Raised beds. Absolutely.
I've got terrific "bottom land" here in zone 5, but when the ground
dries, it's concrete-hard. I've tried the peat-sand-compost
amendments, and it will take (literally) tons of material to change.
Raised beds can ignore all that; you just have to be more careful to
water, and even that can be made reasonable by mulching to reduce
evaporation.

Go for it! Good luck!