Root cellars

[Rick]

Who uses a root cellar? .... what is your design and how long will it maintain a season's storable crops?

[Mark]

I have a storage closet that I call a "root cellar", but it doesn't really qualify. It's a closet against a cold wall in the back of an unheated room in the basement. I had hoped the temp would remain under 45 degrees during the winter, and it comes close, but if a family member leaves the closet door open and the lights on (which they sometimes do), it can ruin many stored products.

[Rick]

When my wife and I built our cabin, I first dug a 4' x 8' x 5' deep hole, which I framed in with 2x4's and plywood. I then drove a 2" well in the bottom of the excavation, using a 75# deadhead , a '69 Bonco with the rearend jacked up and a tireless wheel and rope. Didn't take long. Then we framed the floor, with a trapdoor, and routed the well pipe to stand, with pitcher pump attached, about waist high above the floor.

For 4 years, our "root cellar" was our refrigerator and worked beautifully. Kept beer chilled to perfection. We stored garden produce in the root cellar for years - mostly carrots, beets, and potatoes. After some years, the voles found our root cellar and took advantage. My next root cellar will have block walls, and a thin slab floor - to keep the little buggers at bay.

We bought a book titled "Root Cellaring." Excellent book.

It's great to be eating your own produce all winter without relying ever more on Golden Valley Electric Association and Fred Meyers.

[trapperrick]

I just got my book on Root Cellaring yesterday; an excellent and simple read. I can't wait to have my cabin, little farm, root cellar and be self sufficient.

[Grizzly1]

trapperrick,
Can you share the name of the book, sound like a worth while book?