Thanks Tom.
So the hay part...is it chunks of flakes set in a row and planted between? I can see that your under-plastic area is raised and almost looks squared off...that's why I'm wondering.
Also, did you use a tiller, a hoe, or both to get that lovely-looking weed-free space to the right of the watermelons? I mean...you don't even have any weeds showing at the edges of your tarps.
That's clean!