Help Urban Ruins start a mushroom garden
The team wants to establish the Urbanmushruins garden early next month.
Local NPO Urban Ruins needs donations to establish an ‘Urbanmushruins’ garden next month.
Founder Clayton Viljoen said they want to set up a garden and plant oyster mushrooms to sell to sustain the operations of the NPO.
“We need six 6mx2m Wendy houses, a 100m fence six feet (1.82m) high, shade net 100m², PVC canvas flooring 40m², 200-micron plastic sheets 150m², thermos-shield paint, nine 20l buckets, three wood sealers 20l, 50 onion bags, 30 straw bales, 200 20l buckets, two 12-head ultrasonic mist makers, three extractor fans inline 800m², solar system with 2kv inverters, panels and batteries coping with nine kwh per day, straw shredder, two hygrometers, three thermometers, one PH meter, two CO meters, two spawn 7kg per week and lime,” said Viljoen.
They would like the items before November 6 to begin with the garden.
“Mushrooms take about four weeks to show. The first harvest should be ready in December if we get the necessary equipment in time.
“We have already spoken with retail shops, and they said they are interested in buying our mushrooms if they are in good condition,” Viljoen explained.
He said the oyster mushrooms they plan to plant have many health benefits.
“They prevent osteoporosis, arthritis and anaemia and protect people against various cancers. They boost vitamin D levels and bone mineral density and help to maintain blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
“They are also rich in antioxidants, which may serve as preventative measures for diseases,” he mentioned.
He said the NPO has five projects it is rolling out.
“They are the ECD school, feeding scheme, resetting project, Urbanmushruins garden and call centre.
“In the resetting project, we help people coming from various shelters who are trying re-establish their lives with furniture and guidance,” Viljoen explained.
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