Change in the garden

This year I've decided to do a couple of things differently in the garden. I was able to scavange three bales of straw last fall, and let them sit in the garden over the winter. I didn't have Justin till with the rototiller this spring, although I did use the "claw". Once I got my plants in, I spread the straw between the rows. this will be the beginning of my experiment in no-till gardening, also known as permanent mulch. I read a book years ago about it, but never got the nerve to go against conventional wisdom. As I get older, I find I'm much less concerned what anyone else thinks! So far, I don't have any weeds, and I'm hoping that the straw will help keep the dirt from splashing up on the tomato plants and giving them that fungus they have been getting the last couple of years.
The other things I'm trying are broccoli and leeks. I planted broccoli once back home, and it became infested with aphids. There wasn't enough soaking to make all the bugs come off, so I just couldn't eat it. I have been curious about leeks for a couple of years, so when I saw a pot of them for just under $4.00, I had to give them a try. Two individual leeks are $2.00 at the market, so if these work out, it will be an incredible bargain!