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Use Your Root Cellar For A Storm Shelter
Those who are interested in survival will often install a
root cellar to help preserve their produce.
Root cellars have actually been in use for hundreds of years, but they
really came into being in 17th Century England. When emigration to the New World began, the
English settlers brought their expertise in constructing these early
refrigerators with them. Wherever the
colonists settled, they made root cellars.
The cool temperature and constant humidity enabled them to keep their
root crops and other foods fresh longer.
The cellars were used to keep dairy and meat products cool during the
summer as well.
Constructing A Root
Cellar
Root cellars can be made in several different ways. Quite a few people, when constructing a home,
will make a root cellar adjacent to the regular basement. This is a very convenient way to access your
produce at any time. Alternatively, root
cellars can be dug into the side of a hill.
The interior should be finished off with cement blocks or wood. If rodents are a problem, it should be lined
with hardware cloth. A door should be
fitted to the entrance. It is also
possible to simply build a structure out of cement blocks and cover it with
soil. Some people dig down into the
ground and line the pit with wood. These
root cellars are generally accessed by a ladder and usually have a small shed
built over the entrance.
Besides being great for storing root crops, root cellars are
also a good place to keep your emergency supplies. Your emergency water will be kept cool and
out of the light, and the constant low temperature of the cellar will help you
get the maximum shelf life out of your emergency food supplies.
A Refuge During
Storms
Besides their obvious use for food storage, root cellars can
also prove invaluable if you live in an area that is subject to tornadoes. They can serve the same function as a safe
room. For those living in ‘Tornado Alley’
they can prove to be a life saver when a tornado strikes. As a root cellar is basically an underground
room, it will provide sanctuary for you and your family when a tornado warning
has been given or you have sighted a tornado.
Even if your home is destroyed by the tornado, you will be safe in the
root cellar.
If you plan on using your root cellar for this dual purpose,
you will probably want to add a few more items to it. A battery powered or wind-up radio should be
in the cellar and a cell phone if you have it.
Make sure there are several flashlights available and a blanket or two and
some warmer clothing (kept in a plastic bag on account of
the high humidity in the cellar) will also be a good idea. If you already are storing your emergency
supplies in the root cellar, there should be little problem with food and water
should you have to take refuge for several hours.
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