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I also think it is a positive indication that you are supplying correct composting conditions, and that other fungi should thrive. I have sourced fresh ,coarse, wood chip this Summer for the paths, where it has spread onto the beds in particular, several very attractive toadstools have appeared, not qualified to determine whether they are a harvestable crop(One can only get it wrong once!! ) but they are quite pretty. Field mushrooms are also prolific in areas, these could be encouraged as a future project I think.
Voles have vexed me considerably, my plot is within a grazed pasture area and considerable damage was suffered in Spring. My array of Little nipper traps have succeeded in catching numbers of voles and long tailed field mice , baited variously with apple core sections or ‘monkey’ nuts in the shell, halved and tied- on to halt the ‘hit & run’ technique. I became almost paranoid, having notions of 2-vole teams working together!!, evidenced by catching two side by side, in a single trap.The field is regularly hunted by Buzzard & Red Kite by day and various owls at night.This will be continued throughout the winter, the Kite collects corpses from a corner post “by arrangement”
I think you will find it is possible to seperate these by “panning” as if for gold.The roughly circular seeds will run away on a plant pot saucer or biscuit tin lid, and also you may be able to blow away husks with a tube of rolled paper. Failing that, plant as is.
Dont be too sorry your spring greens are a paler shade than those you may find in shops.My suspicion is that they have been “forced” to grow rapidly with a dose of high nitrate fertiliser. The clue is in the colour, as you might find in washed spinach saladstuff which is often darker than holly!
I think the “dis-appearance” of your slug pellets may be mouse activity. They contain a high percentage of cereal as the bait.Be on the lookout for small caches of pellets to confirm.Try slug traps with “waste” beer or concoct a sugary solution (or Cola) Pre-emptive action before you plant evens the odds of success!
In my non qualified opinion, all soil components are likely to carry the mentioned organisms- and more!! Therefore consider all crops potentially contaminated.If you have grown them, you will know that’s all they carry ,unless you have drenched them in biocides.Problem ?, no but adopt sound hygiene. Wash in clean (saline?)water. Place on clean surfaces, within clean packaging. If offering for sale, add caution in labelling “Recommend washing before use” Whatever you do, you cannot know whether a rat, bird or slug has previously visited your crop. It is unwise to assure otherwise.
PS If you are engaged in trade, obtain Public liability insurance. The insurer may provide requirements that you should meet.Very little increase year upon year.Its said it takes 1000 years to “make” an inch of topsoil.
To contain the added compost you could ease the frame upwards a little, or discard completely , I expect Charles will say.The old tale was that every grape vine planted in Spain lay on a dead donkey. Unable to corroborate this, and finding bonemeal easier to carry, it has never failed me.
Not sure of there being any merit in removing the turf, if you can collect cardboard(easy from your local stores, especially retailers of fridges, w/machines-( huge thick cartons!), just open out the cartons, overlap by 20 cms, keeping the edges strait along any paths and cover with 10cm rotted manure of compost or even top soil, then compost topping. Plant strait away, with transplants grown in modules. Try not to leave any places with underlying vegetation in the light. If you can leave your cardboard out in a shower or two, it will soften and hug the ground contour, giving easy access to worms and micro organisms from your turf layer. Its probably only that 2-3cm that contains the lifeforms of your trampled ground.