My grandmother told me that when she was a kid her family dug holes in the ground under the porch (in the hills of Kentucky), lined them with straw and put apples, potatoes, carrots, cabbages, etc. into the holes. Then they covered them with straw and boards. When they pulled them out, they were almost as fresh as the day they were picked. Thanks for your ideas on doing it. I might have to try this.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Awesome! I love hearing those king of stories. It works well for sure.
@MizzQueenBreNaturally3 жыл бұрын
Do you know when she pulled them out lol??
@mycozygardencottage3 жыл бұрын
@@MizzQueenBreNaturally I'm not sure how exactly how long they were able to keep them in the ground, but my grandma seemed to think they stayed fresh all winter. :)
@MizzQueenBreNaturally3 жыл бұрын
@@mycozygardencottage lol you say seem to think like she was hallucinating or sun lmaoo thats funny and I appreciate you and yo grandmother💛💛💛
@mycozygardencottage3 жыл бұрын
@@MizzQueenBreNaturally Well she was pretty old ...lol. But she was sharp so I think she was telling it right. I loved hearing her talk about how they raised a cow and a pig every year and had fruit trees and a big garden. They grew all the food they ate except things like sugar and coffee. They canned and preserved everything. She said it was a hard life but a good life. :) My mom was born in the 1940s so it must have been in the 1930s or so.
@bellaellis28132 жыл бұрын
Mt Dad left carrots/beets etc in the ground ...raked alot of leaves on top of them during the winter and just dug them out for Sunday dinners ! That really worked
@JakeHawken2 жыл бұрын
Whoa, they don’t rot?
@zone4garlicfarm2 жыл бұрын
@@JakeHawken Carrots and beets are biennial. The first year they grow and store sugars in their tap root. The second year they flower and make seeds. When they start growing new leaves in the spring you don't have long before they bolt and the root loses its flavor and gets woody.
@annefricker84742 жыл бұрын
@@zone4garlicfarm thank you that’s interesting. I have beets in my garden and they have been left in situ. when I want one I just go out and get one. I’m eating it within minutes of harvesting it. Great to know I can reliably do this.
@annefricker84742 жыл бұрын
My beetroot has been in the garden all winter. I jus harvest what I need as I need them.
@angelarogers31372 жыл бұрын
Can you use grass clippings or mulch between layers or maybe cheese cloth or something? To keep from having to get straw. I don't have a truck.
@wolin2892 жыл бұрын
In FL you dig that far and you get an unplanned well. LOL
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
lol
@Runswithwolves6323Ай бұрын
That would be a blessing for me here.lol
@bipbip6626Күн бұрын
In Wales uk, i cannot dig The hole will be filled with rain water all year round😢
@macksministry35873 жыл бұрын
America oh's so much to the peppers, off-grid persons, and homesteaders who put their way to keep the country living and farmer live styles of United States alive.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Amen
@ewg62008 күн бұрын
"Oh's so much"? 🤣🤣🤣
@bethdavis78123 жыл бұрын
I had to smile at this My Mom was born in 1912 and told a fond childhood memory of eating crisp apples in the evening around the wood stove as a child. Her Dad buried large lard cans in the yard between house and barn. Lined with straw and layered with apples, also many other vegetables, each in their own lard can. Her Dad would stop on the way back from the barn doing evening chores and bring in apples to share around the fire while he told stories from his childhood. We were fortunate enough to have a basement that was cool and stored ours By that time my grandparents had made their own root cellar in the side of the hill behind their log home.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
That is awesome. I love hearing these stories. Thank you for sharing.
@chrisroper27313 жыл бұрын
Our basement had a place for coal as well as a root cellar. No longer have that home tho. This idea is great if it is under a roof, because those galvanized cans lids leak where the handles are.
@deasolis3333 жыл бұрын
That just made me feel really good. I wish life was like that.♥️
@BrendaAngelArt2 жыл бұрын
What a beautiful memory!
@bethdavis78122 жыл бұрын
@@chrisroper2731 They painted the can on the outside with "pitch' whatever that is---kept them from leaking.
@rnupnorthbrrrsm61233 жыл бұрын
Even easier and larger is to bury an old chest freezer or refrigerator laying on its side, they are already insulated and hinged doors work great, Just add vent pipe !!! Zone 3 in northern Minnesota 🥶
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
That is a good method too. I wouldn't say easier....especially digging through that insane hard pan clay in my area.
@bbikermama3 жыл бұрын
Maybe a small college room size one.. those get thrown away. Hmmm.
@CPThyme3 жыл бұрын
Great idea!!! Did you add a drainage on the bottom or just vent the top? Also, did you place it below the frost line? You should make a video for the northerners.
@przybyla4203 жыл бұрын
You probably already know this, but the way to dig in hard clay or gravel is to dig a small hole to full depth, then expand it by shearing off little slices, going round and round until it’s to full size. A sharp shovel with good handle, damp soil and good boots like military type or cowboy boots all help A LOT. A narrow long shovel helps to make the initial hole, don’t know what they’re called, not a trench shovel with the funny bend in it.
@przybyla4203 жыл бұрын
That is a good point, I’d toss a pallet over the mulch and be done with it. Kids aren’t going to lock themselves in a trash can, and if they are, a little of that is good for the gene pool.
@rjvanloon47692 жыл бұрын
Rootcellars have been used for centuries for food, nice twist here. Btw, for those who want to store fuel and do not have a huge fueltank, a kind of separate rootcellar for jerrycans for gasoline and/or some propane tanks works too. No direct sunlight, fairly consistent temp. And when dug a bit away from the house it also means much less risk in case of a fire, either at the house or outside. Doesn't have to be huge either. I did say separate, as I personally would not recommend mixing the storage of food and fuel in the same cellar/area.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Good idea about the fuel.
@msweaver612 жыл бұрын
Good tip on storing fuel, loved it.
@msgottaneedtoknow2 жыл бұрын
That might be a really great idea. That would be especially helpful so that it won’t get stolen!
@jheanelltabana87132 жыл бұрын
Good tip. Maybe I'll have to vent them less if the temperature stayed somewhat consistent.
@ShilohsBride2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the very helpful tip!
@reneebrown29684 жыл бұрын
This is a smart cellar. With it being located in the barn among the hay bales who would think about searching for food? Great way to not only keep your food fresh but well, keep your food. With a serious food shortage coming this maybe the best food cellar yet! Great build
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
Thank you. Yes, it has a lot of advantages.
@TRINITY-ks6nw3 жыл бұрын
Agreed
@demsakawalkinglatetermabor7ion3 жыл бұрын
“They” will take the hay for their animals in a SHTF situation.
@beebob12793 жыл бұрын
How do you know a food shortage is coming? Documentation?
@demsakawalkinglatetermabor7ion3 жыл бұрын
@@beebob1279 Some places will see it. The UN reports on famines and lack of Food in Africa and some despot or communist nations like China almost yearly. American food banks get stressed but haven’t really run out. The question is, will there come a day when there are enough issues everywhere combined to mean no food on the store shelves or little trucking getting food where it needs to go bc of a war external or internal. FEMA says have a minimum of 3 months prepared for yourself of food and WATER. The feds require their employees to maintain a 3 month stock also bc they are expected to work even after a SHTF or crisis where they are no longer getting paid but will in a few months. We export a lot of our crops. We turn under a good bit of our crops. Do you live where crops are plentiful if you had no store food? Are you surrounded by thousands or millions of ppl in your region?
@arkman81092 жыл бұрын
I went to Appomattox VA. One time and toured the house were the surrender papers were signed. In the yard was a two thirds buried little structure with steps going down inside to a dirt floor if I remember right. It was summer time and I had short sleeves on. As I walked down inside, it was freezing. I just thought it was the spirits of the dead but no it was a root cellar. I have never forgotten that day.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
It is amazing the temp difference just a few feet under the earth.
@DsHomeyGarden3 жыл бұрын
After about two and a half months and I finally got my answer. I dug the hole 36in put my 30 gallon trash can in the hole back filled the sides with soil... that left about 18" above the trash can lined the rest with 1" inch pink styrofoam. I made 2 baskets out of green plastic wire attached to strings to it so I can pull them up. Then I froze salt water in 2 gallon jugs and some with half gallons of ice and put two or three of those down in the hole...insulated a wooden lid and now my temperature is around 49 to 50 plus in the middle of July in Atlanta area 100% success.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
That is awesome!
@kzf89783 жыл бұрын
How often do you have to refreeze the water?
@rosehuynh15723 жыл бұрын
Have you thought about using sand around the container to keep wet similar to how Indians have done with the clay pots forever?
@blackgirloffgrid10543 жыл бұрын
Great idea !
@OMGAnotherday3 жыл бұрын
Well done! 🌅
@MommeeMadre111 ай бұрын
We're building a new homestead. This would be a great storage place for short term for us, I'm going to need a whole ROOM. I may need to ME fit inside :-)
@CountryLivingExperience11 ай бұрын
Yes, It is good for utility use but not for massive storage.
@Questor-ky2fv2 жыл бұрын
Great video. I'd like to suggest the use of mesh with very small holes in the bottom of the can to reduce bug intrusions. Also, put several inches of gravel under the can for drainage--not only from the can, but from the surrounding land too. I saw that another poster mentioned using anti rust paint on the edges of the drilled holes to prevent rust. That's a good idea too. The idea of using a buried garbage can, or as another poster mentioned, an old fridge or freezer is also a good idea. I'm going to pass on this info to my brothers. They have a mini farm not far from me. I live in a handicap accessible apartment, so I can't make use of the info myself. I did do some gardening when younger. Thanks for the informative video.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Thanks
@vickigonya9432 Жыл бұрын
Maybe you could do some vertical hydroponic gardening ? I'm going to try that as well
@abrahamgreyling34745 жыл бұрын
In the middle of the shed , with a foam board on top of a lid. What a genius. I wish I could be so creative. Please do a follow up one year later to show us your actual produce that made it through the winter.
@CountryLivingExperience5 жыл бұрын
Thank you Abraham. We will surely do a follow up video for you. From experience with my Dad's root cellar when I was a kid, this method works very well and keeps the food fresh all winter.
@jacquelyn14003 жыл бұрын
I wonder lining the lid with the foam, cutting it in circle shape might make a better insulator. Stick the pvc pipe right through the foam. That way it does not not have to be loose on the floor.
@LCLand Жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperiencedid it work?
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
@@LCLand Yes. In this climate it works well in late fall, winter, and spring. Summer is too hot.
@onewyatt12 жыл бұрын
Great info. I live in East Texas north of Tyler and thought root cellars would not be as good here as places with cooler climate. My dad just put hay down on high spot on ground and put potatoes then more hay with a tarp to keep moisture out. Worked fairly well but the temp changes were problematic. Will give serious thought to maybe building a big root cellar. Have a steel tank 7ft by 12ft plus could stand on end and sink. Some prepping family near could use such more than myself but they don't have my resources for such. On 8ac here on sandy Hill well off county road with good drinking water 20ft down. Land was open 4 decades back but covered with trees for now. As health let's, will be removing most pines to make lumber to finally start building self a cabin or 2. Had goats and chickens here for a while and giving thought to such again. Being retired disabled with nothing else but staying alive to do, all my focus is on my place I call Dirtwater. No longer a workaholic but still need to keep these old bones moving. Thanks for the vid.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Awesome. You're welcome
@smontesinos78 Жыл бұрын
I know what you mean I live here in Paris Tx .
@vickigonya9432 Жыл бұрын
I started taking omega 3 oil with the polyphenols in it. It has done amazing things in my body. I'm 64 female- had horrific blood pressure- neuropathy pain in my feet, screwed up sleep schedule, up 3-4 times a night to pee, stiff achey joints. Lots of lower back pain. 3 months ago I started the oil. Increased my D3 to 20,000 units per day and added K2 200 mg per day. Last time I bought a 50 lb bag of feed I had to drag/ flip/ push rest and fight again to gey it from the car to house. Yesterday, I picked up the 50 lb bag threw it over my shoulder- grabbed the second one and slide it up on my other shoulder and carried them into the house with little effort!! Thought they had given me the 28 lb bags because we had discussed that option briefly. But NOPE 50 pounders!!! ❤❤❤❤ P.S. my blood pressure went from 189/110 down to 120/73 this morning!!! No blood pressure meds- no diabetes meds- just the oil D3 and K2.
@sunshinedayz21729 ай бұрын
Wow, Thanks for the share!💕
@dianepereira18603 жыл бұрын
Before the advent of refrigeration, my mother's family owned an ice house. To keep the ice from melting during the heat of summer, sawdust and hay was used as insulation. I enjoyed watching this video.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thank you for sharing.
@vickigonya9432 Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!
@2gkims427 Жыл бұрын
My great great grandfather was an Iceman in Eagle, Colorado. They stored the ice in the same manner as you've said. Later in the year he delivered ice and he would chip a piece of ice off and give it to the children that he came across. I love to hear how life was done back in the old days😊
@Earth2Flo-v6f2 жыл бұрын
My fam in Ky did the same thing, big hole dug under the house, they put straw and burlap sack in hole, put their potatoes in it, they also hung their onions over a line strung out under the house, kept for a long time.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Awesome!
@ritakus98713 жыл бұрын
I think you should cut the foam to fit around the top of the lid with the hole through it for the pipe, glue the styrofoam together so it will stay. I figure if you're going to put all that work into it, you might as well finish off the top. Excellent video by the way.
@vickigonya9432 Жыл бұрын
Great idea!!
@spockmcoyissmart9613 жыл бұрын
I think a major issue with anyone who gets a lot of rain is the water coming up through the 3/8" holes in the bottom of the can. I think it is a good idea to have it 'indoors', but out in a yard might be a bit risky. If I was to do this, I'd seriously overdig the depth, fill with gravel, then place the can in the hole, to prevent a water issue rising up into the can. The gravel would act like a french drain.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Correct, it is about placement. Mine have always been in barns with dirt floors. The gravel is a must if doing this outside.
@hairbabe2u2 жыл бұрын
How do you keep worms out?
@justinw1765 Жыл бұрын
Even more simply, just don't drill the holes to begin with. Not very much air will "rise" up and through those tiny holes anyways. Air doesn't travel much/very well in compacted soil. What does happen is that the metal conducts thermal energy up from or down into the ground depending what area is warmer or colder--that in turn either cools or warms the air inside. While you may get some condensation, all you really need to do is to put something like diamatcaeous earth or the like on the bottom, so that if condensation does build enough on the wall to run down to the bottom, it will be absorbed (and slowly released into the air) and kept directly away from the food. You still want a vent, but mostly to vent excess humidity and the warmer air on the top. Generally though, even with holes, there is not going to be much air circulation going on anyways. Most of the air circulation will just be from cold air and warmer air exchanging that thermal energy, which convects/moves the air in very weak, slow "currents". But more importantly, you want to vent the excess humidity out.
@lyndabelknap83675 жыл бұрын
Hi Eric great video. Do you know in Toronto Ontario in the 50's some builders actually built root cellars in the basement of new houses and they worked very well. My husband remembers helping his Dad when he was a kid putting on a door for it. My mother in law kept all her canning and vegetables in it and it was very cool. Can you imagine builders doing that today. Life was much simpler back then and people actually knew how to do things.
@CountryLivingExperience5 жыл бұрын
Thank you Lynda. I remember my grandparents house having one. They lived in Detroit. It was always cool for sure.
@seandrake75343 жыл бұрын
We had a old house that sat above a root seller there was a door that you walked through to get into it kind of like a basement with a walk in door from the outside there was no way to get into it from the house though This was very common back then I believe the house was built in the late 1800s it’s been in our family before a long time The only problem with this was I’ll the humidity that would come up into the houses like this and actually caused some people health problems
@the_Mrs.3 жыл бұрын
My grandparents had one under their Oklahoma home, doubled as a tornado shelter. Meanwhile in the 21st century I live in a house made of ticky tack and pay for everything but air… soon they will tax us for cleaning that up too. sigh.
@terrywade36963 жыл бұрын
I think they’re called “cold rooms” used for food storage. I’ve seen a lot of them on HGTV on “Holmes on Holmes” with Mike Holmes. He’s a Canadian building contractor who repairs other “builders” bad work. I grew up in Oklahoma and many farms used root cellars that were built under their houses. They also doubled as storm shelters to escape tornadoes!
@Val.Kyrie.2 жыл бұрын
My house outside Hamilton Ontario had a full root cellar as part of the basement, separated by a door. I’d kill for that thing now lol.
@todayslist37737 Жыл бұрын
I am doing a lot of research into homesteading and wanted a small manageable root cellar. This never entered my mind. Thank you so much for this. I could hide it under anything!!! Thank you again!!
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
You’re welcome
@FaceSmushEvil3 жыл бұрын
Great idea! Maybe some gravel below the barrel for better drainage.
@ryanwakebradtelle8682 Жыл бұрын
KZbin is a great educational tool thank you
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
You’re welcome
@jackvoss1753 жыл бұрын
In the old days, in Michigan, one of my jobs was to tear a sheet out of a Sears and Roebuck or Montgomery Wards catalog, and individually wrap each apple before packing it into a barrel. That extended their shelf life. Didn’t do it with other fruits or veggies. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
I do that now with potatoes that I have in the house.
@rosehuynh15723 жыл бұрын
Do remember many other things your parents did for food preservation? What were your main food staples and what were you most excited for when it was time? If it's too long for a comment maybe I can interview you sometime?
@jackvoss1753 жыл бұрын
@@rosehuynh1572 We grew garden vegetables, so Mom did a lot of canning. Dad bought an old ice cream freezer from some drug store that was upgrading. So, we were freezing foods in the early mid 40s. I think Dad was way ahead of the norm on that. Dad hunted a lot, so we ate a lot of small game fresh. None of that was preserved. We made our own homemade ice cream. We cured and smoked much of our own ham and bacon. We made our own maple syrup and maple sugar. We made our own sauerkraut.
@tommielourogers43272 жыл бұрын
Apple skins emit ethylene gas that causes other fruit and vegetables to ripen faster. (So if you buy unripe fruit set some next to an apple or two.) By wrapping the apples you did 2 things, you protected the apples from getting bruises and you protected the other fruits and vegetables from ripening too fast. Back in the old days, they may not have known the scientific reasons for wrapping the apples, just that it worked. It is the same reason that at the grocery stores, they display all the apples together and away from the fruits like bananas. It is not just because it looks pretty. There is a good reason for it. Apples make bananas turn brown.
@jackvoss58412 жыл бұрын
@@tommielourogers4327 G’day, Tommie. Good to know. We would plant an extra long row of carrots. In the fall, before the ground froze, we put stakes in the ground about 2’ beyond each end of where there were still carrots. Then,, take apart a bale or two of straw, section by section, each section is about 2” thick. Spread a single layer along the row, covering it, butting them tightly. Then cover those with a second layer that is twice as wide, butting their edges centered right down the row. As carrots are dug, move the stake along, and re-cover the remaining carrots plus a couple of feet beyond. These will be the sweetest, most flavorful carrots you have ever tasted! Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
@vickigonya9432 Жыл бұрын
So excited to find all you great folks!!!
@kennaoconnor46333 жыл бұрын
Great Idea! The seller of my house left me two new metal trash cans. I have a basement that I put all my food stores in, but this would be great to hide food elsewhere. I have a place behind my house that would work perfectly and no one would notice anything. It's in the shade all year as well. I would just have to make sure everything is in and ready before the snow comes in late December. I'm going to start digging the holes now since it might take a while.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Awesome
@vickigonya9432 Жыл бұрын
I was thinking of buying an auger- mainly fence posts but now even more great uses for it❤
@umiluv3 жыл бұрын
This is what Korean people used to do before refrigeration for the winter. This is why Korean ceramic pots to store food is a big deal culturally. This was mostly to store kimchi - spiced fermented pickled vegetables - to be eaten with rice through the winter. Nowadays, there are specialized kimchi refrigerators that mimic root cellar temps so that the kimchi lasts the longest. In normal refrigerators, kimchi doesn’t last as long. They are very much like the wine fridges.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Yes, absolutely. I have many Korean friends and most have the kimchi refrigerators. They tell me it is to also separate the smell of the fermenting kimchi from the rest of the refrigerated food.
@JackJack-ld5eo3 жыл бұрын
You should have sprayed the holes you drilled with Rustoleum spray galvanize compound. The bottom will rust out prematurely. When you drilled through the galvanized can, you exposed the steel. All that moisture will rust it out.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Good point. I will add that to the process.
@louisegogel79733 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience And I wonder about little critters getting inside… add mesh screen to the holes?
@lisakukla4593 жыл бұрын
It would still function with no bottom.
@pamelacallwood45893 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience could this be done with a plastic trash can since it doesn't rust?
@patriciamampel36013 жыл бұрын
@@lisakukla459 sure, but in E TX its so lush & every kind of varmint bug & spider will eventually find the easy way in...these nice people from was it Minnesota? may not have learned that yet lol...to keep mice out is why he made holes 3/8" wide...theres also lots more surface water seepage due to rain all year long
@gregcrowe88852 жыл бұрын
Root cellars are coming back hardest times are coming. This very helpful Thank You
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
You're welcome
@naturekins32472 жыл бұрын
You can also convert an old chest freezer into and in ground root cellar. Drill holes in the bottom, add a vent in the side and bring the pipe up just above the ground. The insulated flip up lid is very handy.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Absolutely. Another good option for sure.
@granmabern5283 Жыл бұрын
Don’t freezers all have frion in tubes all around the freezer? Why would you drill through those???😊
@chutzpah56039 ай бұрын
@granmabern5283 ....that's what I'm sayin
@cindybonem4943 жыл бұрын
I’m going to do this. My great grandfather was a farmer and they had a sand ridge on the edge of the woods, that’s where they would dig out a “cave” and laid there carrots, potatoes and other root vegetables in it, then covered them with the sand and did several more layers and covered with more sand, Grandma said it worked great.
@jennifergibbs96723 жыл бұрын
I read that carrots last forever in sand!
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Awesome!
@brittanygoller623 жыл бұрын
So how long do they keep for?
@vickigonya9432 Жыл бұрын
Great idea!!!❤
@leebryan25112 жыл бұрын
I Grew Up On The Northern Fring Of The Florida Everglades.... My Grandpa And Grandma Had Wild Hogs, A Few Chickens, And An Outhouse And No Electricity..... Back Then, As A Kid, I Would Be One Of The Boys That Gathered Firewood From The Oak Trees In Early Feb.... Hog Killing Time... Cold, Cold, And More Cold.... Grand Would Dig A Large Hole, Line It Wwith Hay, And With Some Green Oak Branchs On The Sides And Bottom... At The Bottom He Placed Feed Sacks That Were Wet And Frozen.... I Remember Any Food Put There Lasted Untill Tha Thaw
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Good method.
@NadiaoftheLightoftheDivine116 ай бұрын
As I sit here and dream about my homestead…I thank you for sharing with us…it reminds me of days living with my grandma (RIP )tending to her chicken and making jams with her …I am from Michigan too! And thinking to move to Texas …this is just more confirmation for me 🫶🏽🥹
@CountryLivingExperience6 ай бұрын
You're so welcome. Glad our videos can help. Texas has been very good us.
@RanchGalQuilter2 жыл бұрын
Nice video. Dry sand works much better than straw. Root vegetables will keep clear up until next harvest.
@SuperCleopatrajones3 жыл бұрын
This is perfect for us who live in an HOA who restricts building a root cellar! Thanks!
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
You’re welcome
@the_g94563 жыл бұрын
This is such a great idea. I live in the city but hopefully in retirement I can move into the country and have a garden. This channel is so awesome.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much! We are glad you are here.
@Isisndaflesh3 жыл бұрын
Hi I just seen this video…great info!! A few questions…I live in the city but have a private backyard…could I dig holes 18-20 inches deep use the straw to insulate and cover it? Also wearing the produce in cloth bag spreading out thru the bag to also preserve them? Or do you know a simple method for my situation? Single mom I’m doing this on my own. Thanks!
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
@@Isisndaflesh Hello. You would need to have some sort of container to keep out bugs. !8 to 20" will not be deep enough. You have to go down quite far to take advantage of the coolness of the soil.
@lisareaume3857 Жыл бұрын
HOW NEAT! I will have my hubby watch this video!😃
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
Cool. Thanks
@artteacherforlife4 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for this information. I’m growing potatoes for the first time this year and was wondering what I was going to do about a root cellar.
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful.
@straitgirl693 жыл бұрын
Dig a hole large enough to hold what you got line with straw is got to be 18 inches below ground so ground freezing won't happen cover with straw the left over dirt will last all winter when need produce dig up what you need then cover back will keep cabbage potatoes apples beets I have used in the past because no root cellar works fine my grandfather taught me this when young used it and it works great.
@susanschneider-baker493 жыл бұрын
My Father-in-Law had a 55 gal drum buried in the barn for potatoes. They lasted until the next harvest. Potatoes were an every Breakfast & dinner staple.
@ef58422 жыл бұрын
I like the video. Hope you will enjoy the produce.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Thank you
@bifftadrickson2083 жыл бұрын
Finally.. Someone's dirt is hard as it is at my place
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Lol, yep. Hard pan clay
@wytchwoodhomesteadandkenne50362 жыл бұрын
Ozarks. Almost solid rock. Cry me a river rofl!! 😛
@Runswithwolves6323Ай бұрын
Im in East,Texas too and God help me it gets so humid and hot here.We have a clay dirt thats very hard to dig into.I gotta figure out how deep to go.I need a root cellar.I may try this! Thanks again!
@trudybarton1513 жыл бұрын
I just started mine. I put it in my shop building. I wrapped it several times with the rolls of thin silver insulation left over from shop construction. I used ground up corn cob I got from rural king, huge bag $4.99. Instead of hay. I had an extra roll of interior insulation with I sat on top of the lid. . The can is sitting on top of a dolly so it has circulation underneath it. I filled it up with. 40 lb of potatoes two days ago. I bought an inexpensive. I bought an inexpensive thermometer $8 at Tractor Supply. It tells you your inside temperature and outside temperature too. It has A second device that you put outside, but I put it in the trash can. Now I can look at my main unit in the house. And I know the temperature in the can. It is 52 degrees right now. Not too bad. But I will work on getting the temperature down to below 40.
@DsHomeyGarden3 жыл бұрын
How you planning to get the temp down? Mine stays around 63 here in Georgia and It needs lowered as well. It's 22 inches deep.
@dave-yeahthatsme39253 жыл бұрын
@@DsHomeyGarden dig deeper in soil
@bbikermama3 жыл бұрын
Corn would attract mice and rats
@lisakukla4593 жыл бұрын
@@bbikermama Not corn; Corn cob. It's bedding.
@bella-bee2 жыл бұрын
@@lisakukla459 you mean the husks you’d peel off the corn, or the central core you’d cut the corn off? When I’ve seen animals eat a head of corn they seem to leave the inner core, so I guess that bit isn’t attractive. That’s what you’re calling cob, of course. Weirdest and saddest thing I’ve ever seen was an African farmer feeding his goats shredded cardboard, they were so poor, and the goats accepted it when there was nothing else. There’s calories in cellulose and glue (Meaning the critters might still eat your insulation) We don’t know we’re born, people!
@ShilohsBride2 жыл бұрын
I'm watching your video in 2022. While I've heard about these types of root cellars before, I found your video helpful. I especially like that you hand dug it, even in your packed soil. So many homestead videos rely on using mechanical equipment for everything. While there is nothing wrong with that, it can be frustrating to a small landholder with no such equipment. I live in the mountains of northern California where our ground is full of volcanic rocks. We have to use a pick axe to dig as well. I'm inspired to give this a try!
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Thank you. Glad we could help.
@66ECHO3 жыл бұрын
Believe it or not, LoseTube suggested this to me and it’s just what I need. Great idea- inexpensive and fairly quick to create. Well done. New subscriber.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Awesome, thank you. Welcome to the channel.
@b.d.walters94023 жыл бұрын
I lived in a KOA campground in Slidell Louisiana one winter....Our campsite was just above sea level. The ground did freeze, but I don't know how far down. We dug a ditch about 2.5-3 foot deep,. and put plastic in it. We put bacon and ham in it. I forget what else we kept, but our leftovers went in it too. We weren't really vegetable eaters at the time. We put ice in bags and laid them over the top, with a piece of carpet on top of that...we kept food cold for 6 months. We left before summer set in, but in the meantime, we had fresh meat all winter.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Very cool
@linkylou132 жыл бұрын
I'm so excited for this. I have a great shed/shop about 22 x 12, dirt floor. I am in my 70s so getting down on ground level is a crybaby's painful experience. Trying to figure how i can keep root veggies in mesh bags so I can pull them up via a cord tied to it. Maybe have a weeks worth per bag. Wrap each veg in paper?. I think I'll shoot for 3 cabs. Roots. Cabbages. Apples, pears?
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Cool. The mesh bags should work. Newspaper might be good. Give it a try.
@trevorballard49162 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
My pleasure
@cynthiadoe30962 жыл бұрын
Hi! If you live in an area with hard packed clay too hard to dig, could you possibly build a wood structure (maybe pallets?) with a trash can inside and surrounded by dirt or sand? Maybe a tarp over top with a layer of dirt? I’m in a rental so not only clay is an issue but digging would honestly require heavy equipment. Any suggestions welcome
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
I think there are better ways if you are in a rental. You would need to have the dirt really thick to hold the cool temps inside.
@rogerhickson72563 жыл бұрын
My father-in-law put those leaves in a big plastic bag that he used to insulate the cellar. Easy to move and didn't make a mess. Then in the extreme cold he would put an extension cord to the cellar and place a 40W incandescent lightbulb to hang in the can and keep the cold from penetrating into the cellar. Carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes stayed fresh all winter.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Awesome. Love the leaves in bags idea.
@taunjaful4 жыл бұрын
Absolutely brilliant. Please create a follow up video and let us folks now how the root cellar worked throughout the upcoming seasons.
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
Thank you. I will try to get some follow videos in the queue. As of right now, we have had carrots in there for 2 months and they are firm and fresh.
@robinsnestfarm73223 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience I looked for a follow up video, but did not see one. Have you stored a container of potatoes in it before...? How did they hold up? Thank you!!!
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
@@robinsnestfarm7322 Hi. I didn't make a follow up video. The potatoes and carrots stored for several months but lost some moisture. The carrots were still edible but the potatoes had chitted. I planted them and had a great crop though. I would say that it was great for edibles short term but only for seed long term in this climate. In the North, results are different.
@andreeelliott29433 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience Where in East Texas are you? I live outside of Longview. Just found your channel. Thought about trying the root cellar until I read your last comment.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
@@andreeelliott2943 We are south of Tyler. It works well in the winter.
@thomashocker27922 жыл бұрын
I am going to build this. Thanks.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
You're welcome
@Rosemountainfarm3 жыл бұрын
Apple must have their own storage. Never store apples with other produce.
@lolazal13 жыл бұрын
Most fruits need their own storage 😩
@annawhite14303 жыл бұрын
True, but storing an apple with potatoes will keep the potatoes longer 😊
@mweber54593 жыл бұрын
Learning so much! 🥰
@sarahsoutar2523 жыл бұрын
Why?
@annawhite14303 жыл бұрын
@@sarahsoutar252 it is believed the ethylene gas emitted by apples as they ripen causes other produce to spoil. With potatoes, it’s believed the ethylene stops potatoes from sprouting. It’s a widely held belief although there are some who say it’s nonsense.
@MAGNOLA50 Жыл бұрын
Awesome info as usual. Thank you
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
You're welcome
@marvinbrock9603 жыл бұрын
Subbed. I really appreciate “real life” learn-as-you-go videos. Thanks for your time and effort.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
I appreciate that! Welcome to the channel.
@vivianp5962 Жыл бұрын
Great information ℹ️
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful
@strangeday24 жыл бұрын
Thank you. I am growing sweet potatoes for first time and needed way to store them at 55-60 degrees here in Louisiana.
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
You're welcome. Happy gardening!
@stormeyholmes2673 жыл бұрын
In Louisiana won’t you hit water?
@vinlago3 жыл бұрын
@@stormeyholmes267 that's our problem here in the southeast. The water table is just a few feet down. Unless we build a mount or a cinder block above ground cellar it doesn't seem like it will work.
@stormeyholmes2673 жыл бұрын
@@vinlago I am wondering if you could grow in buckets?
@vinlago3 жыл бұрын
@@stormeyholmes267 we use small hills or raised beds and keep a ditch and drain around the garden so rain drains away. Buckets work as well but if you mean for potatoes laundry baskets might do or nested buckets with panels cut if the inner bucket to make potato retrieval easier. Look growing potatoes in containers or Ruth Stout method.
@monicabibyk67307 ай бұрын
Thank you so much. Excellent video
@CountryLivingExperience7 ай бұрын
You're welcome
@bellabong88622 жыл бұрын
It helps greatly to moisten the dirt first by a good soaking. Much easier to dig the hole then. But what do I, a city slicker, know.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Usually yes, but this is hard pack red clay. The water just would run off.
@onedazinn998 Жыл бұрын
Brilliant! ;) Our garage is cement floor but I think the same idea can be achieved in a garage with straw bales surrounding the can. I love this & thank you!
@julegate Жыл бұрын
@onedazinn988, that is what I am going to do.
@CosmicSeeker694 жыл бұрын
total gratitude for this - especially for the humidity and temp figures .. Reeespect!
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
Thank you.
@awt96872 жыл бұрын
Nice, nice, very informative. As an urban dweller I think I can use this. Thanks!
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@foreverendeavor9623 жыл бұрын
I'm glad you just happened to be from Michigan because that's where I live and I wanted to know how far to dig more Michigan climate so that was helpful:)
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
I grew up on Michigan. I know the frost line is 42” there. If you dig down to 48” you’ll be in great shape.
@tammybrennan20403 жыл бұрын
I’m in Michigan too. Macomb county. I recently discovered I have a root cellar underneath my condo
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
@@tammybrennan2040 awesome!
@tammybrennan20403 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience I’m going to binge watch ur videos. I discovered u by u tube recommending it. Best thing u tubes done.
@rudyo8409 Жыл бұрын
great video'' thanks for sharing
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
Thank you
@Greg-mw5kh3 жыл бұрын
An updated version of the barrel or 55 gallon drum. This is a great idea! Easier access. Thanks for sharing.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful.
@jodiz59012 жыл бұрын
Finally! A diy root cellar video by someone who lives in a hot climate! We live in FL and what we really need something that will work in the esp heat. Even more so because we are more likely to lose power and be unable to refrigerate produce during hurricane season. But how do you keep bugs from getting through the 3/8 in holes you driilled in the bottom of the can?
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Hello. Keep in mind this does not work well in the extreme heat of the summer. The other seasons are no problem. The holes in the bottom are no issue for us because we have hard clay soil. You can put screen in the bottom if you have s softer soil with bugs in your area.
@MsLorisM3 жыл бұрын
Nice video. It might work in a lot of areas, not so much in central Florida. Holes drilled in the bottom here would get you a half barrel of water. I have been looking for a solution for a high ground water level area. I will keep looking.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Yes, high water table areas won't allow this type of cellar. Good luck finding a solution.
@frankieodom3 жыл бұрын
I also live in Florida. I wonder is we could dig down a foot or so, lay flat stepping stones as a floor, cinder blocks as walls and build up a few feet high. Then haul dirt in to cover it. Still thinking if this could work, how to make an entrance to it and how to insulate it. Fire ants and carpenter ants are a problem around my property and those dang palmetto bugs.
@jimmace61482 жыл бұрын
I'm in southern Missouri and I just cant see this not filling with water here either.
@imim18842 жыл бұрын
Thank you .. l enjoyed this .. l think l will try this !!
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
You’re welcome
@WinkTartanBelle2 жыл бұрын
Took about two years, but between me, Hubs and my son (and alittle help from a neighbor boy) we dug out enough of our hard clay here in north Texas to sink in an old broken chest freezer. I had to fill in the vents and holes with a special hard and non-porous foam. once you remove the machinery it makes the box much lighter and you have even more room inside, so worth doing that. We buried it so the lip is about 6-8 inches above grade, and edged the hole with brick pavers. It's inside a insulated shed, so should stay pretty cool down there. Also pretty much out of sight. I keep a table over top. You never know when it might be a good idea to have a place like that.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Nice! That sounds like a great project.
@AbolishFamilyCourt2 жыл бұрын
Awesome! I live in north Texas too. How did this go? Are you still using it?
@WinkTartanBelle2 жыл бұрын
@@AbolishFamilyCourt Yes! Working great. I added a more secure latch. The temp seems pretty solidly at 67 to 70 degrees during the summer. I keep a sachet of baking soda and some plain (no additives) clay kitty litter in the bottom, just in case of excess moisture or funky odors. So far so good.
@AbolishFamilyCourt2 жыл бұрын
@@WinkTartanBelle Inspirational! Thank you
@Time_Raps2 жыл бұрын
Thank you i just built the exact same one using your video here in south island New Zealand
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Awesome!
@b.walker59553 жыл бұрын
Love how you repeatedly credited "WE" in the build. I watched and only saw "YOU" in the dig. 🤣 This is such a BRILLIANT PLAN!!! I am an over thinker proceed this comment fully aware. Would a gravel bed be beneficial in the base? Is there any value in using spray foam? Excelsior an option for saw dust or straw? Do I understand the key to which ever medium used is separation of the produce and to provide air circulation between? *Would have loved to see a thermometer or barometer down in the base in your can. (See I told you I was an over thinker, failed to tell you I am a back seat driver too) ha ha.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
I have a team of people that I acknowledge. A gravel bed would be beneficial.
@b.walker59553 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience Of course, we all do. Well DONE TEAM! Should have added how grateful I am for this simple solution. I kept thinking without the structure that is yet to be built I can't store up provision. I have a barn just as you do...and even if you do have an actual root cellar a back up to the back up is a fabulous plan and all should utilize it. Thanks again!
@harrymason1053 Жыл бұрын
I did this in Maine (zone 5) and it worked fine.
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
Cool
@bighern17944 жыл бұрын
That's a cool idea. I was thinking I had to go big. But a big 500gal plastic tote would work.
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Yes, a big tote would work well.
@songbirdforjesus23813 жыл бұрын
Can't rodents chew through plastic, hence the steel can?
@speakrighttogod3 жыл бұрын
@@songbirdforjesus2381 Yes, rodents DO CHEW/BITE/SCRATCH through plastic. Even thick, hard plastic. It takes longer but they ARE PERSISTENT & CONSISTENT if a meal is involved!!! The holes in neighborhood trash cans and direct observations prove it.
@Abundantman7772 жыл бұрын
Your little girl is gorgeous!!
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Praise God.
@Abundantman7772 жыл бұрын
I also love to hear,"Praise GOD"
@loosegear43453 жыл бұрын
How do you routinely check your stores if everything is covered in layers of straw? Remove everything, examine, and re-layer?
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
I don’t.
@bella-bee2 жыл бұрын
I was wondering that too. Seems too you should layer repeated selections so you don’t need to dig to the bottom if you happen to want a potato!
@Retrofire-472 жыл бұрын
i think a great solution to this would be designing some kind of vegetable steamer-like contraption and then lowering that cage into the trash can, tie strings to both handles of the cage, then it would be rather simple to just pull the entire cage (holding all the preserved food) out.
@carolsassen24853 жыл бұрын
Brilliant information very grateful thank you sir God Bless you 😇💕😇💕😇
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Thank you. God bless you too.
@cindyjean32083 жыл бұрын
I have always read to surround the root vegetables with sand? What are your thoughts on using sand?
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
That can work too but a pain to dig the veggies out.
@Carol-ch9wj2 жыл бұрын
Thank you...such a great ideal.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
You’re welcome
@hippychikforever3 жыл бұрын
Question: Will this work at sea level, in a tropical climate, like Florida? You can't dig too far without hitting water, but you have to dig a little deep to get to cool soil.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately it will not work at sea level or areas with a high water table. It would work it you had a hill with well draining soil.
@micheleh52692 жыл бұрын
Here in florida we can dig down a little, also if you put drain rock at the bottom and build up the soil around it, that rock will really help keep it cool (I accidentally changed the pH on a tomato by putting drainage rock in the bottom of a planter and that rock kept the soil cool even though it was all above ground and VERY warm here)
@Laccy412 жыл бұрын
Florida here too! Oh well ,thank You.
@nancylangley69923 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot for sharing
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
You're welcome
@12vLife3 жыл бұрын
Gives me an idea I want to test... I have a property in Sebring Florida (the high elevation middle of Florida in what they call the Lake Wales Ridge) . The soil is very sandy and there is no pavement within 3 miles.. Summer nights are cool compared to the coast.. like tonight in the middle of July it's around 74F vs 80F in Miami. Those 6 degrees make a very big difference for sleeping without AC at night. I recently dug a shallow well by hand noticed the water and soil a few feet down was much cooler. I am wondering.. I like to park my van on the property and looking for a passive way to pull cool air into the van. I wonder if hammering 8" PVC pipes 8 feet into the ground and flushing soil out so they are empty but likely full of water at the base.. if it might be possible to get some cooler air up by pushing some surface air in under the van that has been blocking the sun all day.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
You can absolutely do that. You are essentially talking about a homemade geothermal cooling system.
@ccccclark26053 жыл бұрын
Put mosquito screen over the ends!
@bradleykanieski7062 жыл бұрын
Did this exactly like yours last year. Hay was all damp and all potato’s where bad this spring.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Strange. Did you have water get into the hold, is your ground water table too high, did you put a vent on it?
@jwrightgardening3 жыл бұрын
First thought: What a good idea! Second thought: Oh yeah I just remembered my water table is only 10 inches down.
@jgjg38483 жыл бұрын
Maybe you could double up your trash cans. Put a slightly larger rubber/plastic trash can in the hole, then set your smaller galvanized steel trash can with in it. Everything will stay dry.
@jwrightgardening3 жыл бұрын
@@jgjg3848 That could work! I'd have to dig the hole in the hottest driest part of the summer but it would be worth a try. I've been trying to figure out how to get a root cellar without inadvertently digging a well! 😂
@francessilta78923 жыл бұрын
I’d be afraid that when the water table came back up your can would float out of the ground.
@jwrightgardening3 жыл бұрын
@@francessilta7892 sigh, logic... 😂
@elisaseverns25432 жыл бұрын
My issue too. But JG JG had a great idea to double up metal with plastic cans.
@buckshot83932 жыл бұрын
Here in mountains around Landisburg, Pa we used to dig a hole, line with straw and store apples and our veggies then stuff straw and cover it with dirt everything lasted till spring. Later we dug down about 5 feet, built a block container about 8 feet square and 8 foot tall. We built a heavy door for the side of it about 3 feet wide. Built an entrance way and a second door about 5 feet away from the first. Then covered the whole thing with about 4 feet of dirt. Had a vent pipe out of the top. Stored the same stuff but was a lot more convenient. Lasted till spring. Used it until around 1968.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Very cool! I love the old school ways that work.
@alanross28764 жыл бұрын
Cool idea. Seems like a pain in the butt to pull out veggies if they are stacked on top of each other. I guess this works best for one type of root vegetable? Or is there a way to have easy access to more than one type of root vegetable in one garbage can?
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
It is not that difficult to get them out. I suppose you could make a multi-tiered basket that fits down inside if you like.
@gaylefynaut5623 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience or make dividers in a pie shape and insert it in the can. Have a grab it tool close by when you get close to the bottom.
@leswilliamson35872 жыл бұрын
Thank you
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
You're welcome
@TheJbgo3 жыл бұрын
In AK where I am from the frost depth is 8 feet! Not a lot of root cellars compared to other states.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Crazy! I grew up in MI with 4ft but 8 is super deep.
@headspinsinsocietytoday2 жыл бұрын
Wow! GREAT IDEA!!!! ROOT CELLAR IN THE GROUND via TRASH CANS....WHERE DO YOU COME FROM....OUTER SPACE!!!!! WAY COOL!!
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Thanks. No I grew up in the North US. This is common.
@juliewatson10683 жыл бұрын
Living in the High Desert in Southern California, about 3,000 ft elevation. Gets VERY hot in the summer, obviously, hot & dry. Winters are usually not too bad. Wonder how this would work for us.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
It should. Just give an ample amount of insulation on the top (straw, etc.)
@janefisher34082 жыл бұрын
sending this vieo to my sons in Utah, Idaho and Oregon.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Cool
@brownsugarhomestead4 жыл бұрын
Hi, great idea I’m wondering about small insect getting through the holes in the bottom. Do you think that’s going to be a problem?
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
Nothing has gotten in so far. I think it is below the depth that bugs usually burrow sans ants. I have had the occasional spider get through the top but only about 3.
@harlankraft5784 жыл бұрын
I was going to ask the same question because we have cutter ants here in my part of Texas. They strip vegetables and leaves of many trees and shrubs. Thanks for the video and the question! :)
@barbaramaasch94994 жыл бұрын
Could you add a layer of mesh/screen product to prevent insects from getting in but still allowing the moisture to drain?
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
@@barbaramaasch9499 You can add a layer of screen if you like. Nothing really gets in there except the occasional spider.
@greensmash2 жыл бұрын
Pretty deep for insects
@bowman2432 жыл бұрын
Great digging music!!!
@debrataylor18133 жыл бұрын
Some pretty dang hard soil!
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Sure is.
@victoriaoshea48652 жыл бұрын
Very informative and helpful.
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@victoriaheuman88534 жыл бұрын
man! great idea! Thank you!
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
Glad you liked it!
@robertfrisby3201 Жыл бұрын
I wish the root cellar that used to be here was still here! It was tore out filled in back when my Mom was being raised here. I live in the Salt Lake Valley and winters get cold but not like they used to when I was young. Our water lines have to 4' deep so they will not freeze but I don't think our ground freezes even close to that far down. I usually just leave my carrots and beets in the garden all winter and cover them with a good deep layer of my tree leaves and then just go out and dig what I need through the winter. The soil under the leaves doesn't even try to freeze and is just as easy to dig as during the summer. I just wish I had somewhere to store things like apples, potatoes, not sure if I could make this work? Mine would be out in the weather, I don't have a barn or dirt floor garage or shed to put one in, so I might not be able to control the moisture.
@CountryLivingExperience Жыл бұрын
It may not work for you then. It needs to be under cover. Hope you find a solution.
@inkbythebarrelandpaperbyth69054 жыл бұрын
This is awesome but wouldn't the galvanization affect your food somehow? I've always heard that you cannot drink from galvanized steel??
@CountryLivingExperience4 жыл бұрын
House water pipes used to be galvanized. Water is ok but you can get some destabilization of the zinc coating if storing water. In the case of the root cellar, the food is never touching the sides of the can. It always insulated by a layer of straw, sawdust, etc. so no worries.
@inkbythebarrelandpaperbyth69054 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience cool thanks!
@dewaynebonds5275 Жыл бұрын
I would add maybe a good layer of gravel on the bottom of the hole to help with drainage. Also you mentioned weekly checking but that would mean uncovering each week and with the straw layering that would mean quite literally finding all your produce in a haystack. If one has access to moss that may be better for layering. Great video, thank you.
@trisld Жыл бұрын
Moss...good thought Love ppl collaborating and learning together. Those of us who learned stuff from grandparents have to make sure we keep it going
@yourworstnightmareever5384 жыл бұрын
now i know how i can grow tropical fruit trees in my Grandma's backyard 😁
@kikitaube-hansen2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@CountryLivingExperience2 жыл бұрын
You're welcome!
@lauranewman76063 жыл бұрын
Just a curious question, since I live in the South just like you, do you ever worry about snakes sneaking in? Were we live, we have copperheads. Would hate to reach for carrots and see one curled up.
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
We have never had an issue here. The lid on the top fits extremely tight and the vent is covered by screen.
@lauranewman76063 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience thank you. We will make one as well.
@helenbrown64293 жыл бұрын
@@CountryLivingExperience ...why did u not inlude showing how to do the vent & suppies used?
@lb61103 жыл бұрын
@Laura Newman - Oh My Word! That would be the WORST possible thing to happen! I live in northwest british columbia Canada, we have only garter snakes, but even those are too much for me!
@larrywilliams92183 жыл бұрын
Just commenting to help your channel spread. Love how you’re living
@CountryLivingExperience3 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much Larry. Very kind of you. I appreciate it.