tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279140223556786071.post4270783331536742343..comments2023-08-08T10:59:04.188-05:00Comments on eighth acre farm: root cellaring for the winterJeff Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06285239745975791484noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279140223556786071.post-30084199383740790362012-11-24T21:01:05.851-06:002012-11-24T21:01:05.851-06:00Thanks to everyone who commented on this post. Mi...Thanks to everyone who commented on this post. Minnesota winters don't allow me to keep root vegetables in the ground- or at least keeps them inaccessible for 4-5 months. Then they're usually mush in the spring after the thaw.<br /><br />I've heard of some people putting a heavy mulch of leaves on their garden to keep the soil from freezing and the roots available, but it would take a lot of leaves to do that here. I'll follow up in the spring on how my roots in the cellar did in peat moss. So far, they're OK, though a bit dessicated already (maybe due to the peat) but tasty! The parsnips seem to be resprouting, probably because it's still about 50F in the root cellar, and not a proper root cellar temperature. This week's cold snap should fix that.Jeff Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06285239745975791484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279140223556786071.post-59613694975142813172012-11-24T13:26:09.314-06:002012-11-24T13:26:09.314-06:00you probably already know this, but you can store ...you probably already know this, but you can store your root vegetables, such as a harvest of carrots, packed in dirt in big buckets which then can be stored in a root cellar (or cool dark place). apples can also be stored in metal garbage cans in a root cellar (not sure about plastic)....<br />beejhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815693300033236042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279140223556786071.post-20968549969634326082012-11-15T06:23:36.173-06:002012-11-15T06:23:36.173-06:00I've heard it said that the best place to keep...I've heard it said that the best place to keep your root vegetables is in the ground - i.e. just dig up what you need, when you intend to eat it. I can think of disadvantages to this (you won't know if you have a good crop or a bad one, and you probably can't use the land to grow anything else) but the preservation conditions should be ideal. Icarus62noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279140223556786071.post-71193756194722390862012-10-31T10:30:07.696-05:002012-10-31T10:30:07.696-05:00I would love to rig up a root-cellar in our baseme...I would love to rig up a root-cellar in our basement. It's unheated but pretty warm in the winter. Our preservation habits started from just dealing with too much produce to eat, but have inspired us to aim for a few year-round staples to keep on hand. Like you say, it's not a matter for survival but for convenience and quality, and I feel like the more skills we have the better, for future needs.Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279140223556786071.post-24144090014306102942012-10-29T19:57:40.653-05:002012-10-29T19:57:40.653-05:00Thanks for the inspiration, on the preserving. As ...Thanks for the inspiration, on the preserving. As for storage, I bought $200 of rice beans apples flour etc, anticipating Sandy. If He/She breaches the Manhattan flood wall, and floods the subways, where all the electrical lines are...what was that line from Revelations? William Hunter Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03659156353754825272noreply@blogger.com