Composted straw

That "straw bale garden" idea is working.  I did try it, as planned, and it is producing good results.  The poor quality of soil in my back yard is no longer an issue because the plants are grown in composted straw, an excellent growing medium according to the author of the book.

This picture will show how fertile composted straw can be:

This is one little hill of zucchini growing in the straw bale you see peeking out from under the plant.  We'll soon have salad zucchini for lunch.  If you're a gardener, check out that link above.