Meri Michaud

I must admit that I am the newbiest newb when it comes to straw bale gardens. Although I grew up on a 240-acre farm in Pequot Lakes, MN, and our garden was an acre (yeah, there were 9 of around the dinner table. Lots of canning going on at our house), it was all conventional.
Because we’re renters in Connecticut, I’ve tried the container growing, but our landlord would complain about having to mow around the containers and made us get rid of them. We finally found a place to rent last fall with a little bit of a back yard (shared) and neighbors who mow the lawn, but are wicked excited to see how the garden grows.
My husband got me a copy of Joel’s Straw Bale Gardening book for Christmas, and well, it’s his fault I’ve now got 10 glorious bales sitting in our backyard. Everything is growing wonderfully, except the carrots.
I am completely and totally in love with this process, even though mine is scaled down (I don’t have the steel fence posts, and I don’t have the soaker hose). This growing season is my trial and error season. I don’t have all my veggies in straw bales, but I’m looking forward to the harvest I’m sure is coming!