Beginner Gardening: Advice needed in North Carolina, 0 by Pinger42

Pinger42 wrote:
I am new to this site but I absolutely love it, so I thought it would be the best place to start for help. My friends say I have the greenest thumb they've ever seen and that I could get "sticks" to propagate if I wanted. I love to can veggies, make preserves, make salsas, etc...I think I was born about 70 years too late...
I have over a half a acre to devote to a veggie garden...but have no idea where to start. From reading many forums online, half say to use raised beds others say not. My choice would be not to. I have full sun all day and a slight slope to the land.
Secondly, deciding on the row method, box method, etc. Here are the veggies I would like to start with this year: corn, potatoes, tomatoes (about 4 types), green beans, squash, okra, cucumbers, peppers...sweet and hot, and some strawberries.
Someone told me I could condition the soil by laying out cardboard, soaking it, then add 6 layers of newspapers and then cover with leaves. Anyone heard of this and when should it be done?
I apologize for asking for so much help but I am single and have no family to ask. Also, I am all about recycling and "can't buy the store" so to speak. But I have lots of time for loving and nuturing my new endeavor. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
By the way, the photo here is of a tomato plant that "sprouted" from no where beside my deck last August. The picture was taken in early December and I still have the plant growing in my spare bedroom.