Friday, September 30, 2011

Root Cellaring- A Give Away *CLOSED*

Technically it is still September. The 30th- but still September! I did get the opportunity to read "The Joy of Keeping A Root Cellar" earlier this month, I just haven't gotten around to putting up a post for the give away until now.
First, my pros and cons on the book.
Pros: The biggest thing that I love about this book is that the author actually HAS a root cellar on her farm. This isn't someone just writing about what she has researched. Jennifer Megyesi is living it at Fat Rooster Farm in Vermont.
The book has a bunch of information on canning, freezing and drying fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats. It also has some information on smoking meats. The story that Jennifer tells about her homemade smoker is hilarious! You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself.
There are also some great looking recipes included in the book.

Cons: My only real "con" in this book is the section on smoking. I would have loved to have more information on it, including lots of recipes and how to's. The only recipe that is shared in that section is one, "For five hundred pounds of hams." No, really, that's it. Of course, I could reduce the recipe by maybe 10 times to get something accurate on what I'd actually do here at home.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I hope that you will too!

To enter the give away please do the following:

1. Leave a comment here telling me what you'd most like to learn from this book.
2. (Optional 2nd entry) Blog about this giveaway for an additional entry and leave a SEPARATE comment telling me you did.
3. (Optional 3rd entry) FB or Tweet this giveaway and leave a SEPARATE comment telling me that you did.

The give away will be open until Friday October 7th.



What better way to be prepared than to have a supply of food at your fingertips that is preserved? Join the Preparedness Challenge!

58 comments:

God*n*Me3 said...

just everything i dont really know anything but especially drying

JeanineH said...

I need to know more about cellars! I've had a couple bad winters for long-term storage where the potatoes got left in the pump room which was of course heated to keep the water flowing, they made it I think til January before turning to mush in their solid container!

Last years was in the house in a storage room, but that room couldn't be permitted to go unheated as it shares a wall with the wet-wall in the bathroom (all plumbing runs through that wall) and while they didn't turn to mush they did get exposed to too much light and used a lot of energy up in reaching 3 foot long stalks seeking better light!

Doing it right, knowing how to do it, I'm looking at my goal property now and seeking to plan my cellar into the site development, which is currently a blank slate!

More general info on canning would help, I've expanded my canning from peaches to raspberries and raspberry jam, and beets! But I know there's so much more I could do. Anything to keep food better, longer, without the "need" of a freezer which can get fouled by a power outage.

Dianne said...

I'd like to learn more about root cellars and how to store things. I'd love to not have to can/freeze everything.

Leah Spencer said...

Can't imagine 500 pounds of ham! But I'd like this book to see how to do root cellars in the southwest.

Sarah Rachele said...

I would love this book! There's so much too learn, and if I can save store food without having to can everything, that'd be great.

StitchinByTheLake said...

I've just ordered a really nice dehydrator, which should be delivered today I hope, and I'd love to learning more about dehydrating fruit. blessings, marlene

free indeed said...

I'd like to learn about humidity levels and which crops to store in high or low...seems things don't keep as long as they are suppose to in my basement...

Petra said...

temperatures low enough. i live in a warm climate which is a bummer even on just potatoes. would love to learn how to build or use one here in florida

Brenda said...

I'm wanting to know how to store all items longer. Especially potatoes & apples.

Brenda said...

Shared giveaway on fb.

Morgan said...

I'd love to learn how to actually keep my winter squash around for a while, and a larger variety of ways to store the summer abundance! We get a little sick of frozen beans...

Unknown said...

I'm still hoping to have a root cellar someday and this book could be a great help! I just need to grow more next year to put in it!

Stephany Z said...

I have a terrible time trying to keep sweet potatoes, onions and apples through the winter. We are going to construct a canning house and root cellar in the spring, and I would love to learn more about how to preserve foods in the root cellar. Anything we can learn about smoking would be wonderful!

Anonymous said...

I would love to learn how to build a real root cellar that would stay cool all year round.

ljbourque at gmail dot com

Farming Mama said...

I would love to learn more about ideal temperatures/humidity conditions for storing things like potatoes and winter squash. I think the subfloor of our house would be better than the unused spare bathroom tub where things got stored last year...

Andrea said...

I want to know if it's possible to turn a crawlspace in a midwest into a usable root cellar. Oh, and how one manages to keep critters out of the taters.

Prepared Teacher said...

I love learning new canning, freeing and drying ideas, but I am not sure if my area would allow me to have a root cellar, it may be too hot.

Anonymous said...

I would love to win this book because I want to learn more about preserving perishables without a real root cellar. This book looks like it would have a lot of good ideas, as well as great inspiration!
Thank you for offering this giveaway!

Amanda said...

I'd most like to learn how to make a root cellar. Most economical way...

roefam95 said...

We would love to build our own root cellar in the next year or two. This would be a great resource to have. Thanks for the opportunity!
Beth
Roefam95@aol.com

Julia said...

I'd love to learn how to build a root cellar and exactly what can be stored and HOW!! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

~Julia

Amanda said...

blogged about it here::

http://homegrownandbeeyoutiful.blogspot.com/2011/10/good-things-for-fall.html

thanks for the chance!!!

Carissa Anne said...

Would love to learn more about what you can and can't keep in your root cellar. I have one (A root cellar), sad to say I have never taken the time to research it and learn how to maintain and keep one.

Would love a copy of this book so I could get started!!!

Carissa

Anonymous said...

I can't have a root cellar because I live at sea level but I would love to read this book :)

Rebecca said...

We are moving onto an old family homestead at the end of this month and will FINALLY be able to do all that we want to do homesteading. Root cellaring included. I would LOVE a copy of this book! Thank you for hosting the giveaway.

I came via Homegrown and Beeutiful!

Michelle said...

We totally want to have a root cellar someday! Our potatoes always seem to go bad despite our best efforts, so that is definitely what I would look up first!

Kimberly said...

We have the land now to dig and root cellar. It would be nice to learn from someone who has done it already!

Drew said...

I would love to study up on drying foods. At this point in the season, I don't want to look at the canner again. We cellared some squash last year, but have never looked at doing anything else.

Unknown said...

If we can ever grow enough food to do so, I'd love to put in a root cellar. I skimmed a book about it last year and was totally intimidated and will definitely need a guide when I take the plunge! Thanks for the giveaway!

Unknown said...

Posted on FB :)

Unknown said...

Not seeing my first comment showing up here-

Basically I said that this is something I would love to know more about since I plan on putting one in *someday* First I need to grow enough food to make it worth the while :) Thanks!!

Ruth said...

I'm hoping to build a root cellar next summer, and I need to know how to use it!

Ruth said...

Shared on FB :)

Holly said...

I would love this book. I'm interested in more info on humidity levels and what temps certain veggies store best at.

Holly said...

Shared on FB.

Farmgirl Heidi said...

My husband and I have been talking about constructing a root cellar for a while now, and I'd really like to learn more about how to build one, how to use it, and what crop harvests can reasonably be extended by using one.

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

How to prepare when your resources are limited.l

Jo said...

I currently don't have a rootcellar...just a basement. I would like to read more as we try to work with what we have.

Campbell Kids said...

That looks like a great book - full of knowledge I don't have! I'd love to learn how to store foods with a root cellar. Thank you!

Lynn said...

I can not get my potatoes and onions to stay fresh and useful for any length of time. I have a pantry in my basement, but I would love to learn how I can convert that into a true root cellar.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

i want to know everything becuz i know nothing!!

Anonymous said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/agodlyhomemaker/status/121270852435185664

Whim-Z B said...

We are planning on the root cellar being the first thing we build on our homestead! But unfortunately, we don't know anything about it. lol

Whim-Z B said...

I FB'ed about this giveaway!

Cheryl said...

I would love to win we want to add a root cellar.
http://ontheoldpath.com/

Cheryl said...

Shared on FB

Cheryl said...

Shared on twitter!

Renata said...

This book sounds like a wonderful addition to our self-sufficiency library ~ very practical. I would love to learn more about storage of vegetables. I don't have much information on it.
Have a lovely day
Blessings
Renata:)

Julie Christine said...

I'd love to know everything! :) What I really need is info on how to turn our old, farmhouse basement (brick and dirt floor, fieldstone walls) into a workable cellar and then some direction on how to put food up for storage. This sounds like a good book, I might have to look for it at our library.

Julie said...

I know nothing about root cellars whatsoever, so anything I would learn would be great. Thanks for the opportunity.

lydia said...

I would like to learn *where* to have a root cellar. We've got a super old (and tiny) farm-ish house, so I'm sure there must be some suitable spot to store my squash and potatoes!
Thanks for the giveaway!

Johanna said...

Hi! Thank you so much for this give-away! I would love to win, only because I would instead have you send this book to my fellow blogging friend Carissa, who left a comment earlier. I don't have a root cellar, but she does and I would love her to have the book!

Thank you again!
Johanna, Bittersweet Cottage

Johanna said...

Hi! I tweeted your giveaway! I would love to win for my friend, please see comment above!

Thank you!
Johanna, bittersweet cottage

Anonymous said...

Great giveaway! I've been considering adding a root cellar to the house. We've had such a crop of turnips each year, and I just don't know how to store them all!

Johanna said...

Hi Heather! I posted about your giveaway on my blog! I would love to win for my friend, Carissa, who posted earlier also. (Please see my original comment if I win, so exciting!) Thank you again!

Johanna, Bittersweet Cottage

Anonymous said...

I'd like to learn how to create a root cellar in a preexisting basement. (Without breaking the bank.)

I'd also love to know more about canning, which I've only done twice. Especially tomatoes! I'm going to plant lots of paste tomatoes next year, and I'd like to can them.

Anonymous said...

I blogged here:
http://madameagrarian.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/giveaway-the-joy-of-keeping-a-root-cellar/

Lisa said...

Oh, I'd so love to win that book! Husband and I are planning our next house to build and it will contain a root cellar!
Lisa
karmaperdiem@hotmail.com

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