Summarize the following:
Starting in the corner of your plot or garden, plunge your spade a few inches into the ground. Turn the dirt oil, keeping most of the topsoil on top (the topsoil will be richer, softer, and darker than the soil underneath it). Repeat this process, proceeding down the edge of your plot, then doubling back when you reach the end. Leave turned-over rows (or furrows) a foot or two apart from each other. In most locations, the topsoil is about six inches to a foot thick (though this can vary). Once you've tilled your plot into rows, go back over your work with a rake. Use the rake to break up large soil clods, loosening the soil so that it can accept seeds. You'll want this loose, broken-up soil to extend about two inches deep. For most crops, aim to break the soil into clumps smaller than the size of a dime. As you rake the soil, take care not to flatten your plot with your footsteps. A flat field will retain too much water in the event of rain, which can lead to crop failures. Try to preserve the highs and lows of your furrows so that excess water is directed to the edges of the field.
Use a spade to turn the soil up in rows. Rake the ground. Leave furrows for good drainage.