Growing Huge Carrots and The Importance of Good Soil

I'm harvesting the last of the 2022 vegetables from my forest garden, mainly root crops, which is not ideal in the rain but there are not many dry days forecasted for at least another week. It's incredible how variable the growing results are depending on the quality and the depth of the soil in each bed. It's a good reminder when starting a garden to focus heavily on improving the soil conditions before planting, and to amend the beds during the growing season if possible, and before the next growing season for sure.
My gardens started as dense forest on Canadian Shield bedrock 2 and 3 years ago, so I'm dealing with shallow, sandy soil that's low in nutrients and very acidic. To improve it, I added rotten logs, other forest debris and biochar to slowly compost, add carbon and retain moisture. I then brought in generic, bulk garden soil to increase the depth and add structure. I mixed in copious amounts of homemade compost as well as aged and fresh cattle and sheep manure from farmer friends. I add fish remains, leftovers from all the fish I catch and process throughout the summer fishing season.
To increase the pH level, I mix in wood ash from my indoor and outdoor fires and occasionally add limestone dust or screenings to beds of vegetables that need less acidity.
To increase minerals, I have added carbonatite, a volcanic deposit material that is a mix of essential minerals that will remain in the soil for decades, increasing the health of the plants and the nutrient levels of the vegetables.
On top of this, I regularly add thick layers of mulch, usually wood chips, dried grass and leaves to retain moisture and add carbon and micronutrients back into the soil.
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