the joy of keeping a
root cellar
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the joy of keeping a
root cellar THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CANNING, FREEZING, DRYING, SMOKING AND CELLARING THE HARVES
Jennifer Megyesi photography by Geoff Hansen
Skyhorse Publishing
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CONTENTS Preface xx
1 Why Preserve the Harvest? 00
2
6 Cellaring Food for Storage 000
7 Freezing What You’ve Grown 000
Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Harvesting and Preparation 00
Miscellaneous Food Storage 000
3
9
Drying Food for Storage 00
Recipes 000
4
0
Smoking Food for Storage 00
Resources/References 000
8
5 Canning Food for Storage 000
Glossary 00 Index 000
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. . . . th the he joy joo y of of keeping k eeee ping pii ng p ng a root rrooo o ot cellar cell ce llll arr . . . .
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preface
The Joy of Keeping a Root Cellar IN A CORNER OF THE BASEMENT in myy Gra rand ndmand mama
“ Our lives are so disconnected from organic or natural timekeeping and the best efforts of the earth, that once we enter the sterile world of pre-packaged supermarkets it is hard to remember that strawberries and tomatoes are not worth eating in January and that onion soup and oranges don’t make sense in August..”
ma’ss hou ma ouse se out utsi side de of D Deettrroi o tt,, Miicchi h iga ga n n,, a hom ome iin n a seaa of h hoom mees laid la id out ut in sn naakk in ing ng p paatt t ter errns nss of uun n n ifor iffor or m sh hap pes es and nd col o oorrs (o (on st stre reet eet et s that th at cri r isscr ssccrroossseed so ss so mucch th that a I onc nce go got lo lostt on my my bic ic yycclee try r y in ing to to catc ca tch tth he ic icecee cr cream eam tr ea tr uck uucck w wh h ille it it peed daalleed d its ts sum umm meer tr trrea eats ea ts)),, th heeree weerree she w helvves es lin ined ed w wit itth ja jars rs of pres prreser p eser es erve r ve ved ffoood ved dss.. T h hee mem emoorrie r iees of of a ten year ten te yyeear ar--oold ld can an q ui uicckk ly ly bec e om ome me a m muudd dd lleed st stre ream am of ffaant anttas asy an a nd faacctt, bu but so som mee of th he m moosstt v iv iv id id im maage ages ggees th that at rem emai emai ain wi w ith th me n noow arre off drryyin y ing iin ng toobacc baacc b c o le leeav aves aves av es, sour ssoouurr che herr r r ie iess,, pigg’s ’s fee ee t p prresserr veed in in geellaa tin, tin, ti n, jam ms, s, jeelllli liieess, ri r isi ssiing ng paasstr tr y dooug ugh an an nd d ffeerm r men nttiingg w in ines es. IItt wass ccooool ooll doow w n tth heerre, re, e, coo ool en enou ough ou gh to pr preesser seerr vee the he fruuiitts fr from m the he tre rees es g row gr owin w ing ing in in in th hee bac acky acky k yar a rd d,, dar ark en enoouugh gh to kkeeep ep the he dri r ied d heerrbs bs t h haat had be ha been en g roown w n in tth he ggaard den en frreesh sh in th hei eir laa be bele ele led d ccoont ont ntai ain neers rs. My g rraand My andpa nd dpa pare ren ntts on on my fa fath ther er’s ’ss siid de mo movveed to to Det etro roit it from room tth he L he Looui uissiiaan uisi na Ba Bayyoous us. s. Th T hey ey had d m il i l k ccoows ws,, ggrrew w str traw raaw wb beerr err r r ie ies es aan nd rraais ised ed the heiirr faam m il i ly in ily in a hou ouse se t h haat was was n wa noot mu much uch ch morre th than an a tar ar pape pa per shac sh hacck at at th hee end nd of a d diirt irt r t roa oad th that at waass bor ord deerreeed d oon n bootth si siide dees byy sw b waamp amp mp lan a nd d.. T he hey kn k new ew how w to pr preesser ser er ve ve t h heeir eir ir fooood, d, not ot ouutt of novveelt nove no elltt y oorr poollittic ical caall coorr re reccttne ness essss, b buut oouut ooff neecceesssi ssi siity ttyy, inco in nco corp rpor por oraattin ng a l l me al metth hood ds of of fooood p prreesser er vvaati tioon n to p prrov ov id de tth he ffaamily m i ly mi ly w it i h a st steeaady dy ssuup pp ply ly of n nuutr uttrr ie ient nts. ts. s. T he hey ha had figu had g ure red ou out h hoow to to byy-pa pass pass ss the he preepaacckk ag p aged ed, d, co cossttly ly and d diissta tant nt woorrld ld of th he supe suup peerm marke arkkeet ar et and aan nd st stiill l eaat su n su nd drriieed d tom mat atooeess,, dill ly ly doouugh h pic ickklles les es, sa sauueerkra rkk ra rauutt an nd d sou our ch cher eerr ry ry past pa strriieess, eevveen n duurrin r in ing th the of of f seas seaassoon se n. To a ch To hii ld ld, tth he my myst myst stiq iq ue ue and nd mag ag ic ic ooff tth h iiss art r t did idn’ idn’ n t in inccllud ude tth he st star taarrk re real a lit ittie ies th ie thaatt my ggrraan ndp ndp paarrren en nt’ t’s live live li ved w ved wiith t h: p poove vert erty, r t yy,, hun rt unun-
—The Political Palate by the Bloodroot Collective, 1980
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ggeer, r, mar ar it itaall haarrdshi dshi ds h ip, ip p,, and d raaccissm m.. Ins nstead teaad te d, th the abil a biillit ab it y to to prreese serv errvve oon nee’’s food ffooood d sm maackkeed d of th he au auto ton noom myy an nd d com om ffoorrtt assssocia omfo ocia oc iate te d w wiitth h sseellff emp mpoow werme er me er ment ment nt a n nd d hop opef ef ul u l ins nspi pira iraation tion ti n. Reece R cent en nttly ly, I as askkeed Da Dad hoow th theyy aate tee fre reesh ssh h mea eatt.. He sa said id at firrsst tth haatt the hey w weent nt w it ith hoout ut. An nd then th hen en, th en, th rroouggh a ssttre thro ream ream am of m meemo mori r ies es, es s, he he deessccri d r i be bed how hoow Gr h Gran raan ndm dmam ama wo woul ouulld ld p puu llll a pie ieccee of po porkk frroom a b baarr r reell stt uf uffe f fed fed ffuu llll of p fe poork rk and nd poouure red to to t h hee brriim wi w ith tth h ren nde dereed po pork pork rk faatt. t. She w Sh woould u ld fr ul fr y th the po porrkk forr the heir i lun unch ch bef efoorre th they hey ey rret ett uurr ne ned ed ttoo wor ork in the in he field eld l s. s. Prreese servvaattio ion ar ar ts ts suc uch as as th heese essee are re beeiing ng los os t b beeccaaauus u se ther th ere is is n noo oon ne le lefftt to tteeaacch us us how w to use uusse th theem m. It is fo It for feear of lo for losi sing ng the ng hese hese se a b bii li liti iti ties e s so n neece ecceeess sssaarr y to to mai aint nttai aaiin cont co ntrool of of ouurr foo ood od soour urce ce tha hat w wee are re coom mm miitttted d to ggrrow ow in ngg,, har arv st ve stiin ng an a nd p and prresser e vi v ing ng our ur foo ood d aatt Faatt Roooost steerr Faarr m m.. We ar are re re reward wa arrd ded d w it ith to tom maato attooes e , broc broccccoollii, sw br weet eet coorrn ee n, b beeeetts, s, Swi w iss wiss ss chard haard h rd, d, kkiieell b baasa sa, ba baco con con, n,, sun u nd drr ie ied toma ied toomato mattooeess, ma s, pa pars rslleey, y, peessto to, p poota tattoooes tato es a n es nd d paars p rsni n ips nips ps- ttoo name aam me a ffeeweww- yea earr-ro roun und. d Beg eg iin n ni n ing ng in laattee Maarrch h, wh w heen n tthe hee sap h ap begg in ins to to flow ffrrom m the he sle leep epy su s ggaar m maap plleess and nd end ndin ng in in late ate No at Nove oveember mb ber er, r, aafffte ter the te the la th last ast st of the tth he li liveesttoocck ha has be been eeen n buuttcch hered er red d an nd d stoorreed away aw wayy in ffrreeezers zeers rs, s, w wee usee sev ever eral a l prreeese sseerv erv r atio attio i n te tech tech hniiqu n iqu q ues es ttoo ca can, n, frreeezze, e, smo mokkee, d drr y aan nd ju juicce wh what at wee’’vvee g roown w and d haarv h rves veste eessted te d te d.. It iss a ch haa lllen enge ge and ge d an h hoon noor to to hav ave th theesse skk iill llss, s, roootted ed in the in he neecces ces essiityy of kn k now now ow iin owin ng ho how to to surr vviive ve sus usttaain inab blyy and nd f ue ueled led le byy the b he deessir iree ttoo liivve wi w ith th res espe spe pecctt for pect or our ur pllaane nett’’s na nattuura ra l ti tim meeke keep keep epiin ing ng ooff a sus usta sta taiin nab bllee haarr vveest st.
RIGHT Pu Pump pkkiins ns aree noott jus ust
ffoor or H Haallllow loow weeeen wee n;; th hee flesh sh caan n bee roaast sted ted d an nd d ser ervveed on on ittss oow wn oorr use seed d in in soou ups ps, br breeaads ds, s, and eevven an and en coo ookkiies es. es.
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. . . . Why Preserve the Harvest? . . . .
“ Sav avor orin or inng soome meth thin th ingin g- a sspi p cee, a raadi pi dish shh, a piiec e e of che hees esees e ebrin br ings in gs uuss ba back ck hhom om me to to the h wor orld ld in wh w ic ichh we w al alkk an and d brea br eath ea the. th e IItt sl e. s ow o s us dow own. n W n. Wee co come mee ttog og get e he h r, sit aand nd tal alkk tooge geth ther th eerr aaro roun ro u d fo un food od d; we clil nk glaass s es and llau augh au gh aand nd eng n ag agee in sma mallll gos ossi s ps and whi si hisp sper sp errs inn the pre rese senc se ncee of loc nc ocal aall bee e rs or wine wi nes, ne s tissan s, anes e and cak es a ess w itithh go g os o eb eber erry er r y pre ry rese serv se rves rv e and es n cclo lott lo tted crrea eams m , or thi ms hinn wa w fe fers bea eari ring ri ng g ful full ull fa ul fatt t ed cheees tt eses ess dau aube bed be d wi w th sllic ices es of pu purp rple rp lee fig gs. s. It is how we sh shar a e be ar bein inng al aliv ivve. ive. e ” – Paul Pau aul H awk a en, en Ble Bl sse ssedd Unre Unre n st nr st..
1 Why Preserve the Harvest?
Root vegetables, such as this turnip from Fat Rooster Farm, are ideal candidates for energy-free cold storage.
I ha h ve ve a tten en-y en -yea -y eaarr ol old d wh whoo haas beeco come m sed me educ ucced by th thee wo worl rrlld of preep re pa red d fo food od.. An od Anyt ythi yt h ing hi ng in ti tiny ny,, pr ny prep epac ep a ka ac k age ged ge d co cont ntai nt aine ai ners ne rs b bri ring ri ngss a ng glea gl eam ea m to h is eye and an ar argu gume gu ment me nt bett weeen us. s No loong nger er w il illl hee happ ha ppil pp i y goo out il u int ntoo th thee ga gard rden rd en in seear arch ch of a ca ch carr rrot rr ot to pu pull ll fro rom m th he gr grou ound ou und nd,, sw wee eete tene te ned ne d by the cla layy in thi h s Ve Verm rm mon ontt so soil il,, or ggra il rab ra b th thee stal st a k of a Bruusssel al elss sp s roout to pu pull lll the h tin inyy bl blob ob bs aw way aand nd pop the hem m into in to h iss mouuth th.. He H useed to g raazee on th he gr gree eens ee ns of on onio ions io n aand ns nd yan ankk radi ra dicc di ccchiio le leav avves e fro r m th he ro r wss to st stuf ufff ea uf eage geerl rlyy in into to h his is mou outh th.. In th In-stea st eaad, h he’ e’ss more e’ more int mo nter eres er esste ted d in n the v it itam amin am inss de in desc scri sc ribe ri bed be d on bri righ g tl gh tlyy c lo co lore reed wr w ap appe pers pe rss, or cche hees he esee an es and d cr crac acke ac k rs houuse ke s d in lit i tl t e re rect ctan ct a an g laar pllas gu asti ticc “t ti “ in ins” s , coomp s” mple leete w itth a pl plas asti as tic ti ic pa padd ddle dd l . le It’s It ’ss parr tl tlyy my m fauu lt lt,, giivi v ng intto th thee pe peer e preess er s urre th that at he’ e’ss co c nn fron fr onte on teed wi w th th.. At A sum umme meer ca mer c mp p thee oth ther er k id ds st star aree at h ar his is lun unch ch h of home ho mema me maade d dil illl pi pick ckk lees, bla lack c che ck herr rrr y to t ma mato toes to ess, a pe p an anut utt b but utte ut terr an te nd
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Root Tips Although this book is designed with the homesteader or small farmer in mind, as Katz states in Wild Fermentation (2003), “Not everyone can be a farmer. But that’s not the only way to cultivate a connection to the Earth and buck the trend toward global market uniformity and standardization.” If you don’t have land or the ability to grow your own vegetables and fruits or raise your own meat, milk and eggs, be creative. Barter your tax accounting skills for chicken and beef for the freezer; lend your carpentry skills to a farm in exchange for a bushel of cukes for pickling; or swap your housecleaning business time for potatoes to cellar for the winter months. Use this book and its list of resources to learn how to preserve food by canning, drying, fermenting, freezing, root cellaring, and smoking. Enjoy the long, slow days of seasonal rest by eating what you have harvested and preserved.
. . . . Why Preserve the Harvest? . . . . occasional night out with the family at the local restaurant, these pit stops became quick food fi xes for people on the go from point a to point b. Today’s average consumer seldom relies on a network of mom and pop stores within their community for their home grocery needs any longer. Instead of visiting the butcher for meat and the
black currant jam sandwich (from jam that his father has made), and homemade mozzarella cheese. I want him to feel like he fits in, so I acquiesce and buy the individual apple sauces (still without sugar), the juice boxes (still 100% juice), the single strings of cheese (at least from Cabot). I have rationalized the choices of convenience and homogenization every step of the way. Modern society carries with it a general perception that luxury and well-being are hand-in hand with instant gratification and social hierarchical status. The idea that leisure does not include selfreliance has reduced our ability to care for ourselves. It is more likely that a well-stocked pantry is looked upon as a necessity for those without the ability to purchase the same products outright rather than an accomplishment to be praised or even envied. Not until the 1940s and1950s were fast food chains like White Castle, McDonald’s and Burger King invented. Rather than the
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The beauty of a casual root cellar – it can store more than vegetables!
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. . . . Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Harvesting and Preparation . . . .
“ A s we we shi hive verr ou ve ourr waay ba back c to th ck thee wa w rm m k ititch chhen w itth pars pa r ni rs nips ps in ou ps ourr po pock ckketts, a han handf anndf dful u of pootaato ul toes es,, es annd a ba bag g of car arro r ts ro ts,, we we ffee e l ve ee very ry g goo ood oo d ab abou outt itt all b ou bec eccauuse wee’vve ma mana nage na geed too g gro r w itit and ro d kee eep p iti . ” –M Mike and Na Nancy nc Bu ncy ubel e , Roo Rooott Cell Cell ellari aring ari ngg.
2 Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Harvesting and Preparation Seed Se ed cat atal alog al og cha h os set etss in at th thee faarm jusst in n tim imee fo f r ou ourr “d “dow own” ow n n” time ti mee, wh when en n I’m I’m m no lo long nger ng err con onsu sume su m d wi me w th ten endi ding di ng to we weed ed ds or harrv st ve stin i g veege in geta taa blles es,, fr frui uits ui ts or cr c op opss to fee e d th thee an anim im mal alss du duri ring ri ng w win in nterr mo te m nt nths hss. So h Some meti me time ti mees my hus m usba usba band n w ill l tr nd tryy an and d hi hide de the cat atal alog al ogss og from fr o me th om that att arrr iv ivee in in tthe he mai ail, l as he l, he k no nows ws wha hatt is sur uree to to fol ollo loow. wI have ha ve tim me on my ha h nd nds, s, and por o in ingg ov over err tthe he flood ooff ca cata talo ta logs lo gs spe p ll ls poss po s ib ss ible le finan anci cial ci a set al set etba back ba ck. ck On tthe he oth he ther e han er nd, it iss p pru r de ru d nt to be b gi g n pllan n ni ning ng wha ng hatt yo youu wi w lll g ow gr wb bef effor oree it it’s ’s tim i e to har a ve vest st.. Ch st C ooosi sing ng the var arie i ti ie ties es of fr frui uits ui ts and nd v ge ve geta taa bl b ess tha hatt be best st sui uitt yo your ur tas a te tess an and d so s il i l con ondi diti di tion ti onss wi on will ll mak akee stor st orin or ingg th in hem m lles esss co es comp mpli mp liica c te ted d an and d mo more re suc ucce cess ce ssfu ss full. fu l. For exa xamp mple mp le,, le grow gr o in ow ng mo m un unds ds of p puurp ple fi l le let et be b an a s is rew warrdi d ng in the th he su summ mmer mm err,
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. . . . the joy of keeping a root cellar . . . . when they can be munched on raw, or tossed with vinegar, olive oil and kosher salt, but they’re pretty disappointing if frozen or canned: their brilliant purple changes to a dull green when they’re heated. Fancy, sweet, white onions are perfect as slabs in between crusty French bread together with juicy, red tomatoes and smoky bacon, but they don’t generally keep in the earth cellar for very long.
. . . . Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Harvesting and Preparation . . . .
Varieties to Keep and How Much to Preserve New varieties of fruits and vegetables are developed every year, and unfortunately, many heirloom varieties of vegetables are being lost. What was popular as a storage vegetable in the 1970s, like Ringmaster onion, may no longer be commercially available. Most seeds advertised in seed catalogs or for sale as individual packets come with descriptions indicating the best way in which to preserve them, be it fresh, frozen, canned or cellared. Refer to these descriptions to plan what varieties will be available to enjoy fresh and which will be better keepers. Ask your neighbors what varieties they prefer, and why. If you plan to sell any of the harvest, ask your markets which they prefer. In the height of summer, after I’ve picked the 300th pound of bush beans, I become weary of them. I tend to lose perspective and forget to worry about our bare months. If there’s anything that I can
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persuade you to do if you’re confronted with a similar glut, it’s to take baby steps and begin putting some of the food away for your consumption in the fall and winter. Here’s how I do it. Every Saturday, after market, I look at the leftover produce. I prioritize it, according to family likes or dislikes, the ease in which it can be put away for future use, and whether it is worth more fresh.
American Mountain Ash (Sorbus americanaa) – D In the fall, this tree is brimming with migrating birds like American Robins and Cedar Waxwings. In Maine, we would dry bunches of the berries over the woodstove and then use them like people use Airborne or Emergen-C C today, as they are packed with vitamin C. Popping one or two at a time in your mouth is like sucking on a lemon. They are a little less bitter if you wait until after a frost or two before harvesting them. They’ll store well in glass canning jars.
HOW MUCH WILL I NEED FOR MY FAMILY TO LAST THROUGH THE BARE SEASON? For a family of four: VEGETABLE/FRUIT Apples pp Beans Beets Carrots Kale Leeks Onions Parsnips p Potatoes Squash/pumpkin q p p Sweet potatoes p Tomatoes
Apples- C, D, F, J, P, RC One of the biggest treats next to homemade applesauce is apple cider. Surprisingly, it freezes very well, and having it accompany a turkey dinner in the dead of winter is an unexpected joy. Pick apples when they change to their mature color, be it red, yellow or green. Early ripening varieties are not good candidates for long storage; use these to make juices, vinegars, sauces or dry them. Pick firm, unblemished fruits from the trees gently, leaving the stem in tact.
AMOUNT 2-3 bushels 1-2 bushels 1-2 bushels 2-3 bushels 1 bushel 30-40 4 plants p 1-2 bushels 1-2 bushels 10-12 bushels 30-40 4 1-2 bushels 30-40 4 pints p
HOW TO HARVEST FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Use the following guide and key to help you determine when to harvest and how best to preserve your fruits and vegetables. Subsequent chapters will cover specific preservation methods. KEY Alcohol = A; Can = C; Dry = D; Fermented or Pickled = LF; Freeze = F; Juice = J; Oil = O; Salt = S; Smoke = SM; Sugar (Preserves) = P; Root Cellar = RC
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RIGHT: Squash
is easy to harvest and store. It can be served in a variety of ways, making this an ideal candidate for the root cellar.
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The Apple Stands Alone • Be careful not to store your apples with potatoes, carrots, or cabbage. Ethylene gas is produced by apples and can cause potatoes to sprout and carrots to become bitter. Potatoes cause apples to take on a musty flavor. Cabbage and turnips can give their orders to celery, pears, and apples.
One trick used by the French is to store dried apple rings in elderflowers so that they take on a pineapple-like flavor (see Chapter XXXX). Apricots- A, C, D, F, J, P Once picked, apricots no longer develop in sweetness or flavor, so leave them on the tree until they have fully ripened to a rich golden color. If you’ve never experienced a tree-ripened apricot, you are in for a treat. My father nursed an apricot for years in chilly Vermont until it finally succumbed to our bitter winters. My two sisters and I would fight over the sparse fruits it produced every fall. I prefer canning the fruit to other methods of preservation. Artichokes (Globe types) and Cardoons- C, F, LF, O, RC Being a perennial, most artichokes will not produce the edible portion of the plant, the flower, until the second year. In cold climates, the plants can be grown from seed and tricked into thinking that they’ve gone into their second year. We plant the seeds in a protected, heated greenhouse as early as we do the onions. When they’ve grown their third or fourth true leaves, we leave them at temperatures as low as 28 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 20 days, so plan your planting time accordingly. Look for varieties that are well suited for colder climates.
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. . . . Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Harvesting and Preparation . . . . In warmer climates, it may take a full two years before your plants flower, and in order for them to become fully established, hold off picking the flowers the first year. A central bud will develop on the plant first. After this is harvested, side buds will form, much in the same way they form on a broccoli plant. One plant can produce as many as six buds in our cold valley, but the plants can’t make it over winter. Harvest the buds when they are full before they begin to open or turn purple. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears and cut the stem about 3-5 inches below the bud (the stem can be eaten like a cardoon’s). Cardoon should be blanched for about three weeks before it is harvested, or the outer leaves become bitter. You can do this by banking soil around the base of the plant and tying the leaves closed, or by putting paper, cardboard or straw around the base. Trimmed of its outer leaves, the heart and inner stalks can be stored in plastic up to two weeks. Mulching the plants in the garden will also help keep them longer for a later harvest.
Being a perennial, most artichokes will not produce the edible portion of the plant, the flower, until the second year.
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Artichokes (Jerusalem, or Sunchoke)-F, LF, RC We use these plants as a natural border around our summer dining area; they easily reach a height of ten feet tall at the end of summer, and bright yellow sunflower-like flowers crest each plant. In the fall, dig them as you would a potato. The crunchy tubers will stay well stored in the root cellar. Because they are prolific, I never worry about overharvesting and leaving enough for next year’s crop. Waiting until a heavy frost will make the tubers sweeter.
when temperatures hover in the 50s Fahrenheit, but it can still be suitable for pesto.
Asparagus- C, F One of the most difficult tasks for me to bear was to wait for three years until the asparagus patch was ready for picking. There they were, two eighty foot-long rows, with crowns reaching six feet into the sky, and stalks as big around as a man’s thumb… it is best to resist the glutiny and let the roots develop in cold areas. In warmer areas, you can cheat and do a light harvest during the second year. Twist the spears off just below the surface of the soil (you can use a knife, but you run the risk of cutting other emerging spears if you’re not careful). An established bed can be picked steadily for six to eight weeks. Resist the urge to nibble on all but a few later in the season. Some sources encourage drying or even forcing asparagus. First, the thought of dried asparagus seems downright unappealing to me, particularly if canning or freezing is an option. Second, the yield from forced asparagus is very minimal, and doesn’t seem worth the effort. Still, if you need a spring fi x, established roots can be thinned, planted into a bucket or box and left to experience cold for several weeks. Then, bring the plants into an area that is room temperature, and the shoots will begin to appear. Harvest them as you would the established garden crop. Basil- D, F, LF, O Properly dried basil will retain its color and flavor for months. Freezing basil also works well, as does incorporating this versatile herb in vinegar or oil. Pick only blemish-free shoots to encourage continued growth through the first frost. Basil begins to wane
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Beans, Dried- C, D, F, RC There are endless numbers of dry bean varieties. We usually grow these every other year, storing enough for the following two winters. Wait until the pods are brown and very brittle, and the beans inside have hardened and can’t be dented. Field drying the beans is ideal, but don’t let them mold in wet weather. Instead, harvest the entire plant and lay them out in a dry, protected area to finish curing. Attics are great for this.
RIGHT:
Hanging garlic can last years in a cool, dry place.
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Saving Seeds The art of seed saving was born out of necessity, where the best producing plants’ seeds were gathered and saved by farmers to be used in the following season. Seeds were saved from open-pollinated varieties of vegetables and fruits, meaning from plant varieties whose seeds would “stay true” to the characteristics of their parents. While hybrids and cloned varieties of fruits and vegetables may produce higher yields, a more uniform crop, and fruits or vegetables that store or travel better than their open-pollinated counterparts, they cannot be maintained by saving the seed from the planted crop. • In the late 1990s, technology was developed known as Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT), commonly referred to as terminator seed technology. Seed produced from these plants are sterile or carry specific traits that require an application of a specially purchased chemical to generate seed that remains true to the parent stock. The big companies that hold the patents on these technologies have vowed not to introduce them commercially, but the fact that these seed companies possess the power to keep the individual gardener from saving his or her own seeds is a frightening one. • Even entire nations have joined in the regulation of seed saving. In 2004, the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) representing the government of the United States made it prohibitory under Order 81 for Iraqi farmers to save their own seed; instead, they are forced to purchase hybrid seed from commercial seed manufactures outside of the country. Many of these farmers have saved their seed for generations, so an enormous diversity of plant genetic material is at risk of being lost.
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Cardoon seeds were saved by the ancient Greeks and Romans at least since the 4th century, B.C. The vegetable is still common in the Mediterranean today but very difficult to find available in the United States. Eight open-pollinated varieties are grown, but only one variety is offered by more than three seed sources, while five other varieties are each sold only at five different sources. • Despite the corporate free for all of massive seed source consolidations, buyouts and irreplaceable losses of so much genetic material, it seems as though the trend may have at least stabilized. The Seed Savers Exchange (see Resources, Chapter XXX) tracks the inventory of seed catalogs and non-hybrid varieties of seeds available in the United States and Canada. They found that after 1990, the total gains in seed sources began to surpass those being lost. They also showed that while available seed varieties have increased since this time, the older varieties are continuing to vanish at a constant rate. • There are several sources of open-pollinated seeds listed in the Chapter XXX, but if you want to try saving seed yourself, and you’re new at it, consider trying to save seed from an open-pollinated variety of tomato. They’re an easy plant to begin with, and the saved seed will stay viable up to 10 years if it is stored properly. • Whether tomato varieties will cross with one another remains controversial in the seed saving world, but just to be safe, choose a variety that is not a currant, potato-leaved (the vines have leaves shaped like those of a potato plant rather than the toothed leaves of most tomato plants) or double flowered.
• Take the cardoon, for example, a member of the thistle family, and considered inferior to its close cousin. the globe artichoke.
• Pick only extra ripe fruit, and pull out the seeds from between the chambers of the tomato. I like to cut the tomato through the middle and then scoop the gel and seeds out, or squeeze the gel and seeds into the container. Use a container such as a Tupperware or an empty yogurt cup. Make sure there is enough gel in the container so the mixture has enough liquid in it that the
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. . . . the joy of keeping a root cellar . . . . seeds don’t dry out. Loosely cover the container, and set it aside for three to six days, until a whitish-gray mold forms on the top of the liquid. The mold helps to loosen the seed’s gel-like coating that inhibits germination while it is inside the tomato. The container will also smell nearly as badly as rotting onions, so keep it in an area of the house where you aren’t likely to smell it. • After the mold has formed, and you can see bubbles trapped below its surface, the seeds are ready to cure. You can add liquid to the container, swish it around, and then pour off the mold
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RIGHT: Costolutos Genovese tomatoes -- an heirloom variety -- on display at a farmers’ market in Norwich, Vt. The unusually-shaped tomatoes grab customers’ attention while they are walking past the booth.
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“ Thee act act of pu p tt t inng in into to yyou ourr mo ou m ut uthh wh what a tthe at he ear a th has g gro roown iss p per errha h ps p you o r mo m st st dirrec ectt in inte t raact te ctio ionn wi io with th the ear arth thh. ” – Fra Fr nce ncess Moor o e Lapp L app ppé. pp é.
5 Cellaring for Storage Building a Root Cellar Buil Bu Buil i diingg a ccel ell la larr re requ q ir qu i ess a fai airr in inve veest vest stme m nt in la me labo borr an bo nd ma mate te-te r al ri als, s, tthe s, he fin nis ishe is h d sh he shel elte el terr us te uses e a bs es bsol ollut utel elly n ely noo ope pera raati ting ng ene nerg rgyy an rg nd .iid de dema mand ma ndss noo m nd mai a nt ai nten enan en an nce or up upke k ep ke ep.T p.The .T T he roo oott ce cell llar ll ar sho hown w in wn th he ac acco c mp co mpan anyi an ying yi n pho ng hoto toos wa wass re rece c nt ce n ly bui uilt lt by ex exca cava ca v ti va ting ng aan n 8’ X 8’ X 20 20’’ caave vern rn usi sing ng a b bac acckh khoe oe.. oe T e bo Th bott ttom tt om of th he ce cell llar ll ar was lin ned w it ith h saand for draain inag agge pu age purr rpoose s s. s Eve v ryy ced edar ar logg was p pee e le ee led, d and the d, hen n cu cutt sq squa uare ua re (on n eac a h of ttwo woo opp ppos ossin i g si side des) de s) iin n or orde d r to mak de akee su sure rree tha hatt th thee ve vert rtic rt ical ic ally al ly stac st acke ac ked ke d ti timb mb ber e s wo w ul u ld d al alfi fitt sn nug ugly ly iin n pl plac a e. ac e T he cei eili ling li ng ced edar arrs were we re not otch ched ch ed whe h ree the heyy re rest stted ato top p th t e wa wall ll llog ogss so tha og hatt-li tlike li k the ke h c nc co ncre rete re te b bas asee li as lipp-th pth he ho h ri r zo z nt n all beaams ccou ould ou lld d hel e p br brac acee th ac thee ce cell llar ll aarr’ss s dees. si We oout utfi ut fitt fi tted tt ed the fro ed ront n of th nt he rooot cel e la l r wi with th h dou oubl blle do door orrs, whic wh icch we w re r sep epar arat ar ated at ed by an aiirr sspa p cee to ke pa keep ep out the col old. d. T he sto d. torr ragee ho ag h us u e wa wass wi wire red re d fo forr ellec e tr tric icit ic itt y. W he hen n esspe p ci cial ally al ly col o d ni nigh ghts gh ts ts
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bring temperatures as low as 40° below zero, the cellar’s incandescent light warms up the inside temperature a few degrees . . . to make absolutely sure that the put-back food doesn’t freeze. The finished cave stays a few degrees above the ice-up point throughout the entire Vermont winter. And it holds its even coolness during warm March thaws-when mourning cloak butterflies migrate over gray snow-and through surprising and stark May blizzards. Around midsummer the earth-sheltered space warms up to about 55° ... but winter-stored crops are gone by then, and there are fresh vegetables in the garden.
from basement mice, marauding raccoons, and other pests. (I know of Alaskan homesteaders who find A root cellar will eventually root cellars to be their only sure pay for itself by allowing its owner to store up food protection against food-stealing that is either homegrown brown bears!) All in all, it’s plain or practically free for the to see that folks who want the indepicking at harvest time. For just one example of pendence of being able to eat their economical food hoarding, own fresh, home-stored food will let’s consider apples. If you find that the notion of building a gather five or ten bushels of unblemished red fruits root cellar is an idea whose time has late in the growing season come ...back. (when they’d otherwise only Building a cellar requires a fall and rot on the ground), the inexpensive edibles fair investment in labor and mawill keep for months in the terials, the finished shelter uses cellar and provide you with absolutely no operating energy and a winter’s worth of fresh fruit for juices, eating, and .id demands no maintenance or cooking. upkeep.The root cellar shown in the accompanying photos was recently built by excavating an 8’ X 8’ X 20’ cavern using a backhoe. The bottom of the cellar was lined with sand for drainage purposes. Every cedar log was peeled, and then cut square (on each of two opposing sides) in order to make sure that the vertically stacked timbers would all fit snugly in place. The ceiling cedars were notched where they rested atop the wall logs so that-like the concrete base lip-the horizontal beams could help brace the cellar’s sides. We outfitted the front of the root cellar with double doors, which were separated by an air space to keep out the cold. The storage house was wired for electricity. When especially cold nights bring temperatures as low as 40° below zero, the cellar’s incandescent light warms up the inside temperature a few degrees . . . to make absolutely sure that the put-back food doesn’t freeze. The finished cave stays a few degrees above the ice-up point throughout the entire Vermont winter.
Additional Uses for a Root Celler A root cellar is also a good place for storing your game, smoked meats, and cheeses. Such food shelters offer complete protection
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Root Tips
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