A Root Cellar for Your Homestead
By Victoria Ries
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Long before the first light bulb, "miraculously" illuminated our lives almost everyone owned a root cellar. The root cellar kept apples, carrots, turnips,
potatoes and squash, through the winter, sustaining the family through those cold and bleak months. Salt pork and smoked meats, milk, cream,
butter and cheese were also kept in the root cellar to stay cool and fresh, ready for use. It is thought that the first root cellars originated in the
United Kingdom before colonial times. Immigrants then brought with them their country skills, including the functional and practical root cellar.
An earth-friendly, root cellar is the natural choice for the homesteader, whether or not you're, "on the grid." The low-tech root cellar, will keep your
harvest fresh for two months or longer, depending on what you store, without ozone-depleting refrigeration, or electricity. In addition to the above
mentioned foods, you can store your canned tomatoes, peaches, pears, green beans, peas, fish and meat, in fact, any type of canned foods in your
root cellar. They will provide a pleasing array of natural colors; the result of a summer's hard work and patience, all neatly lined up on shelves.
There are several types of root cellar and different ways in which to construct one. There's the Hatch Cellar, Hillside Cellar and the Above Ground
Cellar.
The Hatch Cellar usually consists of a large hole dug into the ground then lined with rocks. The floor is left in its natural state, just plain dirt. Wooden
beams and plywood sheets are laid over the hole and a hatch door is incorporated into the ceiling/floor. The installation of a ladder makes for safe
and easy access. A shed is then built over the top of the cellar, overlapping the walls by about three feet each side.
The Hillside Cellar is dug out of a hillside, lined with rocks, and then a plywood ceiling is attached to overhead support beams. This type of cellar has
a regular insulated door to walk through.
The Above Ground Cellar is made from a wood frame, covered thickly with sod on the outside, lined inside with rocks, with a regular insulated door
at the front.
Shelves are installed in each type of cellar, three inches away from the walls, to allow air to circulate freely and inhibit the growth of molds. An
exhaust pipe is installed through the ceiling to allow hot air to escape from the cellar. Installation of an intake pipe ensures fresh, cold air to enter,
forcing the hot air to escape from the exhaust pipe. You must try to maintain an ideal temperature and humidity ratio to provide optimum freshness for your bountiful harvest.
Humidity is a major factor in your root cellar, whatever type you decide to install. Humidity will vary, depending on which part of the world you're located. If you're located in the arid, southwestern area of the United States for instance, you will experience high temperatures and low humidity. This will need adjusting with a pan of water on the floor of your cellar and possibly damp towels over your bushel baskets, to raise the humidity and prevent your harvest from shriveling. If, on the other hand, you live in the tropical regions of Australia, you will be faced with both high temperatures and high humidity. These extremes call for a deep, insulated root cellar with steps leading down to an insulated entrance door. As most of the harvest in your root cellar will stay fresh in moderate temperatures and humidity--it will spoil quickly, given too high temperatures and humidity.
Preparing your Harvest for the Root Cellar
FRUITS AND ETHYLENE GAS
Fruits like apples, plums, pears, peaches and tomatoes release ethylene gas in storage, and while small amounts will not affect other stored foods; it
speeds their aging process, and makes some vegetables like carrots, bitter.
To store fruit successfully, only pick the best of the bunch; neither too ripe, nor under ripe. Use the bruised fruits for sauces and for stewing or fruit
salad. Wrap individually, each piece of fruit and place carefully in cardboard or wooden boxes. An alternative method would be to bury the fruit in
boxes filled with sand. Be gentle, as one bad apple will spoil the whole bunch!
IN GARDEN, EXTENDED STORAGE
Mulching root vegetables thickly with pine needles, straw or other suitable mulching materials whilst they're still in the garden, will stop them from
freezing and keep them for up to a month. At which time, such veggies as carrots, can be transferred to your root cellar.
POTATOES
When the green tops on your potatoes die off, the potatoes can be harvested. If you are experiencing hot weather at this time, you may want to keep
them in the ground for a few weeks longer, until temperatures go down to 60F. The potatoes can then be dug up and cured in the shade for two
weeks. Do not cure in the sun, as this will produce toxic, solanines (nightshade). This will turn your tubers green, and harmful to eat-especially for
babies and pregnant or nursing moms; so please cure in shade only. Just remove excess dirt from the potatoes, as a layer of dirt helps extend their
life; on NO account, wash them! When your potatoes are cured, you can move them to the root cellar. They keep best with high humidity of 90%,
in a temperature of 38-40F. This temperature slows respiration, delay their sprouting, and will ensure the starch doesn't convert to sugar.
Store them in a bin or a pile covered with straw or burlap—NOT plastic, to stop water condensing on the potatoes. These potatoes will now keep
from four to six months in your handy root cellar.
PUMPKINS
Pumpkins should be harvested with a few inches of stem attached to help prevent pathogens from entering the pumpkin through the cut scar.
Pumpkins should be left to sit outside for a few days to harden their shells; they will then be ready for the cellar. 65-70% humidity is perfect for
these vegetables and cool temperatures, above freezing are ideal. Your pumpkins will now keep for up to six months.
ONIONS AND GARLIC
Onions and garlic are ready to pull out of your garden, when the tops are dead and brown. They need to be cured, however, by tying or braiding
their tops together, and hanging them up outside to cure. The porch or a handy tree can be used to serve this purpose. A few weeks of curing and
they will be ready to hang up in your root cellar or somewhere cool-ideally 60-70% humidity with a temperature of 35- 40F.
APPROXIMATE STORAGE TIMES:
Cabbage…………………3-4 months
Brussels Sprouts………..3-5 weeks
Jerusalem Artichokes….1-2 months
Carrots………………….4-6 months
Chinese Cabbage………1-2 months
Eggplant………………..1-2 weeks
Parsnips………………..1-2 months
Rutabagas………………2-4 months
Squash………………….4-6months
Radishes………………..2-3 months
Tomatoes……………….1-2 months
Cauliflower…………….2-4 weeks
Broccoli………………...1-2 weeks
Beets……………………4-5 months
Pumpkins………………5-6 months
Potatoes………………...4-6 months
Turnips…………………4-6 months
Although the above stated storage times are approximate, check periodically for spoilage.