Root Cellaring

Dear Friend saw my garden today, for the first time. We gardened up here last year (now called the "small" garden) but also had a garden at our residence. Obviously one is not enough. DF was very kind about not commenting on the excessiveness of the garden. I walked her around the top part of the property (160 acres, it's a timber farm) and I think she sees that the garden is actually proportionate. Or she sees that we see big spaces so often that 40 tomato plants becomes quite normal.

We were discussing what we would/could do with all of our garden produce. She's mentioned to her husband a desire,a wish, a longing for a root cellar. Or perhaps something built of concrete blocks. Dug into the ground.
He wasn't cottoning much to the idea; it sounded like a lot of work and some expense. I grinned, as I'd already been there with DH Matt with similar results. I took her down a road to show her my "root cellar". She did complain mildly that I was being very mysterious about it. I explained that I simply couldn't tell; seeing was believing. I showed her; two large, slightly rusted metal cases, on wheels, about 8' wide by 8' tall...each weighing 500 pounds. "What are they?", she gasped. I replied, "I have no idea, maybe old transport cases for a meat packing plant, or perhaps they came from a ship or a railroad car. We found them in an old shed at the last property. They're insulated and we'll also stack hay bales around them." This had required a lot of negotiation with DH Matt. I can't imagine why he was reluctant to haul a thousand pounds of metal for a harvest five months away.

We discussed how she could use old refrigerators to do the same thing. Burying them in the ground with the door side up, then finishing with hay bales and a tarp. This had been my original concept with DH Matt. He wasn't enthused about running around the countryside pulling out old fridges, then digging large holes in the ground for them. I'm not certain why he didn't warm to the idea, but I have my cold storage now.

Neither of us have tried this before (root cellaring that is, we're old hands about negotiating with husbands). Independently of each other DF and I each purchased the book, "Root Cellaring: Natural cold storage of fruits and vegetables", by Mike and Nancy Bubel. I'm not certain why the title says "fruits" in the plural. We're not talking strawberries and mangoes here, this refers to apples. DF and I plan to "root cellar" carrots, turnips, parsnips, and cabbage. I have a few more dreams; celery, which hasn't sprouted for me in 3 tries. Cauliflower, which I sincerely dislike but figure it might taste better when homegrown. Also not sprouting. Perhaps my non-sprouting broccoli would root cellar well, if it ever germinates and produces. I have never had trouble starting plants from seed before, but the cole crops are frustrating. Advice and sympathy are welcome.