Page 175 - The Lost Ways

As happy as you will find yourself while gazing at your bounty, a crystal chandelier may
not seem so out of place. Most of us will opt for the single unshaded lightbulb though. If
you don’t have your root cellar wired, that shouldn’t be a problem either. There are many
battery-operated light fixtures on the market, and although I prefer good lighting to

inspect my treasures by, a flashlight will get the job done.

Humidity

Have you ever brought beautiful produce home and put it in the fridge only to watch it
wither and shrivel away into a nasty brown lump? Moisture moves. Water knows this. It’s
a cycle of condensation and evaporation that keeps it on the go at all times. It is constantly

moving from the ground to the air and back again.

Much like people, your produce is mostly water. If left to its own devices, the water in
your produce will soon leave its earthly shell to frolic in the air. The only way to prevent
this is to convince the waters of your produce that the earth cycle is not over. The trick is
to keep the humidity pretty high in your food storage area. As much as 90% to 95%
humidity is ideal.

In some areas of the country, damp air is a matter of course. In dryer climates, keeping
your root cellar damp does not have to be a big challenge. There are several tried and
true methods you can utilize.

Dirt Floors

If you have earthen floors, you are good to go. You can sprinkle water on the floor, and it
will evaporate and keep the air moist. If you reach down and touch your floor and it feels
dry, it’s time to water it again.

You may want to lay some gravel or wooden plank walkways to keep your feet from
getting muddy.

Wet Cloth or Paper

You can hang wet linens in the room or cover your produce with damp (not dripping)
pillowcases or burlap sacks.

174