Vegetable storage for winter

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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
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McBride, BC
I'm fond of steamed vegetables for winter meals (with 3' of snow outside and -15C).
So far, I've gardened peas, carrots and green beans = processed, packaged and frozen.
This summer, I've added 3 x 16' rows of beets. Dark red, yellow and red&white striped root flesh.

I have the freezer. I have a walk-in cold room with adjustable air flow directly from outdoors.

I'll eat some steamed tops as they become available. I'll can a few jars of beet vinegar pickles.
If I get lucky and do get good yields, what's best to hold them for winter?
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
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S. Lanarkshire
I store some in baskets filled with sand. You can wrap them in newspaper and pack those in peat or sand too though. They do develop a mass of wee white roots if it's damp and at all warm though. If you have land and loads of beets surely they could be earth clamped like potatoes ?

I think beetroots are best just cooked and jarred tbh. So, can't see why smallish ones couldn't just be pressure cooked in the jars. They don't need to be pickled that way.

British Red's the fellow to ask :)

M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Thank you Mary :eek:

In your temperatures I would sand clamp root vegetables RV. I have done this to -17C was the no spoil.

Do you dehydrate?

Red
 

Robson Valley

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Thanks BR. I don't know the term "sand clamp." My Cold Room got down to -2C with some really bitter -30C days and nights. No insulation on the concrete walls and underground as well.
I've got a really nice dehydrator = buy a case of Roma tomatoes, dry and pack in seasoned olive oil. Those are a treat.
The peas, green beans and carrots, I'll do up and freeze as usual.
It's the beets that I have no experience with.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
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I remember that thread now that I see it again. very interesting indeed. Thanks.

I wonder if it would work as well in a warmer climate?
 

Robson Valley

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That's just wonderful. No shortage of sand deposits anywhere along the valley mountain-sides.
I have the buckets, I can dig the sand 20 minutes from the house.
 

British Red

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I remember that thread now that I see it again. very interesting indeed. Thanks.

I wonder if it would work as well in a warmer climate?


It wants to be cool, doesn't need to freeze. Plenty of other options, I can a couple of dozen jars of finger long baby carrots each year, they dry well, a root cellar or Earth clamp works. If its that warm why preserve them at all? Just sow late and leave them in the ground all Winter. I am usually still lifting parsnips in March.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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That's just wonderful. No shortage of sand deposits anywhere along the valley mountain-sides.
I have the buckets, I can dig the sand 20 minutes from the house.

Give it a go but get the sand DRY. If its wet it freezes into a lump! Ask how I know :eek:
 

bigbear

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May 1, 2008
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Beets just preserved in vinegar work really well, make a great borscht when used with no evidence of a vinegary tang.
HTH
 

Robson Valley

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Takes dynamite to dig in my garden in January. Whatever is in the ground at Christmas is there until April.
I premix potting soil and keep in covered buckets outside. Bring in a lump to thaw as needed.

I've got enough buckets, if I get enough carrots and beets, to try both.
Sand Clamping. Huh. BCUK is quite the encyclopedia of people who do things.
 

bigbear

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May 1, 2008
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I think its Elizabeth Luard who writes about carrots being stored in sand when giving a reciepe for cooking them, if we are success ful with our crop I will gove it a go, presumably beets and turnips could also be stored this way Red ?
 

Robson Valley

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I expect so as I asked specifically about beets.
BR made a point that they cannot touch eachother,
must be dry sand inbetween. I'm happy to take his word of experience for it.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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I think its Elizabeth Luard who writes about carrots being stored in sand when giving a reciepe for cooking them, if we are success ful with our crop I will gove it a go, presumably beets and turnips could also be stored this way Red ?

I've not tried either. Clamping works well on roots and tubers generally. I have used earth clamps for spuds and sand clamps for carrots and parsnips. I know they work for Swedes and sugar beet. So I cannot see they won't work for turnips and other beets.
 

Robson Valley

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Nov 24, 2014
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But given the shape of a beet root, I can see using all my containers/buckets and several trips for sand!
I can easily screen the sand (dead leaves, root bits) and spread it on a tarp to dry.

Quite frankly, I do not know what I might use all the beets for if I get a good crop.
Some pickles. Diced, blanched and frozen will be my favorite.
Might as well do the sand clamping experiment instead of just thinking about it.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Chickens like them (leaves and all). You could get through a couple each day for just "peckage".
 

Robson Valley

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Nov 24, 2014
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Village Bylaw = no chickens in town. Too many cats in the district without very secure protection (lynx, bobcat & cougar.)
Even the Ravens will kill and take chicks if they can. No bears in winter but in summer, they don't care what kind of a fence
you built = they will wreck anything. Lesseeee: weasels, mink, Fishers, badgers, wolverines, Pine Martens. . . . . . .. .
Oh yeah. Then there's the wolves and coyotes but we don't see them in town.

If the expt works, I have a bunch of good beet recipes which I really enjoy. Nice snow-repellant in January and February to go with
the lengthening days. With the western mountains about 5 miles away, my solstice sunset is 1:52PM.
 

Robson Valley

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Nov 24, 2014
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McBride, BC
If I lived in the country, I would not hesitate.
Chickens in the village are a non-starter. Neighbor started some turkey chicks.
They are so ugly, they looked like a herd of little dinosaurs. But, one day, the village
people showed up and he had to move them, that day, before dark.

Garden planted 10 days ago, watered a lot, last 2 days with rain. Should take a look to see if anything is up.
 

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