Pottering in the garden/greenhouse yesterday, pricking out. Today, I thought I'd prepare the raised bed/planters I grow my direct sow salad in and dig the bean trench. Bean trench first, I dug down a spade depth, half filled the trench with semi composted garden and kitchen wast, seem to remember this is an American idea . . . (might have read it on this site?). Then thought 
Compost . . . Manure, I have 6 bags stored round the back of the greenhouse, I got them last year, sealed with a tie wrap, had not looked at it, just dumped it!Opened the bag, expecting nothing special . . . wow, dark, fine texture, full of worms and no smell . . . I'm no expert . . . I'm no gardener, but I am a country boy, have seen and moved my share of horse manure. If I'm not mistaken, this is brown gold?
Working it in the trench, it just broke in to the finest texture, back filed about 6" of the earth, cant wait until it's time to put the Beans in, Cobra, French climbers. I did a trial planting last year, along with my Scarlet Emperor runner beans, the SE's cropped better, were more vigorous, but we preferred the flavour and less kitchen preparation of Cobra. I also planted the French beans in less than ideal conditions and to early, so they struggled! Hopping the trench preperation (which the SE's had last year) will help the French runners to do a little better?
Moved onto the Salad beds, removed the top 3" of soil, dug a further fork depth to loosen it up, never been done before, a layer of my brown gold, replace the top soil and give it all a gentle work over. As I say, the texture of the manure is so light and crumbly, it married with my light sandy soil perfectly.
A funny thing to get excited about is manure? . . . I'm not even sure, what I have done is the right thing to do? Although so well rotted, surly it will be OK? So looking forward to the growing bit
CJS
