Experimental Garden Log: Stardate 04112010

Hello All,
After spending several hours in the sun and heavy traffic recently, with little interest in my job skills, I decided instead to begin "Experimental Garden Plot #1-A41110". This new adventure came about due to the most recent issue of Mother Earth News, which had an article about growing a garden in a minimum of space utilizing 40lb bags of topsoil. Another interesting method of planting vegetables in bales of straw was also brought to my attention in the past week. I coupled these two ideas, along with an unsightly area next to my parents shed and went to work. Yesterday, (April 10, 2010) I removed 12 wheelbarrows full of field stone that my father had placed there 25 years ago so the swamp rats would not burrow under the cement slab of the shed. I have not seen any swamp rats anywhere near the shed for 25 years, but they do exist. I do however know that because I removed the field stone, this will likely be the catalyst and year when they decide to return from their extended around the world tour. Nonetheless I have moved forward and purchased 12 bales of wheat straw and 12 - 40lb bags of premium topsoil (I chose the $1.98 per bag of superior dirt (Scott's brand Topsoil) over the $1.28 ordinary dirt (Wal-Mart brand topsoil). I installed the straw in a double row against the east wall of the shed. The bags of topsoil have been laid in a single row end to end all along the front. In order to prep the straw for planting the decay process must be kick started with water, so tonight I watered my straw bales, thoroughly. I am supposed to water them every day for a week after which I can begin planting. I will send photos of my progress as soon as I figure out how to move the images from the camera to the computer.
Happy Gardening,
Dale