The Furry Gnome asked.....

 March 16, 2026

about the root cellar.

We discovered this old farm in January of 2017.... yes, we found the listing, and visited it late in January, snowshoes to hand, and after an exploratory walk around, checking things out, put in our offer. Even under all that snow, we knew. 

Older folks around could remember this place when a family lived here and actively farmed. They told us there had been a root cellar where there was now a sort of hump beyond the NW corner of the barn. The youngest son of that last family to actively farm here up into the 50's, came to visit us. His family moved off the farm when he was 11, but he also remembered there being a root cellar in that particular place. This small house, which didn't have the front verandah at the time, held the parents and 12 kids, although with the age spread of the siblings, some would have moved out. I often wonder how they all fit in! He brought a picture taken at a family reunion a few years ago, 5 men and 7 women, of which we have since lost a few.

Later in the summer of 2022 , Hubby cut and milled hemlock trees into large square timbers. This is just the beginning of the pile required, stacked at the end of the barn.

Spring of 2023, the build began. Using the bucket on the tractor, he scooped out the earth, and did find evidence of stone walls in the spot. There is another large pile of soil out of sight behind the barn. You can see some of the stones that tumbled out, on the grass on the left.

The build started in early summer and continued through to fall. There were a few glitches, equipment failures etc., but the project was completed in September.

The walls started to go up. 

Cut out for the door.

The last sunlight, the interior would ever see!!

Roof going on. He used the tractor bucket to help lift the big timbers.

The whole edifice was encased in hardware cloth to deter vermin.

Then layers of thick tar paper and heavy plastic.

Starting the burial. There is a vent pipe extending out of the roof, and a sock covered drain was installed in the bottom, sloping down and away, out to the side. By the time he got to this point, Mother Nature had clothed the piles of earth with greenery. She abhors a vacuum!

Entrance way attached..

More burying...

Doors installed.

Then it occurred to me that the space to the left of the door would be a good place for a cold frame, so, a retaining wall of hemlock was put up with cedar bracing and supports.

The cold frame was built out of cedar, which Hubby had milled out of trees on the property,

and was levelled into place.

The window was attached, extra Styrofoam insulation bolted into place across the front, and the other edges buried. The interior was filled with layers of sticks and leaves, then soil.

Along the right exterior side, I've planted sage and oregano, which has taken well in the rather dry, sandy soil. The screen cover is to keep out vermin when the lid has to be up in the summer.

Perhaps putting the root cellar entrance on the north side would have been better, but it works. The temperature inside stays mid to high 30's F, throughout the winter, which is perfect. It does take a while to cool down in the fall, and we also found it was very humid inside. Vents with closures have been put up high and down low in both sets of doors, and that has helped with the humidity. Once we get into serious cold weather, they are shut.

This winter was the first real test, although potatoes kept in there last winter did not even show signs of sprouting until well into late May. Last fall I moved my strawberry planters in there, the fig tree, some potted amaryllis bulbs, and from the garden, carrots in milk crates of moist wood shavings, and of course, potatoes. It has been wonderful to have fresh, crisp carrots that I grew, right up until now, when the supply is dwindling. 

So, Happy St. Patrick's day to all. This is the cold frame today.

Yesterday was a snowing, blowing day. The temperature this morning was at 0C when we awoke, and is 8C now, mid-morning. The snow was heavy and wet to move, and now we are expecting rain.....