Root cellar

Hubby grew up with a pantry of combination of home canned and store bought canned goods and freezer full of meat in the basement.They raised cows and pigs.

I grew up with a small pantry of home canned food and a root cellar. 

Mother grew up with small pantry, Daddy grew up a cabinet of what ever Grandpa could buy from the company store or the girls and Daddy's grandma put up. His Mom had polio and could not walk or even peel a potato.

I've talked about making small root cellar's and Hubby has listened but really just wasn't ready to make that choice. E pointed out to him the other day he was kind of surprised we didn't have something set up as a root cellar since Hubby talks of being prepared to be off grid if needed when Hubby told him we had trouble keeping potatoes. 

Sunday Hubby asked where my book on root cellaring was (Root Cellaring by Mike and Nancy Bubel). I went and got it thinking he wanted to look at it. Should have known better as he hates to read much of anything, He asked about areas in the home that we could store veggies and fruit. So I showed him the lists in the book, varieties that are good keepers, temperature and humidity, how to store them etc. They even had lists of what they ate from fresh(had a solar greenhouse), from freezer, from canned foods and the root cellar. I pointed out if I had a root cellar I would be canning less veggies and fruit and could can more meat and have room for it on the shelves. 

He is willing to try it. More he is willing for me to do it and is agreeable to carrying food into where ever I think we can store it. 

I have a some temperature, humidity thermometers that I can place a wireless sensor to monitor that also. We have one in south loft, east loft, barn, front room, pump house and two in the basement (pantry and bottom of basement ramp to outside as I make kraut there). Good thing we decided to move them around and found out that 5 out of the seven was not working correctly. Changed batteries in sensors, unplugged the monitors, reconnected them and still had 4 not working. I ordered new ones that were on sale. We figured we could adjust where we have them and I would be able to monitor areas we store food in.

He wanted to check temps and humidity now, I had to explain that we needed to wait to do that in late Sept. as the temps and humidity would be a lot differnet then.  Then he was like, Oh yeah that's right. (cognitive dysfunction strikes again, some more, what ever, we call it glitching, he is okay with that term).

He asked HOW MUCH we should store... got to love this book as they told what they stored for a family of 4. Hubby took those figures, cut them in half and converted bushels to pounds so I could do some of the buying at the one store that brings in fresh produce from local farmers. Yes I checked his figures. 

He asked if we could afford to buy artichoke heart jarred... I am thinking okay, I have some, not a lot.... he knows he should eat spinach (does fresh, but gets nausated with smelling cooked spinach or any greens) but thought if I made spinach artichoke dip while he was outside and air the house out it would be a way for him to eat spinach.He eats kale in Home Chef Autumn stew.

Then he asked how much money it was going to cost to do root cellaring... NOT including food... the cost of the humidity/temperature gauges. I have crates, baskets, we can get saw dust from E or other sawmills for free. I can save a few boxes and use that for carrots, parsnips, etc. I have bee's wax to coat rutabaga like you see in the stores.  I have 8 areas to check to see if they will be able to be used for storing food. 

He mentioned I would have to plant more than just what I usually do for the fall garden... I pointed out some things can be left in the garden and just covered a row cover (I use Agribon 19 or 30 and just double it )I did that a couple years ago to keep cabbage and brussels sprouts through Dec in the garden. Cleaned snow off and gave E 3 heads of cabbage  and watched his jaw drop. Jan. King Cabbage does well for me.

We have several errands today along with starting to stock up grains. M told us to check blueberry prices, she heard they were less than $2.50 lb at Aldi's and the orchard down the road has them for $2.50 So if they are less than $2.50 get her 15 lbs and if not she's have one of the kids go to the orchard to get them.

Does not help we had a storm go through at 2:30 so Charlotte has me up. 

Stay safe

Prayers 

Blessed Be