It really does work! You just have to be sure you've got STRAW and not HAY! We also do "no till" gardening. Just mulch, mulch, mulch the living daylights out of your garden. Don't till it (exposing weed seeds to the sun so they can grow). You just clear a little spot to plant in the soil. You won't have to weed or water nearly so much. It's the lazy gardener's secret.

We also have chickens, and they're wonderful gardening partners. Their poop is good for the soil. We turn them loose in fallow beds to do their thing. They'll also eat bugs, which I appreciate. Just be sure these little garden helpers don't get into the beds you've planted, because they'll eat your produce! Also, they'll eat kitchen scraps (including... chicken, which we don't do). Oh, and eggs! You get lovely eggs!