Bounty Keeping
Throughout history, food preservation techniques have responded to the pressures of climate. In the cool fishing villages of the north, whether seaside or inland, people salted and dried the day’s catch. Where seasonal temperature changes ruled, families utilized sugar syrups, oil, alcohol and vinegar for eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables. In hot dry climates, dairy products became yogurts and soft cheeses through a process called lactic fermentation, though in chilled autumns, cabbage morphed into sauerkraut with the same microbial action. In the lands where root crops prospered, hollow earthen mounds or depressions marked the homestead’s cold storage.

Root Cellar Defined
The traditional root cellar is an enclosed, naturally cool area within or near the home; its purpose, to refrigerate fruits and vegetables for two weeks to six months. Along with unpreserved fruits and vegetables, the cold storage area also maintained the integrity of home preserved food—canned, jellied, pickled and fermented.
Some were built into the side of a slope with a small outer chamber to moderate heat and humidity, then an inner keeping room for the goods. Where flat land prevailed, a small shed stood above a trap door with stairs leading below. In places where harsh winters made outdoor excursions of even a few yards problematic, root cellars occupied a corner of the basement. They also became popular where winters were milder, in mid-19th century homes with large kitchen gardens. Today the non-traditional cold storage area may be found in the home’s dark, dank nook or niche, in the city, suburb or country.

Cold Storage Basics
Heat, humidity, light, airflow and storage companions govern what is stored, when, for how long and next to whom. The optimum temperature is 32 Fahrenheit and it may extend as high as 40 but no higher. Humidity may range from 90 to 95 percent—higher and dripping condensation will start the rotting, lower and the thin-skinned will shrivel. No light allowed; it’ll spoil the potatoes and encourage other tubers and bulbs to sprout roots and shoots. Insert fine-screened (rodent barrier) venting to the outside; keep open shelves away from the walls to temper and direct airflow.

Suitable Crops
Each fruit or vegetable—naked or packaged—has its own preferences for longevity. Each must be handled differently, depending on its responses to the basics I listed.
Carrots, for example, become bitter when stored beside fruits that release ethylene gas such as apples, peaches, pears, plums and tomatoes. In areas where the ground remains unfrozen until late winter, carrots may be taken as needed.
Beets, however, should be chosen before they become too large and woody and then stored for three-five months at 32 Fahrenheit and 95 percent humidity.
Each must be harvested unblemished, at the peak of maturity, for any break in the outer peel or skin is an entry wound for disease. The defective but edible should find themselves sauced, canned or even candied.

Resources
Though I have not read it, Mike and Nancy Bubel’s 1991 book “Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables” continues to receive consistent online positive reviews. Readers say it is well organized and easy to understand. It may be worth your consideration.

TIP OF THE WEEK
Pinch buds and flowers from chrysanthemums for a fuller set of autumn blooms; and from garlic, leeks, onion, and shallots, to direct energy to plumper bulb formation. Keep the area around peonies and roses free of leaf litter, which provides a safe cover for disease and insect pests.