I'm trying a couple different ways for me this time around. I like the fact that outdoor growing can be accomplished in so many different ways.
These are my boxes, are being kept on the deck in hopes of stopping critters better. Possible to lose the bottoms out of course, so a board placed under them makes me feel better if I have to move them, etc. They were spawned with grain jars that were about 3 months old. 
This is the old sled that was all cracked, and broken in a few places in the bottom. This was also spawned with 2 old jars of grain in one half, and 3 brfv cakes that had been sitting dunking in the fridge for 3 weeks or so in the other half.These are pics of how I prepare my bulk outdoor substrate for mixing and spawning. I like to soak a bunch of straw, sometimes I add a little lime with it, and sometimes I add the manure with it to soak all at once. I never pasteurize anything for outside and never worry about being clean etc.
the soaked straw
And mixing it all up togetherWhen I built the boxes I layed 2 inches of just the soaked straw on the bottoms to help hold the poo and spawn inside.
After its all made, I like to lay about 2 inches of dry straw, or old dry grass clippings on top. This allows me to water/or let the rain water without ruining the mycelium and substrate.
I made these 6 days ago and they are coming along nicely.
I'll update with pics as soon as something more exciting happens. They are colonizing the sides of the boxes which is kinda cool looking too.
One thing that is really important if you are going to do outdoor growing and use containers etc. that you drill holes in the bottoms for draining. If the water can't drain you'll just drown the substrates. One of the reasons I decided to try the boxes.
Also, shade, shade, shade. If you don't have shade, try to cover your patch with a dark breathable material of some kind. Poke a few holes if you need to get some light through to them. We don't want the substrates to get sunbaked.
*Please note: this isn't an outdoor tek or anything. I haven't even fruited anything from them yet. Its just my outdoor project. So, please, don't replicate unless you can stand failure. I could very well fail and not get any fruits.*
