Root cellars have been used for centuries, before electricity and refrigeration was the norm they were used to keep the harvest good during the winter. While it’s not such a common sight today many rural homes have a root cellar. In a grid down scenario not having refrigeration can literally mean life or death. With a good root cellar or even a simple pot in pot cooler you can prolong the life of your foods and have a greater chance at survival.

How it works

A root cellar is a great place to store food because of the low temperature and low humidity. This keeps food from freezing in the winter and overheating in the summer. The soil on top of the root cellar the earth acts as the temperature control.

Originally root cellars held mostly vegetables but they can also accommodate certain fruits and beverages. It was not uncommon in past times to have a root cellar full of alcoholic beverages. Some other foods can be kept in a root cellar primarily jams, salted meat, bread, butter, cheese and even milk and cream. Some food like salads, meat and pies can be kept in the root cellar but this will only prolong their life for a short time. Many other foods will sour and rot even if kept in the root cellar.

Some Examples
Root Cellar
Root Cellar
Root Cellar
Root Cellar

Wanna build your own root cellar? Here’s how

http://survivalacres.com/wordpress/?p=1475

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/2004-12-01/Build-a-Basement-Root-Cellar.aspx

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1974-09-01/The-Parthenon-of-Root-Cellars.aspx

http://www.richardspelling.com/stormshelter/index.htm

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modp1/morefile/E0104.pdf

Simpler Root Cellars

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/deblois47.html

http://chroniclesofafarmgirl.blogspot.com/2007/08/root-cellar.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2085550_make-basement-root-cellar.html

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/diy_root_cellar.php

http://www.tpub.com/mms/128.htm

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/robert_conroy/rootcell.htm

http://www.dragongoose.com/LewHisWinterStorageVeg.html

Pot in Pot Coolers

http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/Design/pot-in-pot-cooler

http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Pot-in-pot_cooler

http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/lab/pot_refrigerator/pot_refrigerator.pdf

More Info

http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/miscpubs/mp0562.htm

http://floydcountyinview.com/rcbasics.html

http://www.tribwatch.com/rootcell.htm

http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/links/linkview3.asp?catnum=195&linknum=2871

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07601.pdf

http://www.seedsofchange.com/enewsletter/issue_38/storage.asp

http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/apr2/foodstor.htm

http://www.ptialaska.net/~pbabcock/patch/September.html

Great Books

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