Mulching with 'manure'

Next year's mulched Brassica patch behind compost on strawberry bed with mulched Pea & Bean bed in front

I spent a large part of today on the allotment. It was a lovely day, cold with a chill breeze but the sun was warm and my main task was shovelling manure into the trailer and then barrowing it onto the plot, all of which kept me warm.
It took a lot of fiddling around to reverse the trailer up to the manure heap until I tied my sledge hammer into the back corner so the handle stuck up in the air so I could see where the trailer was behind me.

My first load was from the long bin at the far end of the site and was spread over next year's pea and bean patch. I get about 10 barrow-loads from each trailer load, just about enough to cover a 4m by 3m patch.

The second load I took from the heap on the corner behind the Trading Hut. I had hoped to take manure from where it has spilled onto the track but I couldn't get my trailer into a position that did not block the track while I filled it. However, I did manage to get some from that stack that was already partially composted. That load was spread over next year's Brassica patch.
As I think I have said before, the woodchip in the manure is not very good for the soil as it uses up Nitrogen while decomposing. I therefore use it as a mulch and avoid just digging it in. If I have to dig it in I carefully bury it deep hoping it will stay out of the way soaking up what is washed down from the top soil.

I plan to scrape the mulch aside to sow/plant my crops leaving it to cover between plants, locking in the moisture and providing a clean walking surface.

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When that was done I dug out 3 barrow-loads of compost and spread it over half my strawberry bed where I plan to plant my new plants I have ordered on the internet. I have ordered earlies and drought resistant varieties to supplement the summer plants I currently grow.
Checking the rest of the plot I noticed that all my autumn sown peas have disappeared, probably eaten by slugs or mice. This is despite them being protected under a net tunnel all through the winter as in the photograph.

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​I also checked my cauliflowers. While two plants have leaves wrapped round a lump, there is no sign of white curds yet.
As I had quite a bit of rubbish to take to the tip I loaded that in the trailer and set off - only to get there 5 minutes after closing time, so I will have to keep it at home all night and take it to the tip in the morning.

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