Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Root Cellars
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19
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and Basements
Dating back thousands of years, farmers and families alike have preserved their harvest in the cool,
dry climate of a cellar or basement. “Cellar,” being used loosely, as earliest versions involved simply
burying the produce until it was time to use it. The methods have matured over time, but the
concept is the same. Keep produce cool and dry, and its shelf life will repay you in dividends.
Early American settlers had the hang of cellar storage well, with root cellars found in the thou-
sands. One small town alone boasts more than 100. That a number of them in this so-called “Root
Cellar Capital of the World” have remained for a couple hundred years is proof of their longevity.
You won't need a 200-year-old cellar, but you can still construct one that is practical and functional
for your backyard farm. The benefits of easy storage to stretch your harvest will stand up against
the initial work and investment.
Storing Crops in a Cellar
Consider when and how you harvest your crops. The condition of the crop itself is important
because it will contribute to the quality and duration of storage. As soon as stems are broken and
the environment changed, a crop will start to decompose. Keeping it in its environment for as long
as possible will prolong its time in storage. Make sure that you are harvesting properly and at the
right time for that particular crop.
Root vegetables can stay in the ground if you mulch straw over the top of it. Until the ground
freezes, they can stay there for as long as a month. Onions are the exception, as they need to be
harvested as soon as the tops fall over so that you can dry them out.
Pumpkin and other winter squashes can be left on the vine until the vine itself is withered from
frost. In southern climates you would harvest when the stem begins to shrivel. Breaking the stem
breeds opportunity for disease, so there is no reason to even touch it until you are ready to bring
it in or until the vine has seen better days. Kale and collards can stay out in the garden past frosts,
but spinach or romaine cannot. Find the optimal time to harvest each plant and wait until then.
