# Food Storage



## mtnoelle (Nov 19, 2012)

Hello all. New to prepping and have some questions about storage for veggies and such out of my garden. 

I do have a crawl space that would do well for the winter since I don't think it's gets below 32 degrees in there but what about the warmer months in particular summer? Does a crawl space that is barely below outside temps make a good place for vegetable storage? Mainly root vegetables of course.

I am VERY limited on the space that I have so the crawl space is perfect. It's highest point is maybe just short of 5'. Only other option would be to bury them (don't really want to do this) or I may be able to use some space in a neighbors basement.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

If that is the coolest part of the house,and you can keep rodents away from your preps, then it is a good storage place.

The best storage places are cool, dark and dry.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Yes, it sounds like you have a nice place for storage. You could use boxes,kept off the soil,filled with potatoes,carrots...and straw or paper. Some people pack veggies in sand in bushel baskets. I haven't done it(use moist sand), but would for Turnips.My turnips do well wraped in moist paper towels in a plastic bag kept cool. Onions prefer dryer conditions than potatoes.


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## mtnoelle (Nov 19, 2012)

So it doesn't matter if the storage area can reach the 90 degree temps of summer? Had thought that it had to stay in the 34-50 degree range for food storage.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Yes, it matters. No, you do not have an adequate storage area in the crawl space. Keep looking. Preserving your foods may be a much better option -- most root veggies can be canned and frozen, too.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

What, exactly, are you planning to store ? 

Root cellars require as low a temp as you can manage to get ( but still above freezing), with a fairly high humidity. We don't store much of anything in the summer in a root cellar. Fall going into winter is when the RC gets used. Most root crops aren't going to last much past late spring no matter what.....they are ready to either sprout or rot. A crawl space CAN work, but it isn't ideal, because you don't want the humidity level you need for a root cellar in a crawl space, or you'll be replacing a house floor at some point.

Storing store or home canned goods, you want, again, as low a temp as you can get ( but still above freezing ) as each 10 degree drop in average temps about doubles storage life, BUT you want LOW humidity to keep from rusting metal cans, lids, rings, etc.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

The 90 degrees does matter. What are you storing!


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## mtnoelle (Nov 19, 2012)

Well if you can't tell I'm new to all of this. We've had a garden for a few years but now as a result of everything that is going on in this country my family is stepping it up a notch. Mainly trying to be as self sufficient as possible.

We just got some canning supplies for next years harvest. I know we can can some of it, and freeze a lot of it as well.

When I grow potatoes, onions, garlic (maybe), leeks.....and some other ideas that are floating around are radish, parsnips and other varying things I'm just not sure what to do.

Apologies for the elementary questions but just trying to relieve my ignorance.

Hard to believe that my dad's family are pure Anglo Saxon farmers from Texas. :ashamed:


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Hi mtnoelle! It can be a lot to learn at first huh? We live in the desert so I don't even think about storing those types of foods in that way (root cellar), so because of that I just do canning, freezing and dehydrating.

Dehydrating is a great way to preserve spuds, tunips, onions, parsnips, carrots etc. They take up so little space when dried which is a nice benefit if you're space cramped like I am!

Sometimes you just have to adjust your thinking about what you can accomplish. Not every technique will work for everyone so just look for alternatives!


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## PrairieBelle22 (Nov 17, 2006)

No worries, mtnoelle, that's what this forum is all about. Welcome, by the way, to the basement. I have noticed that there are very few griches down here. (I think they may have been cannibalized)

I am reading with interest regarding root cellar storage as I am new to having a cellar. (sooo excited) Just last night a hauled several more bags of preps down there. I was thinking that I should put a thermometer with a hydrometer down there for keeping tabs on things. I found this chart regarding storage conditions.
*[SIZE=+1]Vegetables and their optimum storage conditions[/SIZE]* *Cold and very moist (32-40 degrees F and 90-95 % humidity* Carrots 
Beets 
Parsnips 
Rutabagas 
Turnips Celery 
Chinese Cabbage 
Celeriac 
Salsify 
Scorazonera Winter radishes 
Kohlrabi 
Leeks 
Collards 
Broccoli (short term) 
Burssels Sprouts 
(short term) 
Horseradish 
Jerusalem artichokes 
Hamburg-rooted parsley -- -- -- -- *
Cold and Moist 32-40 degrees F and 80-90% * *humidity*
Potatoes 
Cabbage 
Cauliflower 
(short term) 
Apples 
Grapes 
(40 degrees F) 
Oranges 
Pears 
Quince 
Endive, escarole 
Grapefruit 
*40-50 degrees F and 85-90 % humidity* 
Cucumbers 
Sweet peppers (45-55 degrees F) 
Cantaloupe 
Watermelon 
Eggplant (50-60 degrees F.) 
Ripe tomatoes 
*Cool and Dry 35-40 degrees F 60-70% humidity* 
Garlic 
Onions 
Green soybeans in the pod (short term) 
*Moderately Warm and Dry 50-60 degrees F and 60-70% relative humidity
* Dry hot peppers 
Pumpkins 
Winter squash 
Sweet potatoes 
Green tomatoes (up to 70 degrees F is OK) 

Belle


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Our root cellar ( built into the north wall of the garage, into the mountain outside the wall):


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Then canning pantry, built also on the north side of the back of the garage: It averages about 55-60 in it most of the year.

(Walk-in cooler door is just to the left out of view)


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## mtnoelle (Nov 19, 2012)

Homesteader said:


> Dehydrating is a great way to preserve spuds, tunips, onions, parsnips, carrots etc. They take up so little space when dried which is a nice benefit if you're space cramped like I am!


This would be very new to me as I've never seriously thought about it.

How does dehydrating these veggies effect the preparation for meal time or the taste? I'm going to have to google some of this.

In our situation right now we have no way of getting extra space of our own for a root cellar or even a pantry for that matter. We hope to be able to in the next few years.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I have a above ground pantry/cold storage. Potatoes last until spring planting, squash,pumpkins ect can last longer than 2 months. It is hard to say how long your stored food(uncanned) would last as there is so much diffrence depending on location. Get a remote temp/hydromiter and keep track. I did this for a couple of years,now use the gauge in my hoophouse.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

The taste of tomatoes changes a bit when they are dehydrated.
Home dried onions taste like the dried minced onions you buy in the herb section of the grocery store. 
If you have a large batch of dried foods stored and ready to go, it can make meal preparation so much faster and easier. Some foods need to be blanched or cooked before dehydrating. They can be rehydrated simply by adding to soupy foods or adding a little extra water when cooking. I made turkey noodles with dried mushrooms, celery and onions a few days ago. All the veggies needed was the time it took to bring the water to a boil and cook the noodles. I add (pre-cooked) dried veggies to instant noodles occasionally. Add the veggies before the boiling water. When the noodles are ready the veggies are rehydrated.

Some foods don't need to be cooked first. Onions, garlic, fruits (including peppers and tomatoes) and most herbs don't need to be cooked before drying.


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## mtnoelle (Nov 19, 2012)

hmmm. This dehydrating looks like something worth me looking into. That stuff I would be able to store under the house in the crawl space.

I am correct in thinking that right? As long as if they are in a sealed container (maybe a vacuum sealed bag) they would be ok no matter the temp or humidity right?

And does dehydrating make the food less nutritious?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Dehydrating destroys vitamin C. 

Long term heat will cause some deterioration of the product. If there is any air leakage in your storage containers they will get some humidity inside.


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## Keith (Jul 18, 2011)

Andy, again, very nice setup! I was wondering what the building was in your solar photos.

Does it stay a pretty steady temp. in Winter/Summer?


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I have got to figure out a root cellar set up. I have talked to numerous people, but have been diswaded by fire ants and our awful clay soil.

VERY NICE Tn Andy!


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## am1too (Dec 30, 2009)

What about using a 12' or so tin horn and closed on both ends with maybe a concrete product? Would this adversely affect humidity? I think it would have to be vented as any root cellar would.


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## kittyjo (Feb 10, 2005)

mtnoelle said:


> hmmm. This dehydrating looks like something worth me looking into. That stuff I would be able to store under the house in the crawl space.
> 
> I am correct in thinking that right? As long as if they are in a sealed container (maybe a vacuum sealed bag) they would be ok no matter the temp or humidity right?
> 
> And does dehydrating make the food less nutritious?


 no, dehydrated foods are very nutritious the food whether it is a veg or fruit has a more bolder taste because it is concentrated great for fruit snacks it only takes about half as much dried than fresh 
you can google how to dehydrate foods and get bunches of places to look also the BBB [ball blue book] has it 
I store all my dried foods in jars keeps out pests and dosen't get holes in it


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## Calico Katie (Sep 12, 2003)

mtnoelle said:


> hmmm. This dehydrating looks like something worth me looking into. .......... And does dehydrating make the food less nutritious?


 
This site is a gold mine of information and how to videos for dehydrating.

http://www.dehydrate2store.com/


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

TnAndy, once the cement roof cured, did you shovel some of that dirt back onto your root cellar? Seems like it would provide natural insulation to keep it cooler.


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