Produce That Can Be Stored in a Root Cellar

The produce that can be stored in a root cellar.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

The root cellar was once a staple of rural life, serving as a method of food preservation as well as a storage space for people without electricity and refrigeration.

The cool, somewhat moist (yet not too damp) atmosphere of a root cellar helps keep your bounty fresh for longer periods. While the root cellar is the ideal environment for crops like potatoes, winter squashes, and rutabagas, it’s also the perfect place to stash some of your favorite fruits, too. Such as apples, pears, tomatoes, tomatillos, grapes, oranges and grapefruit.

Although you can store all kinds of produce in a root cellar, it’s generally considered best practice not to keep fruits too close to vegetables. The reason, certain fruits release ethylene gas and this can significantly decrease the storage life of many vegetables.

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