40 Lbs Fresh Potatoes

Seen some of these around some of the abandoned cabins in the hills around here...

 

I hope you don't mind me resurecting an old thread, but I thought this was a good place for this...

We had a bumper crop of potatoes last year. After freezing them (as fries, casseroles, etc), canning some, and giving over 200 lbs away, we needed a reliable way to store the rest. The goal was to have enough potatoes stored to take us through to the next harvest…and possibly never to have to buy potatoes again. We didn’t have a basement or root cellar (or time/funds to build a full-blown root cellar), so we had to get creative. Clyde remembered his dad talking about burying old chest freezers for overwintering vegetables and we decided to give it a try. His sister’s freezer had recently died and so was recruited for the job.

Clyde removed all of the working parts and cut two holes in each side. (Note: if your appliance still contains freon, certified individuals can be hired for freon removal or these services may be available at area junk yards or recycling centers.) To the holes he attached PVC pipe for air circulation. When in the ground, it looked like someone had buried a semi. A tarp was partly buried as well in order to protect the freezer and allow easier access during icy conditions. We later added a sheet of insulation under the tarp as well. Clyde made crates for easier storage and better air circulation.With hopeful trepidation, we packed away our harvest. We were careful to store only the best potatoes and packed the smaller ones in the upper boxes so we’d use them first......

Read the rest here.. Burying a Freezer

 

Blanching then freezing works well for us. With bigger potatoes we cut them into smaller (not too small) pieces.

Freezing FYI: How to Freeze Potatoes

 

Our freezer for the most part is 90% meat, When it became full we started canning meat. With the length of time root crops can last under ideal conditions essentially do nothing to them, I would really prefer to root cellar them. I just don't have one yet. The freezer in the ground idea with a little artistic camoflauge would work for me in the burbs. My space indoors is very limited now.

 

Here we have a brick well house that is mostly underground. Not counting the peak of the roof the ceiling is 8' and 4 or so feet are underground. Water doesn't freeze during the coldest days of winter. I'm going to try 10-15#s of potatoes and see how they do.