I first posted the following on the PrepStepsInfo Facebook page but good information for here also. I now have three 20 gallon trashcan root cellars and they are holding up great. Check out PrepStepsInfo out on Facebook. by PrepStepsInfo on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 8:14pm So, there I was trying to come up with a way a 64 year old woman, with a limited budget, could build a rootcellar on a postage stamp suburban lot. I was already storing dry goods in galvanized trashcans in the garage...but where is the challenge in that? I had sealed the seams inside and out with a good quality bathroom caulking as a barrier for moisture and insects. I had conducted a little experiment with storing sweet potatoes purchased the first week of November 2010. Arranged them in a single layer in a disposable aluminum roasting tray in my garage. So far it's been five months and I've only lost one. These won't be for eating but just to see just how long they will last. The single rutabaga in the experiment lasted about two months then bit the dust. Anyway, the first thought that struck me was that SURELY the trashcan could also be turned into a type of root cellar. I knew the basic principals from watching my father build one as a child. Second thought: it's too simple. Third thought: too easy. Fourth thought: too inexpensive. Fifth thought: this is such a great idea, SOMEONE hasGOT to have already figured this out. Sixth thought: google it. Seventh thought: EUREKA!!!, low and behold, this first site at the top of the list was titled "The Trashcan Root Cellar"...I felt so...so...uhmm, I think the word is validated! I have one pick axe, two shovels and two very strong sons. Check it out, very informative, easy and inexpensive. The owner of the blog is Philip Glaser and his blog is: From The Tower: Uncommon Views on Many Things. You can find him at http://viewfromthetower.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/the-trashcan-root-cellar Add Comment When it comes to the essentials of preparedness and self sufficiency I'm a believer in the fact that you can't be too prepared. My Mama taught me a lot. She taught me all she knew as well as she could before she left for heaven at the age of 93. Part of her credo was to believe for the best but prepare for the worst, that way you could rest knowing that you had done all you could within your own power to care for those you love. She also taught me you had to have a relationship with God and get to know Him well enough to believe He would take care of what you couldn't. I can't teach you everything you need to know on these issues but I can tell you what has worked for me and my family and point you to others who can share even more knowledge and information. While I am NOT a supreme expert, there is much I can share from my life experiences of learning by trial, and error regarding preparedness and self sufficiency. You must take the responsibility of deciding what you think will work for you and your loved ones . So, that being said I've listed what the basic yet essential topics to begin your journey towards preparedness and self sufficiency. Here they are: 1. Water purification 2. Shelf stable food 3. Safe shelter 4. Preparedness 5. Self sufficiency We will discuss and research these in depth in future posts. |