Good or Bad Idea

[skyhightree1]

I have tons of potatoes that are starting to go bad cause they are in my house in the kitchen and my thoughts were to get a lil metal shed or small 8x8 shed and put all my taters and canned goods in there hang meat there or whatever and run a a/c unit when those items are in there till winter comes do yall think it will help keep the taters longer as well as good for the canned goods ? I don't have a basement in this house so now im seeing what happens with taters when u dont have one?

 

[cross_7]

How many dang tater do you have ?
A 10# sack only a couple bucks
Whats it going to cost for the building, a/c, electricity ?
Throw them away and buy a new sack when you need them

 

[skyhightree1]

How many dang tater do you have ?
A 10# sack only a couple bucks
Whats it going to cost for the building, a/c, electricity ?
Throw them away and buy a new sack when you need them

LOL I have 280lbs so far still have more that need to get harvested soon. I know I know but a garden fresh tater is so good I gotta keep growing them lol Building I could build myself probably cost me300 bucks electricity maybe 10 bucks a month for 3 months so maybe 30 bucks a year. I guess what I will do is start eating them in june so by time july august gets here wont have so many or only plant 1 row I just love taters... I also planted 1500 sweet tater slips so it would be used for those too lol

 

[Howdyjabo]

Why don't you just look into a cold cellar/storm shelter.
You can make a nice one out of buried buses or cargo boxes. Fill it up and you will have plenty to eat on if it gets rough outside
Build a hut on the outside to hold a generator and you are all set.

 

[regolith]

How long you been storing them for?
I harvested mine in April, a couple going a bit wrinkly and they're all sprouting but otherwise perfectly edible. If I hadn't just moved house I would be getting new crop about November and the ones I've got should be good for that long. They're in the bottom of a dark cupboard, in cardboard boxes.

If you want a shed you build one, I wouldn't do it just for potatoes.
You need one anyway, to store your garden tools and for a potting bench and painting projects and stacking cow mineral and feed.

Don't know if it'd work in a colder climate - I planted mine in autumn the last two years, with turnip seed. The turnips keep the frost off them, so the plants are already mature in early spring. Pulling the turnips out was a chore though, and not improved by the cows standing at the fence ordering me to hurry up and get those turnips greens on their side.

 

[CottageFarm]

Why don't you just look into a cold cellar/storm shelter.
You can make a nice one out of buried buses or cargo boxes. Fill it up and you will have plenty to eat on if it gets rough outside
Build a hut on the outside to hold a generator and you are all set.

Ditto... :tiphat:
Above ground storage would have to be cooled (chilled really, 'cause you want it 50-60 degrees) in the summer and heated in the winter, and switched back and forth in the fall and spring.
Below ground will give you a pretty constant temp that's perfect for both fresh produce like taters, cabbage, and root veges, as well as canned goods. And of course you get the added benefit of a storm shelter (or doomsday thing). If you have a high water table you may need to dehumidify, but that's not nearly as much of a PITA as heating and cooling.

 

[skyhightree1]

Why don't you just look into a cold cellar/storm shelter.
You can make a nice one out of buried buses or cargo boxes. Fill it up and you will have plenty to eat on if it gets rough outside
Build a hut on the outside to hold a generator and you are all set.

lol id have to buy a bus then bury it so may as well build a shed lol... Although we have been looking at storm shelters i dont think the bus is the solution lol

How long you been storing them for?
I harvested mine in April, a couple going a bit wrinkly and they're all sprouting but otherwise perfectly edible. If I hadn't just moved house I would be getting new crop about November and the ones I've got should be good for that long. They're in the bottom of a dark cupboard, in cardboard boxes.

If you want a shed you build one, I wouldn't do it just for potatoes.
You need one anyway, to store your garden tools and for a potting bench and painting projects and stacking cow mineral and feed.

Don't know if it'd work in a colder climate - I planted mine in autumn the last two years, with turnip seed. The turnips keep the frost off them, so the plants are already mature in early spring. Pulling the turnips out was a chore though, and not improved by the cows standing at the fence ordering me to hurry up and get those turnips greens on their side.

I dug most a few weeks ago but our seasons here are totally different you get one shot to grow taters here not 2 times a year. They are in my pantry now but thats not working out too well.

Why don't you just look into a cold cellar/storm shelter.
You can make a nice one out of buried buses or cargo boxes. Fill it up and you will have plenty to eat on if it gets rough outside
Build a hut on the outside to hold a generator and you are all set.

Ditto... :tiphat:
Above ground storage would have to be cooled (chilled really, 'cause you want it 50-60 degrees) in the summer and heated in the winter, and switched back and forth in the fall and spring.
Below ground will give you a pretty constant temp that's perfect for both fresh produce like taters, cabbage, and root veges, as well as canned goods. And of course you get the added benefit of a storm shelter (or doomsday thing). If you have a high water table you may need to dehumidify, but that's not nearly as much of a PITA as heating and cooling.

Heating and cooling is pretty easy to me put the ac unit in the window keep it cold till it gets cold here then I dont have to worry about it anymore

 

[Kingfisher]

I wondered how long you were going to try and save those taters....you really need to start thinking ahead....

 

[skyhightree1]

yea my thinking is next year start digging hills in june and eating some each week so so wont have so many lol I have been giving them away but still have 50 lbs left lol I gave some to each employee when they got there check lol

 

[Craig Miller]

We canned ours last year cause we had so many. We had about 45 quarts.

 

[skyhightree1]

canned taters hmm... never thought about that and or freezing them in diced taters and or hash brown shreds

 

[CottageFarm]

I freeze mine. Put them in acidulated ice water bath after slicing/dicing/shredding ( I use lemon juice for the acid )
Then put them in a salad spinner to remove all water. then pat with towels to really remove water.
Bag & freeze. Not as good as fresh, but the next best thing to fresh

 

[skyhightree1]

I freeze mine. Put them in acidulated ice water bath after slicing/dicing/shredding ( I use lemon juice for the acid )
Then put them in a salad spinner to remove all water. then pat with towels to really remove water.
Bag & freeze. Not as good as fresh, but the next best thing to fresh

im gonna have to try that.. .I dont have a salad spinner but will try it

 

[M5farm]

I freeze mine. Put them in acidulated ice water bath after slicing/dicing/shredding ( I use lemon juice for the acid )
Then put them in a salad spinner to remove all water. then pat with towels to really remove water.
Bag & freeze. Not as good as fresh, but the next best thing to fresh

im gonna have to try that.. .I dont have a salad spinner but will try it

the washing machine will work if the wifes not home. washing machings work real good for washing greens

 

[skyhightree1]

I freeze mine. Put them in acidulated ice water bath after slicing/dicing/shredding ( I use lemon juice for the acid )
Then put them in a salad spinner to remove all water. then pat with towels to really remove water.
Bag & freeze. Not as good as fresh, but the next best thing to fresh

im gonna have to try that.. .I dont have a salad spinner but will try it

the washing machine will work if the wifes not home. washing machings work real good for washing greens

M5 I will try it but im gonna need you to fix me up with a comfy couch if I get caught lol

 

[jsm]

My neighbors peel, wash, freeze in ziplok bags as mentioned above. I keep mine in racks I built - just some 1x4 frames with chicken wire bottoms. I dig them, let them air cure for a week or 2, then throw then in the racks (leave the dirt residue on, dont wash). The key is to have the air flow through them. Mine dig in May and last till Thanksgiving that way.

 

[3waycross]

I freeze mine. Put them in acidulated ice water bath after slicing/dicing/shredding ( I use lemon juice for the acid )
Then put them in a salad spinner to remove all water. then pat with towels to really remove water.
Bag & freeze. Not as good as fresh, but the next best thing to fresh

im gonna have to try that.. .I dont have a salad spinner but will try it

the washing machine will work if the wifes not home. washing machings work real good for washing greens

If you line em with coarse sand paper they will peel potatoes too! :mrgreen: