[Homestead] Cool food storage
Gene GeRue
genegerue at ruralize.com
Tue Dec 9 13:49:51 EST 2008
On Dec 9, 2008, at 11:23 AM, Leslie wrote:
> Gene,
>
> For storing potatos / carrots in the soil, does the soil have to
> remain above freezing?
Yes. That's what the mulch does, keep the soil from freezing. When you
want potatoes, you pull back mulch and lift the spuds. In good soil
you can do this with no tool save your hands.
An alternative way is to dig a hole and bury a small barrel or wood
box (not plastic), fill with potatoes, top with lots of organic
material: mulch, straw, grass and leaf collection from fall mowing. Do
not clean the potatoes. Lift them, leave them on the ground until the
clinging dirt and skins have dried a bit, then store. Handle as gently
as possible to avoid bruising. Some people make layers of spuds and
straw.
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