I'm reading this thread trying to pump my psyche up. I am so apathetic after last year, I am ready to throw in the trowel.
It took me four years to build raised beds, add good soil to the packed clay, get compost bins going, etc. Then last year we had hot, humid drought, and then the bugs took over. Stink bugs, bean beetles, cutworms, and the worse pest of all, the squash bugs. Now, I grew butternut squash, which is supposed to be resistant to them, but I had never seen such an invasion. Ever single leaf was adorned with egg clusters, and as you know they are hard to remove without tearing up the leaves. I sprayed Pyola and soapy water on the nymphs, killing them by the hundreds, but the adults--well, the ground literally MOVED with the things. I refuse to grow any cucurbits this year because of that, so that rules out summer squash, cucumbers, etc.
Because of the drought, my carrots were bitter, the beets were small and woody, and the peppers and eggplant just kept dropping blossoms. I did get enough tomatoes to put up, at least.
Somebody send some encouragement this way!