If you decorate your home with bales of straw during the fall months, you may not realize that having dry bales by the house actually poses a serious fire risk. But leaving them out in the elements to become wet bales can be problematic, too, over time. When you're done using them as decor, the best thing is to break up the straw and use it as mulch. It'll insulate plants or protect your vegetable garden, and come spring, it can be tilled right into the soil to break down into compost.
ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION