Many people associate “root cellar pantry” with an earlier time period or with scenes from Little House on the Prairie books, yet this form of food storage remains an effective means for both storing produce from your own garden and also for preserving grocery store purchases.
Root cellars provide a cool, dark place where vegetables and fruits can be stored until needed. These rooms are often underground so their temperature matches that of their surroundings; making this ideal for storing root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, beets and parsnips that may last months in storage if an emergency situation arises or in case of natural disaster. This helps people become more self-sufficient as well as having backup food supplies should any such situation arise.
Root cellars provide storage solutions for various items, such as berries, apples and cheese. Some people even use this space to keep bacon and ham fresh throughout wintertime. In addition, root cellars can also provide ample room to keep squash, pumpkins and onions.
Root cellars must be well insulated in order to work effectively; the space must be dark to protect the food from direct light exposure; its temperature should mirror that of the earth, while humidity levels must remain high.
Ideal root cellars should be large enough to store large amounts of food. Many homeowners construct one in their home by excavating an old basement or using an out-of-the-way section of their garage; another way involves burying a section of culvert pipe; one person did this and created an entry hatch using eight foot diameter, fifty foot long pipe as well as making vents to let in and out air, turning this space into an accessible root cellar pantry within their own home.
Preparing vegetables for storage requires you to remove excess dirt. Furthermore, some vegetables must also be cured or dried prior to being put in the cellar. Furthermore, it’s wise to space out your vegetables evenly so that too many aren’t piled high; otherwise heat may build up and cause spoilage faster. Rotate food periodically so the oldest produce gets used first while newer items don’t go to waste! To learn more about food storage at home and take advantage of its benefits a root cellar offers check out this article: Storing Your Harvest Without a Root Cellar Pantry then incorporate these tips into your own home to take full advantage of what benefits root cellaring offers!