Setting Up Your Very Own Root Cellar
Many people have never heard of a root cellar, but the concept, design and uses of these underground store houses have been around for a very long time. Its a good thing too, because people are becoming more and more aware of their personal desire, and the earth's need for us to become naturally self sufficient.
My ancestors from Appalachia knew more than just a trick or two about winter survival and good practices for storing foods, and thankfully I have had this knowledge passed down to me as well. So what IS a root cellar? Simple, a root cellar is a large hole burrowed into the ground, either partially or fully, and its used to keep vegetables, nuts and fruits, and preserves copacetic all year round.
The fact that a root cellar has the ability to keep perishables from freezing during strong winter temperatures, and yet keep them cool enough from spoiling is an absolute godsend. In traditional settings, this type of structure is generally just made in the dirt, which is the best, but nowadays some people are building them in their basements, taking full advantage of the damp conditions, unless of course you have a finished basement.
If you live in a more urban setting and still wish to build a root cellar, you can section off a part of your basement that is damp, then enclose this area for air and temperature control. People have used all sorts of materials to enclose this area, but the thing to keep in mind is that no matter how you build it, you really want to maintain cool, damp air. Anything beyond this will cause your storables to go bad.
If you decide to do this outside, don't do what some people attempt and pour a concrete floor. Them most makeshift designs often times work the best, and of course that's how it was during harsh times in south-east parts of the US during the mid eighteen to early to mid nineteen hundreds, when the possibility of losing your stock during the winter months was out of the question.
Even if you live and have your own hot beds and grow your own vegetables, its easy to end up with more than you need. If you can't get rid of it, build a root cellar to store your vegetables and other perishables in, and in most cases fruits and vegetables taste better for some reason after being stored in such a spot. Why is this? I'm not sure, other than maybe the fact that reaping the rewards of something made by your own hands and being self sufficient tastes better than fast food ;)
