I don't get very much wind out here but that year I had just spread it out shortly before we did get a good wind...I think it was during the monsoon season. Anyway it blew straw everywhere and it took me, seriously, about 3 months to get it all picked up out of the rocks and shrubs. Constantly had to skim the pool....Now the only straw that comes to my house goes directly into the enclosed compost bins.
When I lived in a more rural area I would till straw and rice hulls into the garden and it made fabulous soil. We also had a chicken coop in the middle of the garden and that was very convenient in a lot of ways. Garden scrap would go in...eggs and fertilizer would come out. They were pretty good on bug patrol too...they loved to fight over hornworms.
