the best forum i've ever used.
OK, as for the books, I may still have both, I definitely have one of them on a shelf nearby, unfortunately, shipping to aus, is $30+. I would not hesitate to get the Teaming with Microbes book. It will be worth the investment, your soil and veggies will show their appreciation for your diligence. Skip the nutrients book for now, unless you wanna spring for it.
As for the land, I would harvest the wheat, harrow or till about 4"-6" deep or just enough to rip up the leftover grass but not till an entire foot of soil. then add the manure,compost, and anything else you can get your hands on with a decent ph.
How big is your plot(s)? if you have enough manure, just broadcast the whole plot, and work it in, then go ahead and create your rows. I mulch the walkways heavily too, if there is enough free mulch to go around. grass clippings work great(free), and so do burlap bags. Make friends with a lanscaper, and you will have all the grass clippings and leaves you could want.;)
Leaf mold will work for you. leaf piles as they break down to compost, the ph is typically very low, like peat low4.0-5.0. collect leaves over the year if possible, and make a low ph compost pile with them. they are free;)
if your soil is very heavy and compacted, tilling sometimes makes it worse- GYPSUM is a great ammendment, and an underrated one. Buy a 50# bag if possible, and use it accordingly.
so much fun, you are now entering the organic rabbit hole, settle in, get your reading glasses cleaned up, and enjoy the ride. if you dont mind, consider putting up a picture of your plot and soil, so I can see the colors of your palette.
Good luck, grow on.
And dont forget, you can use veggies to ammend your plot. Some root crops dig deep, ariate soils, and create microbial colonies while not stripping the soil of all its goodies. plant a bunch of squashes and pumpkins in an area, and throw a smashing pumpkins party in the plot, the worms will go absolutely nuts! then mulch it, let it sit for a few months, pull back mulch and voila, deepn dark soil with tilth.
See the mulch greens row, with the watering barrel, and drip lines ;)