Food Storage-'Root Cellars'-Underground Storage

What Foods Can You Bury Underground For Winter?
http://www.askaprepper.com/what-foods-can-you-bury-underground-for-winter/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=AAP

Are you familiar with the term “starving spring”? How about “the hungry gap”? Well, these were two terms that represented the struggles of the average person, pre-convenience foods, to store enough food to sustain themselves and their families.

Winter would come to an end, but there would not be a crop to harvest for months yet. Animals would be sparse, and it would be a few weeks or more before anything would be ready to hunt or eat. This issue was exacerbated by the fact that spring is a time of hard work for those who settle on the land.

Spring is a time for tilling and planting. This means there is an increase in caloric needs. Without an increased calorie consumption, we are quickly faced with an issue. Thus, the above-mentioned names.

Without having adequate provisions stored you would starve to death. Such was the case in Jamestown in the winter of 1609 to 1610, where 500 settlers dwindled to a mere 60 through starvation. These survivors jumped on a ship and headed for the Chesapeake Bay where another supply ship was set to arrive.

So, what did people bury underground to try and stave off the starving spring.   ---CONTINUED---

How to Build a Cold Storage Room
https://www.thereadystore.com/featured/17505/how-to-build-a-cold-storage-room/

  Now, that you've got a stockpile of food and gear for an emergency you might be wondering where you're going to put all of it. Building a cold storage room in your basement or spare room is a great idea to keep everything organized. This will free up cupboard space in your kitchen. Keeping food in a cool dark space will lengthen its shelf life. A cold storage room could also double as a storm shelter in the event of an emergency.   ---CONTiNUED---

Root Cellaring Basics:
https://www.backdoorsurvival.com/root-cellaring-basics-extending-the-season-without-canning/

Root cellars have long been used to extend the harvest. There is so much you can do to make veggies last longer no matter what space you have to utilize. The key is finding the cooler and more temperature stable areas of your home. You don’t have to get out the shovel and dig and an old-fashioned root cellar to use some of the techniques.

My basement is not a place I go often. We have a small house with a craw space style basement except for in the front there is a space that is 6 feet tall. This year, however, we started using it for some root vegetable storage.   ---CONTINUED---

Garbage can root cellar
http://www.thefoodguys.com/rootcellar1.htm

  Consider burying a galvanized garbage can in the ground to create your own "root cellar." The root cellar keeps potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, and apples through the winter. Bury the can upright with 4 in. or so of the top protruding above ground level.

Place the garbage can on a well-drained site, and make a ditch so surface water will be diverted and not run into the container. Make sure the can has a good lid, and cover the lid with straw. Over the straw put a waterproof cover of canvas or plastic.

Put veggies and fruits in perforated polyethylene bags. Root crops like beets, carrots, and turnips should not be put into storage until late fall. Don't store carrots near apples because the apples give off gases that make the carrots bitter. Avoid bruising veggies to prevent rot. Also, I don't recommend sweet potatoes for the "root cellar" because the dampness causes them to decay.

Root Cellars
http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/About/farmlife/home/root-cellars.asp

Excerpt:

  A root cellar is nothing more than some sort of underground containment — even a container buried in the ground works. The warmth of the surrounding earth keeps the vegetables (root crops) inside the container free from frost. It needn’t be elaborate, because a dirt floor is actually ideal. The dampness of the earth provides the moisture that most root crops need. A vent pipe in the top is a good idea, but don’t let that complication keep you from simply burying a garbage can out back and then covering it with straw and a layer of plastic. Even an old refrigerator with the latch removed and then laid on its back in a hole the size and depth of the refrigerator will work. (Removing the latch is essential in case a curious kid decides to play hide-and-seek there. It’s also essential to pick up an old refrigerator or chest freezer from an appliance shop that has had the motor, and hence the cooling gases, removed.)

For most crops, the ideal temperature ... ---CONTINUED---

Storing Vegetables
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/tog/storing.cfm

Freshness Is in Store
  A box in the basement or a garbage can buried outdoors can provide an excellent and inexpensive means of food preservation. Whether homegrown or store-bought, many vegetables can be stored for several weeks when kept under proper conditions.

Extra vegetables should be kept in the ground for as long as weather permits. Many vegetables can be left where they are grown until mid-November and then harvested and placed in storage.

Root crops (beets, carrots, parsnips, potatoes and turnips) can be left in the ground until...   ---CONTINUED---

Emergency Food Storage: The Pallet Root Cellar.
http://www.theepicenter.com/tow1102.html

  Construction of the Pallet Root Cellar is very simple and can be made and put into use in a weekend. Here's how:

* Collect six pallets from outside stores and garbage pick up points or the local furniture movers.
* Measure your pallets (usually 4'x4') and dig a hole several inches bigger all round than the pallets. Be sure to allow enough depth for the top pallet to be below ground by 6" when it is put on. ---- CONTINUED with FULL INSTRUCTIONS at LINK, above ---

Above Ground Root Cellars – Enjoy Your Local Produce Longer
https://commonsensehome.com/above-ground-root-cellars/

  Over the years I've received many inquires about what above ground root cellar type options might be available for people in cold and warm climates. For those in warm climates – sorry, the physics are not in your favor, unless you have a spring house, but this post will give you some ideas to keep homegrown food on the table year round. For those in cold climates – there are a number of above ground options that may help you store  your harvest without processing for at least part of the non-growing season. We'll cover those, too. First, let's talk root cellar physics. (Don't worry, I've got a minor in physics to go with my math degree – I'll get you through this.)   ---CONTINUED---

Includes:
Root Cellar Physics
Above Ground Food Storage Options for Cold Climates

Root Cellars 101- Root Cellar Design, Use and Mistakes to Avoid
https://commonsensehome.com/root-cellars-101/

  In this article we'll talk about 5 things you must include in a root cellar design, plus 10 tips for fruit and vegetable storage. There's also a printable storage guide for over 30 fruits and veggies, and jump links to additional information at the bottom of the post.

A root cellar is a great low-cost way to store food – not just root vegetables, but other fresh produce, too. They require no energy to use and very little maintenance. You can build in a root cellar when your home is under construction, but it’s also possible to add a root cellar to your basement, or build one outside your home.   ---CONTINUED---

Included:
What is a root cellar?
Building a Root Cellar
Types of Root Cellars and Natural Cold Storage Options
10 Tips for Fruit and Vegetable Storage in a Root Cellar
Fruit and Vegetable Storage Chart
Root Cellar Location – In the Basement or Buried Outside?
Retrofitting a Root Cellar in an Existing Home
Adding a Root Cellar in a New Home
Building a Root Cellar Outside the Home
Traditional Root Cellar
Earth Berm Root Cellar
Barrel in the ground A (approximately Zones 6-9)
Barrel in the ground B (approximately Zones 3-6)
Root Cellar Ventilation
Ethylene Gas
Root Cellar Lighting
Root Cellar Humidity – Keep Things Moist But Not Wet
Root Cellar Shelving
Recommended Root Cellar Books

Another instructional on the Trash Can version:

How To Make A Mini Root Cellar In Your Backyard In Less Than Two Hours
https://www.askaprepper.com/make-mini-root-cellar-backyard-10-one-hour/

  A root cellar is still a great way to store fruits and vegetables, though, especially when you need to store more than you have room for indoors. They will also keep the fruits and vegetables fresh without electricity. If your house doesn’t have one, you can still take advantage of nature’s “ice box.” All it takes is a shovel, a little elbow grease and a trash can.   ---CONTINUED---

How To Build A Root Cellar In Your Backyard
https://www.askaprepper.com/build-root-cellar-backyard/

  We decided that our little farm needed a root cellar to store our produce in. For those unfamiliar with the term, a root cellar is an underground room that acts like a natural refrigerator, maintaining temperatures in the mid 30’s F in the winter and mid 50’s in the summer.

#Step One:

Dig a hole in the ground. We are fortunate to have a local gravedigger who is a real artist with a backhoe. He can carve a hole with straight sides almost within an inch of what you ask for.   ---CONTINUED---

How To Keep Produce Fresh Underground During the Winter
https://www.thereadystore.com/diy/2282/storing-food-underground-for-the-winter/

  Winter is coming and it’s that time of year where you can start reaping the fruits (or veggies!) of your labor. There are a couple of different methods to ensure your produce stays crisp, fresh, and unspoiled. Today, we will be discussing what options you have as a homesteader to keep your produce fresh during the cold months.

When deciding what produce to store during the winter, keep in mind that biennials (plants that flower and set seed during their second growing season) are the most reliable. This means vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, kohlrabi and onions to name a few. Whatever you choose to store, it’s very important that you prep the produce before storing.   ---CONTINUED---

Turn a Dead Chest Freezer Into a Miniature Root Cellar
https://lifehacker.com/turn-a-dead-chest-freezer-into-a-miniature-root-cellar-5936047

  If you're a gardener you know that storing your home-grown veggies and fruits is the step that lets you enjoy your produce even in Winter. Freezing is a great way to eat fresh veggies all year but even if your freezer dies you can bury it and use it as a miniature root cellar.  ---CONTINUED---