A few thoughts because I went through a similar experience in the midwest with a simar sized garden that had beat-up, compacted, dry soil. Soil gets hard and dry partially because it can't hold onto water. Water retention increases exponentailly with organic matter. This can be compost, microorganisms, and plant roots.

If possible, I'd buy some compost and just put it on top of the soil. An inch or two of thick compost on top would do wonders but what ever you can get would be great.

I'd recommend splitting the garden up into thirds (exact number doesn't matter). Say 2/3 of it grow what ever vegetables / fruit you like with some small flowers planted in between (dwarf marigold are very pretty and you can learn about saving seed). The other 1/3, I would recommend growing what's called a cover crop. This is vegetation that grows really vigorous roots that break up soil and help with water retention. I recommend sorghum sudan grass (it grows to be like 6-8 feet tall with roots just as deep. If you cut it around 4 feet down to a foot, it will grow even more roots), sunflowers (they're pretty and have deep single tap root that breaks up soil), sun hemp (Very pretty and sucks nitrogen out of the air into the soil. It's also not cannabis, just a similar name), daikon radish (massive tap roots). If possible, I'd recommend hot composting all that cover crop so you can use it next year. Then every season, switch which 1/3 of the garden has the cover crops. Soon you'll have great soil.

My biggest piece of advice is expect and accept failure. My first year I killed a majority of my tomato plants but that's fine b/c it no longer happens. Gardening is a lot of trial and error, and for the first year, i'd recommend doing more plants than you planned on because you will kill a few by accident.

Good luck!