Can you find something to cover it all and let the weeds die back ? The woven plastic stuff sold as underlining for chips and pavers would do, and it's relatively cheap.
The alternatives are either raised beds (though the mis-named lazy beds would work well too I suspect) or to slog it out and dig it over. Rotovators, unless near tractor type, can find untrimmed rough a real effort.
Spuds though, spuds make digging it over useful work. Seriously, turn over a patch and plant spuds. There's something incredibly satisfying about digging up something you've grown and making dinner from it
How is it situated though? My garden is surrounded by houses and trees and can be shady and sodden wet. My Uncle's old house on the main road though is so exposed that the ground dries out and bakes hard. Masses of warm sunshine, but a pain to keep it well watered. It affects what we can, and want to be bothered, growing. That's why I ask.
I like growing easy fruit too though. Blackcurrants and rasps thrive here. So does rhubarb. Apart from potatoes, and oca

, I can't grow root vegetables. Keel slugs demolish them

The fruits though will grow happily over the semi-permeable membrane stuff and you wouldn't need to dig the whole plot over.
The other important thing is what do you actually like to eat though ?
Your 'patch' is a good allotment sized piece

Hopefully the people who have one (Beachlover comes to mind) will see the thread too
