larry_stewart
Master Chef
For years, I always wanted to build myself a root cellar, but the amount of land, and layout of my land doesn't really allow for it.
I've been gardening since I've moved in, and I'm always left with dozens and dozens of extra potatoes and onions that I either have to hope don't rot before I use them, or the ground doesn't freeze too deep.
The potatoes Ive been digging up as I needed them up until about 2 weeks ago. But with and Arctic front coming, along with a snow storm, and a few days off, I figured now was the time to do what I should have done years ago.
I had to be a little unconventional, as I mentioned above about the restrictions of my land, so I did some research. Came across one technique that basically buries a garbage can loaded with Hay. I figured I had nothing to lose, other than a day of digging a big hole.
I dug my hole ( somewhere between 4 -5 ft deep). I put the garbage can in. Put a layer of straw, then the potatoes , onions, topped off with more straw, on top of that , I had a styrofoam lid from another container, which i placed , then the lid of the garbage can. On top of that 2 bales of straw to cover the lid and provide more insulation, and also as a protective cover.
The cold and poor weather settled in. Sure enough, I ran out of onions and had to go retrieve some. As I reached my hands inside to get the onions, I could feel the significant difference of the air inside compared to the air outside. Its not the Ideal situation,as I'd prefer to have a larger, ' walk in' root cellar, or one built into a hill, but, I'll take what I got.
What I find the most rewarding, is that tonight, a good 2 months past my harvest season, I am making homemade vegetable soup with my own potatoes, onions ( in the cellar), along with the home grown tomatoes , okra and string beans I have in the stored in the freezer. ( Tomatoes I skin, run through a mill to deseed, and make a puree out of then freeze, string beans blanch and freeze, okra freeze straight up).
Just thought I'd share,
Larry
I've been gardening since I've moved in, and I'm always left with dozens and dozens of extra potatoes and onions that I either have to hope don't rot before I use them, or the ground doesn't freeze too deep.
The potatoes Ive been digging up as I needed them up until about 2 weeks ago. But with and Arctic front coming, along with a snow storm, and a few days off, I figured now was the time to do what I should have done years ago.
I had to be a little unconventional, as I mentioned above about the restrictions of my land, so I did some research. Came across one technique that basically buries a garbage can loaded with Hay. I figured I had nothing to lose, other than a day of digging a big hole.
I dug my hole ( somewhere between 4 -5 ft deep). I put the garbage can in. Put a layer of straw, then the potatoes , onions, topped off with more straw, on top of that , I had a styrofoam lid from another container, which i placed , then the lid of the garbage can. On top of that 2 bales of straw to cover the lid and provide more insulation, and also as a protective cover.
The cold and poor weather settled in. Sure enough, I ran out of onions and had to go retrieve some. As I reached my hands inside to get the onions, I could feel the significant difference of the air inside compared to the air outside. Its not the Ideal situation,as I'd prefer to have a larger, ' walk in' root cellar, or one built into a hill, but, I'll take what I got.
What I find the most rewarding, is that tonight, a good 2 months past my harvest season, I am making homemade vegetable soup with my own potatoes, onions ( in the cellar), along with the home grown tomatoes , okra and string beans I have in the stored in the freezer. ( Tomatoes I skin, run through a mill to deseed, and make a puree out of then freeze, string beans blanch and freeze, okra freeze straight up).
Just thought I'd share,
Larry