Joel is a farm boy who grew up tending a soil garden like others have for centuries, but he shook up the gardening world with his first book on his breakthrough concept, straw bale gardening.  Joel earned a BS in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota and spends his summers tending his vegetable garden, doing research, and experimenting with new ideas and methods he can pass along to his followers. Joel has inspired tens of thousands of first-time gardeners and a legion of “seasoned” growers who have found a new and better way to pursue their passion.  His methods have even enabled “retired” gardeners to begin gardening again since his method eliminates the physical challenges found in traditional soil gardening.