I have several compost piles going in the back yard; I usually start a new one each year and after a couple of years of sitting there (not turned often, if at all) it's in excellent shape for the garden. And it seems like my best tasting cantaloupes are the ones that sprout and grow in the compost. :)

I miss the wonderful soil from the Pacific Northwest; this Texas soil is full of clay and really hard to work. Every year more soil amendments are added to get it into better condition, and the mulch put in the garden every year breaks down and improves it also.