If you have garden space, (lucky you), look at this article for advice on using a cover crop which does NOT require tilling before you plant your vegetable crop.
This might be done by hand, using a scythe. Consider a situation in which you have no fuel to run a mower...
https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2017/09/28/no-till-garden-cover-crops/Look at the pictures for a better understanding of the process.
Also note the use of straw (not hay) as a cover to suppress weed growth. I've used this myself, in Washington state, with some success, although the cost of the baled straw did increase the garden budget.
I had better luck by collecting forest mulch and covering between the crop rows. The cost was my labor raking and hauling this mulch in a wheelbarrow. There were a few weeds collected in the mulch, but far less than would have sprouted from leaving the ground bare. Weeding was limited to a one-time pass a few weeks after planting.