I want to build a root cellar and this book was recommended by a youtuber. What is the definitive root cellar book or Web resource that is a must have?
As somebody who grew up with one, root cellars suck.
There is always something rotting in them that you have to throw out. So you get a nasty rotten vegetable and dirt smell going all the time.
Add that in to the brined pickles/cabbage that was fermenting and it was nasty.
Running to get some carrots in the middle of the winter when it’s -25C out is not fun either.
Fair call. I also want it to double as a cool, safe room for my family during the Australian summer and wildfire season.
Have you tried… Your local library? And if you are out in the countryside already mayhaps you could look up and talk to a local 4H club or something similar?
They don’t have it and don’t have anything related to root cellar in their state database unfortunately.
My local library doesn’t have this book. I will go in personally when it’s open to see if I can get them to order it from another library in our state.
Have you ever had one before? Do you know what is in your soil? This last question can be important as 1 foot below my soil is a lot of remnants of DDT/arsenic based pesticides (it was a farm once).
I’ve never had one. I’ve also never had my soil tested. I’m wanting to put it where there is 1.5 feet of soil then average of 4 feet thick gravel rock.
I am building one now, wish I could attach pictures to show you, but I have sort of two stories, 12 ft by 18 ft of a sheet metal roof, no walls yet, then a sort of trench that goes maybe 12 ft at 6 to 9 ft deep and then another length of steps up and down sort of each way.
Used pieces of wood I screwed together and such on the walls of the cellar to keep it from caving in which is actually what I am doing right now. I am using mine to grow Gourmet mushrooms in the winter, after I seal it up it will stay above freezing. Not sure how I will seal it though for now I just have logs placed over the Dugout parts. I could throw a shitload of leaves on top but I am worried that would just rot and I do not want rot around my mushroom and want to stay away from plastic although for this year I think I will wrap the walls in plastic sheeting.
But I may just use Sawdust to insulate the roof but I still need something to put before and after that.
Can you use pine resin on the roof?
I am not sure, I really do not have any pine resin to speak of and not sure if it would help what I have going on here anyway. But I was thinking it bunch of sticks over the trench and then smaller sticks over top and then a layer of maybe white pine needles and then saw dust on top of there, and then it would be nice to have some sort of flat surface on there that is what is giving me pause. But I also have to build doors on the entrances I’m running out of time here.
I am sure one of the Foxfire books covers this. Id have to check when I get home to see which volume.
Commenting cause I’m interested in the answer too. From reading online the basic idea is digging the cellar lower in the ground (how deep depends on your soil) to keep the temperature regular, and adding appropriate ventilation to remove damp and warm air.
Are you looking for other books because that ones not good? Or because you can’t get a copy of it. Because it’s in Anna’s Archive if you want to check it out (and then, if you like it, try to buy a copy).
Currently I have no resources apart from Web search for this topic. I’m looking at finding the most reliable resources to start me on my journey.
Why not start with the book youve been recommended? Amazon reviews suggest it covers everything from produce selection, to growing tips, to establishing a root cellar in your home
Unless someone gives me a better recommendation here I will most definitely doing this. Australia tax isn’t cheap and I want to be sure it’s my best option first.
Looking to getting takkonite or something, the only type of explosive you might be able to get fairly easily, and save yourself the trouble and use that to excavate as much as possible. I did mine all by hand and it is exponentially harder the deeper you go. A lot of the dirt I have to move three times. I wish I could show you some pictures I’m actually working on one right now.
I will have to do it all by hand. Explosives are out of the question for me. I do have some nice equipment I can rent though. The rock i have here isn’t so bad. It’s not like clumped gravel than rock but will still take a few months by hand without a Jack hammer.
Just be sure to build walls even if temporary after you get down a ways because cave ins are deadly, in construction there are more deaths from trenches than anything else.
People that get buried like up to their chest or neck can seem fine and get dug out but as soon as they get dug out they die within like a minute and it is irreversible there’s no way to stop it you’re capillaries get like crushed from the weight.
Thank you for this very informative tip.
One of my relaxation YouTube channels that I watch is My Self Reliance. The dude has built a really nice homestead in the canadian forest mostly by himself with hand tools. He has a playlist on when he built his root cellar. It’s been a while since I watched it but I think he gives some solid tips. Keep in mind, most of his content is no talking and just building. Here is the playlist.
Thank you!
