RE: Northern MN foodplots
Yes,wood chipsor cocoa shell mulch will help the soil hold moisture. They reduce evaporation, and keep weeds from growing. Be careful with cocoa sheels if you have a dog; if the dog eats it they will have a reaction as if they ate chocolate. The chip/shell mulch would work great for crops like pumpkins. Pumpkins need a lot of room between vines. Crops like oats will not do well with mulch. Oats form a "living mulch" by growing densely together. Chip/shell mulch will also take up nitrogen as they decay. A good tip for pumpkins is to place 1 pound of nitrogen (such as 2 lbs 46-0-0) in a circle 12-18 inches around the vine at first flower. Pumpkins also need heat, so they may not fully mature in northern MN without some global warming. I think you are on the right track. Test the soil pH, and add lime if necessary. That will be the best first step.