Steven Bornfeld wrote:

Just bought a house for the first time (at age 60!), and I have a back
yard I'd like to clear.
Of course, I'd like to clear the lot myself. Lot is about 50'x30.
Ordinarily I'd just take my time, clear a bit at a time. Would rather
not use herbicides (though the soil is hardly pristine--once caught one
of the painters dumping paint out back). I should probably try to rent
some power equipment, but is it feasible to do this with hand tools?
Biggest problem seems to be an overgrowth of wild fennel (which smells
great, but some of the tap roots go 2 feet straight down).
Any hand tools make this doable, or should I break down and get some
power tools I'll probably rarely use?

50' X 30' is a postage stamp. My vegetable garden is 50' X 50' and I
till it in like three hours, and I will soon be seventy years old. You
don't need to buy a tiller, go to your local Rent-All and rent one.
If you don't feel up to it for $100 hire a strapping teen for the
day... and I realize that's not easy, today's teens are deathly
ascared of dirt, sweat, and calluses. You'll probably need to hire a
girl. Haven't you noticed how Friendly's hires mostly girls, todays's
boys haven't the strength to scoop ice cream, nor the brains.