Anyone have a root cellar?

[Ted S.]

I've been looking at land for quite a while and am (hopefully) going to have a few acres before the end of the year.

 

One of the things I'm looking into is building a root cellar. I have even given some consideration to just burying a shipping crate into the side of a hill. Anyone here have a root cellar you are willing to share to help me get some ideas? :hat:

[Guest Tennessee Ex Pat]

We had one at the home place when I was a kid. Actually two. My mamaw had one dug under the front porch, and she stored the carrots, beets and potatos in barrels filled with sand. When we were little kids, she would have us kids compete  to see how many taters we could dig in a given time. The other root cellar was at the cabin my family had. I was just a young buck, but is was mostly underground with the door above ground so the water wouldnt come in. It had about four steps down with a concrete floor. It looked as though my papaw shotcreted the sides and top as the dirt was piled up, really thick. It was sort of like a dome, but it had hooks embeded in the roof to hang and season deer. There was A LOT of dirt on this thing, so it was like a meat locker, even in the summer.  I think it started as a storm cellar, but knowing my dad and papaw it of course grew out of control. From the road, it looked like a fair sized lump in the front yard off to the side. We were never allowed to play on it, as the grass could get ruined.  Still in use as far as I know.

[thundersnow]

Check out permies.com. They have a pretty active forum relating to all thing permaculture including root cellars.

[Dienamic]

Check out permies.com. They have a pretty active forum relating to all thing permaculture including root cellars.

Wow good site.  Tons of info.  Thanks!