I'M NEW!!!!!!

I live in Aveyron, south west France, with my lovely husband, 3 bad children and a crazed hormonal dog. I tried a small veg patch last year after we moved here but the land I chose was dreadful and everything went in far tooooo late and the end result was a tender feast for the slugs and mice and nothing for my starving family... This year I have cleared a huge area - where all the locals say the soil is good and have high (if not ambitious) hopes. I have just brought home half a ton of sheep manure and must get shovelling!!! I have found loads of useful advice here and will come back with every question - eventually I may even be able to answer a few!!??