Don't Have a Root Cellar? We Have a Solution!
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- For many years the people of Appalachia would dig a hole, add some straw, then add their potatoes, then cover them with a burlap sack and dirt. This would preserve their potatoes for months. We are taking this same concept to preserve our harvest since we don't have a root cellar. Let us know in the comments how you preserve your food.
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Great idea for someone in suburbia that doesn't have a lot of space. Thank you and God bless.
Thank you!
@@RenewedHomestead hey a 20 gallon steel trash can with lid (a skinny lid just like the 31 gallon can)😊.
Thanks Oscar0006.
Denver!!!
🙂
Great idea!
Thank you Angie!
It freezes too hard here for that but I read about someone putting a freezer or fridge in the ground and covered it with insulation and soil and that worked for a root cellar. I live in Montana close to Yellowstone so it freezes to about 4 to 6 feet down. I had thought of an old fridge or freezer and put a 40 to 100 watt light in it with a thermostat on it so the light came on at a certain temp and off before it gets too warm.
That is a great idea! I would have never thought of a fridge or freezer but it makes sense. The thermostat may work. You will have to let us know if you try it. We hope to build a root cellar next year. We just have too much going on at the moment and not enough finances to add that this winter. 🙂
I first saw the metal can in the ground on pinball preparedness but you guys took it up 2 notches with the vent hole and straw on top. Good job guys!! Sadly i haven't grown enough in my small space to necessitate doing one of these, here is to hoping maybe next year!
I had no idea Pinball did that! How cool! We just started watching him a few months ago. 🙂 We really appreciate him.
We are so blessed to have enough to store. Let us know how it goes next year and we will do an update and let y’all know how it works. 🙂
Hey Ben. Great idea!
Thank you!!!
New sub. This is a great idea!
Thank you so much Robbie Lynn.We are glad to have you!
Love your creativity. Did you consider a bit of screen to slow down the bugs from entering the vent holes? You take such beautiful photos. Thanks for your posts, 😁
Thanks Dwight! We try to share a little bit of Appalachia. It is so beautiful here.
Ben put hardware cloth on the ends to keep anything from going in. 🙂 Great minds. 😉
I don't have a root cellar either and I almost got rid of 3 trash cans....but guess what? I'm not now....So this is great news!! Thank you so much for this video! That gives me great hope! God Bless you all and thanks again!
Thanks so much Homestead Jen. Let us know how it works for you!
I saw a man comment elsewhere that carwashes get rid of their huge drums of cleaning fluid by giving them away. Those may be toxic, of course. But, maybe placing a sealed 5 gallon foodgrade bucket in it would work alright - be safe enough
Hi Genki Feral, the chemicals would concern me, but it is a great idea to maybe check with restaurants and others to see if they have some food grade drums. Thank you!
Your dog says, "Nobody cares about a danged root cellar. Now, throw my toy, daddy!"I've seen a lot of coolers along the highway that fly out of the back of trucks. The lids are generally broken, though. These can be buried and, while not as deep, the shape is nice and the price (free) is also nice. I've heard people say they cover them with a bale of hay.
Hi Genki Feral, lol, he just wants to play. 😂
We have heard about people burying freezers as well. The cooler is a really good idea. We had not thought about that! Thank you!
At first it works really well then I realized that my water table raised in my backyard and I could no longer use it. So watch out for water tables.
Thanks DsHomeyGarden. Great point!
1. would it work with a plastic ban?! 2. one vent pipe would do the job or it is necesary to have 2 exits like you have?
Hi @clmvdv, it might be worth trying. I would have holes in the bottom for air flow. The metal trash may keep it cooler. I would have at least one vent pipe would be sufficient but I would check it to make sure it isn't sweating too much. I wouldn't think the plastic would sweat as much as the metal. Good luck and keep us posted on how it works. Thanks.
Great video, wondering what state your in and how this system worked out for you.
Hi Rick, thank you! We live in Western North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountains. It worked out well. We may go with wood next year because it did condensate some, but overall we were really impressed. Here is the update video.
Did Preserving Our Potatoes Work?
ua-cam.com/video/RU346PKr7SM/v-deo.html
Thank you again. 🙂
I saw someone do that method with apples about a year ago. That didn't work out so well. The Root veggies will probably have a better chance of survival though.
Hi Andrew, do you know how long they left the apples in? I have heard it is good for apples as well but it makes sense it would be better for root vegetables.
@@RenewedHomestead Sorry, but I don't recall. It was a UA-cam video.
We will have to look it up. Thank you. 🙂
how did this workout? did the potatoes last a while?
Hi Tim, they did. They lasted from about October til almost May. 🙂
Do you have an update on how they turned out?
Hi Asenath, Actually we are going to post a video on that next week. So far so good. 😊
Don't bugs get into the holes in the bucket?
Hi Athena, we have not had any issues with bugs in our potatoes. 🙂 Thanks for the comment.
Dude, get another drill bit &/or run your drill about 1/2 speed & your drill bit cuts much better!
Thanks for the suggestion. I have new bits now.
How do you keep the buggies out?
Hi Richie, we have not had any issues with bugs. We put a screen on the vent to keep mice out. So far so good. 🙂
Ll
Hi Gary, not sure the message came through. 🙂
171 farm rats liked this video....
Hi, I am not really sure what you mean….
Ffff
Hi Ian, not sure what that is supposed to mean….