Why not just lkeave it there! Pull it back, add your compost iver the surface, and pull back the straw. Over the Winter it will slowly decompose, adding additional organic matter. It the spring, pull the straw away, and plant. The soil will be soft, moist and good to go. If you need to add any soil ammendments like blood meal or bone meal, just scatter it on the surface in early Spring. The earth worms, rain and other soil life will migrate it down to root level in a few weeks.
There is no need to till the soil every year! That is a myth!

Ron
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Ron very well stated. I don't intend to till any next year. I did use a potato fork to turn the ground over for my garlic row that I will plant in Oct. And really didn't need to do that except felt I needed to mix the manure I added in a little. JD

Between now and when your soil bacteria do slow down becuase of too cold soil is a long time so you could 1) pull the straw back and lay down the compost and put the straw back, or 2) plunk the compost down on top of the straw and cover that with leaves that will soon be available around you. A good mulch will also aid in keeping the soil temperatures warmer, longer so the bacteria will be working longer.

Not to hijack the thread but how long would all these 3 layers (straw > compost and/or manure > leaves) have to sit on top of the garden before it would be ready to till in?

How long after tilling in before it would be ready for planting?

Thanks for your replies. My next question is - when spring comes will all those layers slow down the thawing out of the soil? Our ground freezes up in Nov. and doesn't thaw until April-May with winter temps reaching as low as -40.My veggie beds are raised , so they do warm up a little earlier. I guess my questions are pretty much the ones emyers is asking. Once again, thanks for your help.