Chelsfield Village Voice December 2016.Pub
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
December 2016 Supported by Chelsfield's Doomed Second Bid for Christmas No 1! The Newsletter and “What’s On” Guide for See Page 14 to download your Copy Residents & Friends of Chelsfield Village Mushroom & Toadstool 2 Miller Mutterings 4 Phil’s Christmas Cartoon 5 The Railway Children 6 Views on Bromley 6 David Michael Lord 7 The Nativity 8 Art in Orpington Priory 9 Local History Group 9 Quiz Night Results 11 Broadband Update 12 Power Update 12 Safer Neighbourhoods 12 Christmas at St Martins 13 Another Christmas Song 14 Useful Contact Numbers 15 Dates for your Diary 16 The Village Voice NEEDS YOU!!! We depend on your news, reports, stories, photos, dia- ry events, cartoons, etc. to keep the Village Voice both useful and interesting. Please send anything you feel suitable for the January 2017 issue to: chelsfield- [email protected] or post to: Chelsfield Village Voice 2 Bucks Cross Cottages Chelsfield Village BR6 7RN by Tuesday 27th December December 2016 Page 2 Mushroom / Toadstool I have chosen the subject evolved to the point seemingly appear of the mushroom and where there is no overnight, growing or toadstool for this month technical distinction expanding rapidly and as the autumn has just between them but my this led to the common passed and this time of understanding has expression in the English year is the one most always been that some language "to mushroom" associated with fungi and mushrooms are edible or "mushrooming". the like (and I’m always a but no toadstools are. Mushrooms do not month or two out of date Maybe this stems from belong to either the by the time these things the peasant masses of animal or plant kingdoms get into print)! I’m not the past using the word but have their own ‘fungi’ choosing any one toadstool to refer to the classification. They do species but wish to non-edible varieties of not photosynthesize like approach the subject fungi and somehow this plants but draw nutrition from a holistic point of distinction has been from decaying organic view as there’s not much- passed through the ages matter, or on occasion room ha, ha. You see, I’m but not scientifically from living matter and such a fungi ! defined. Interestingly a can have symbiotic Firstly, what’s the book from the 1800s relationships with living difference between written by William Delisle plants that benefits both mushrooms and Hay noted a national fungi and plant. Fungi are toadstools – ‘nobody superstition or fear based on something knows’ as Steven Fry (fungophobia) of called mycelium which is would say and that’s toadstools: even if they the vegetative part of a because there is no couldn’t distinguish them bacterial colony that is scientific distinction that from mushrooms! usually found in the soil. has been laid down. The The terms "mushroom" The mycelium may then reasons being: and "toadstool" go back produce a fruiting body They cannot be centuries and but as I which we know as distinguished by shape, have said, were never mushrooms whose role is colour, or appearance. precisely defined. to disperse spores for the There is no distinction in Between 1400 and 1600 next generation. These terms of caps and stems. AD, a variety of terms bacterial colonies may be Fungi are not defined by were used including: minute or extensive and level of toxicity: anything mushrom, mushrum, or long lived and create a classed as either may be musserouns . The modern widespread network or edible, mildly toxic, term and its earlier pads below ground. hallucinogenic or variations may have been There is a 2400 acre site extremely poisonous. derived from the French (over 9 km 2) in eastern So both the words word mousseron in Oregon in Malheur ‘mushroom’ and reference to moss . Many National Forest that once ‘toadstool’ seem to have species of mushrooms consisted of a single December 2016 Page 3 growth of mycelium before logging roads cut through it. That’s about the size of 1660 football pitches and was estimated to be around 2200 years old. This mycelium absorbs nutrients from its environment in a two stage process. First it secretes enzymes into the food source (usually woody material) and these enzymes break down the biological ‘fairy rings’, the circles of to be the portals to a fairy polymers (such as mushrooms that realm and anybody who cellulose) into smaller mysteriously appear should be unwise enough units. These are then overnight. The scientific to step into one will die absorbed into the reason for these rings is young or become mycelium. So mycelium due to the mycelium invisible to the mortal is vital to the environment using more nitrogen than world, transported to the due to its role in the grass under which the fairy realm and unable to decomposition, building spores grow. So spores escape. Either way, you up the carbon component that begin growing will would be forced to dance of soil and releasing move out from the around the ring until you carbon dioxide back into original location depleting die of exhaustion or the atmosphere. At the the soil as it grows and madness (see the 19 th same time some types of each generation will century image on the mycelium allow healthy move further from the following page which plants to increase their original source creating shows somebody trying absorption of water and an ever increasing ring. to drag a friend from the nutrients and even This only breaks down grip of such a ring). convey resistance to when the original site Mushrooms are obviously some plant pathogens. recovers. In the process, very popular in cooking All of these processes, nutrient poor grass within and yet, being neither other than the production the ring can often appear vegetable nor meat they of carbon dioxide, are a different colour to grass are however known great for compost heaps outside the ring and this colloquially as the ‘meat’ and help to explain why leads to folklore about the of the vegetable world. well rotted compost is so dangers associated with Most mushrooms are good for your soil. stepping into a ring. In safe to eat but some are These mycelium pads many European cultures seriously poisonous so I have the ability to create fairy rings are considered have no intention of December 2016 Page 4 making any suggestions Life saving 1800s style! or recommendations regarding cooking. Many people do however collect their own fungi and these people are known as mycophagists although this term can also relate to those who simply eat mushrooms. So, if you intend to collect your own for consumption then make sure you know your onions (or in this case: mushrooms)! I do outside my cottage for a it for a very good reason: not collect them but I do couple of years. It does I don’t trust my ability to remember one species not look appetising but identify one mushroom known as ‘Common apparently is one of the from another! Chanterelle’ that best mushrooms there Steve Fuller, appeared on the lawn are for eating. I did not try December 2016 Mutterings From The Millers The Winter wheat and barley straw, plus barley the yard. The first section barley are growing well straw is wanted as cattle had to cross the main and have had weed killer food. entrance into Chelsfield applied. During this Motor Works so we hired application, Steve noticed We were grateful to see a pneumatic drill to get that where the barley the rain, not only for the through the tarmac, trials took place and the crops but we are now concrete and crushed chopped straw wasn’t delivering more hay and flint. Quite a job as you removed, the plants are straw to local stables for can imagine. The second not looking so good. The their horses. As the rain section was across the reason for this is that as and cold weather middle of our yard so for the barley straw breaks increases many horses that we hired a digger down, it produces toxins, are brought in from the with a trenching bucket. which the new plants fields. Pete was surprised to cannot deal with. Some learn that the bricks he plants will continue to A new electric cable was hitting in one spot grow but some will needed to be laid, so was an old soak away. perish. Another reason Pete and Steve dug a 1.1 Steve explained about why we always bale the metre deep trench across this amazing structure, December 2016 Page 5 which measured It took the boys about 9 cloud ………….. approximately 20ft across days to complete which I and about 30ft deep. All thought was excellent as This months saying is for bricked with a domed top, it was a hard job. Christmas Day a work of art considering that nobody would ever Although it is not good Sun through the apple see it. It was filled in news that the pound has trees on Christmas day, during the early 1960’s by weaken, especially if you Means a fine crop is on Grandma (Ruby Miller) are buying from abroad, it the way . because somehow a pig has helped us as the managed to fall down it price of wheat is slowly Merry Christmas from and it wasn’t being used. creeping back up. Every Steve, Pete and Chris Phil’s Christmas Cartoon December 2016 Page 6 The Railway Children by Chelsfield Players It must be very difficult to on and off by the players to direct a well known play, set the different scenes to Andrew Haggerty knowing that there is a great effect.