Much room for mushrooms?

I asked Small Boy what he wanted to grow, and without any hesitation he said 'mushrooms'.
Now, he doesn't like mush rooms and won't so much as look at one, so I think he said it because he thought it would be a challenge for me, much in the same way as if he had asked me to grow the moon or a cow. However, I like to be challenged and said 'ok then' which is not what his 4 year old mind was expecting.

So, we have mushroom spawn, and we are just preparing our compost. this entails a big tray piled with straw and chicken dung, watered, turned and left to get hot. When it eventually goes all composty, I will spread it in some deep plastic drawers, propagate the spawn, wait to see it on the surface, case it, and wait for button mushrooms. or, something like that.

I have grown them once before from a kit, and they were lovely. I am, however, deeply phobic of polystyrene, so couldn't manage that this time.

We will see. Something new to try, and if they are as nice as last time then it will be worth it.

2 beds down, 3 to go...

In the middle of my cold riddled delirium 2 weeks ago, I went to aldi and bought up their specialbuys.

Last year, we resisted the urge to put raised beds in- Hubby thought it would be good to use more temporary 'raised bed bags' (haxnicks?) for a season and grow a tiny amount to see what grew and what the light was like. Turns out, our choice of location for these (the edge of lawn 1) was great- full sunshine all day plus very close to the outside tap. Brassicas did especially well, but basically everything we put in did something.

So... I had been waiting for aldi specialbuy gardening Thursday to be announced to see what this years offerings would be. My main purchase ended up being 5 raised beds (1mx1m) at £6.99 each and a steel obelisk for growing peas and beans.

I have already bought peas, courgettes and 3 types of potato to go in- I plan to buy small plants including broccoli, cabbage, globe artichoke, squashes.

Will add a picture of my hard work tomorrow.

Hello Horton!

A new chicken has come to stay- Horton.

After picking Horton up from a lovely family in a cold, windy, slightly windy car park, we got home. After quite a bit of deliberation, we decided the she would be best off living with the Famous 5- Julian, Dick, George, Anne and Timmy.
After a cuddle (she is possibly the nicest natured chicken I have ever held!) she has gone into their run to make friends.

 

ETA: All was well over night, I went down to see them in the dark and they were all snuggled together in the nest box, Horton with her wing over them. I think she thinks she is their mummy!