Inside one of the mushroom sheds
30th July 2000.
This is a set of historical photos of Freshacres Nurseries Ltd, Roundstone Lane, Angmering. The nursery site was sold to property developers in July 2000, and has since become part of the Bramley Green housing estate.
The site had been empty for a few months ... there were just a few more things we had been sent over to pick up.
This is looking inside one of the ten mushroom sheds. The large flat boxes would have been stacked several high, with a gap between the layers. Ladders were needed to reach the top boxes.
This is how mushroom production works. First, the large wooden trays are filled with horse manure. They are taken to the peak heat rooms, where they stay for 7 days for pasteurisation.
Then the compost is spawned (by machine) using rye grains coated with spores. The compost is firmed by a hydraulic ram press. The trays are then taken to spawn running rooms for 10-12 days.
A casing of peat and chalk is put on. At that point, the trays are taken to the cropping houses and watered. The temperature and humidity can be controlled ... initially it is kept at 20-24c at 90% humidity for about 10-12 days. Then it is lowered to 18c at 80% humidity as the mushrooms form. The trays come into crop 21 days from casing.
Inside one of the mushroom sheds
30th July 2000.
This is a set of historical photos of Freshacres Nurseries Ltd, Roundstone Lane, Angmering. The nursery site was sold to property developers in July 2000, and has since become part of the Bramley Green housing estate.
The site had been empty for a few months ... there were just a few more things we had been sent over to pick up.
This is looking inside one of the ten mushroom sheds. The large flat boxes would have been stacked several high, with a gap between the layers. Ladders were needed to reach the top boxes.
This is how mushroom production works. First, the large wooden trays are filled with horse manure. They are taken to the peak heat rooms, where they stay for 7 days for pasteurisation.
Then the compost is spawned (by machine) using rye grains coated with spores. The compost is firmed by a hydraulic ram press. The trays are then taken to spawn running rooms for 10-12 days.
A casing of peat and chalk is put on. At that point, the trays are taken to the cropping houses and watered. The temperature and humidity can be controlled ... initially it is kept at 20-24c at 90% humidity for about 10-12 days. Then it is lowered to 18c at 80% humidity as the mushrooms form. The trays come into crop 21 days from casing.