I have a question about storing canned food underground. I live in central Florida and had the idea to bury a deep freezer and seal the lid to keep some of my canned food. What are your thoughts on this. What about the winter is it cold enough to bust the cans? What about condensation? What about the Florida heat? This is my first time posting any ideas will be helpfull.
Storing food underground
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How cold do your winter's get? A freezer has insulation in it and so does the ground. If you put a layer of 1 or 2 inch ridged insulation on top of that with something to weight it down I would think it would survive a mild winter. If you get a deep freeze where it gets down to below zero F for several nights in a row then you might have problems, but the ground can keep an area insulated from 20 to 50 degrees warmer (or cooler) than it is up top. So do you have a whole lot of below 10 degree F winter nights? If you do you might have to put more insulation around it plus bury it a bit deeper. Ten feet down with something to block the outside air from coming down keeps my unheated roots cellars between 45 and 55 degrees all year long no matter how cold or hot it gets.
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If you have your items underground, It is usually a nice 60-65 degrees year round. I used to actually live in a underground basement, and while everyone was upstairs cooking in the hot sun, I was nice and happy in my 65-68 degree temps.
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Underground temps are just about perfect for food storage. In fact, even in the old days that's how they stored food. They made root cellars to keep their harvest in. Even in cold climates you can keep food from freezing as long as it's below the frost line. In Florida, you won't have that problem.
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You shouldn't have any problems. To bust the cans the temperature has to be below freezing for quit awhile - and that won't happen in Florida. The ground temperature won't be below 72 degrees. It may be even higher depending where in Florida you are.
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Being from Florida (and familiar with the central florida topography) I would also say that freezing below the surface won't be a problem at all, even in most of northern Florida. The biggest problem you will have is moisture and water. Many wells in this area are only dug to about 40 feet-like mine. Thus, if you dig too deep water will be a huge problem. Also, a freezer, being mostly metal, may rust in a little over a year due to the sandy soil and the rainy season.
I personally wouldn't use a freezer but would try some other plastic container that is well sealed--to block out moisture, and oxygen absorbers. I must admit I am new to using oxygen absorbers so I can only assume they will work. Well now you got me thinking, now I am thinking about burying something in the yard just to test it out. The only way to know for sure is to try it.
I personally wouldn't use a freezer but would try some other plastic container that is well sealed--to block out moisture, and oxygen absorbers. I must admit I am new to using oxygen absorbers so I can only assume they will work. Well now you got me thinking, now I am thinking about burying something in the yard just to test it out. The only way to know for sure is to try it.
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As Oif just said, you would need to worry about rust, and the buoyancy of the freezer, too. Your canned goods would help weigh it down, but if it's only half full and you get a good rain, it'll pop up to the surface.
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I bury mine in a sealed 55 gallon plastic drum. About 58 degrees year round. S.Carolina Hot summers. Your water table might pose a bigger problem. 10 inches of dirt over mine. zero problems have had several for years. Freezing is not an issue underground.
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Here in the Rocky Mountains and on my mtn retreat I have had many cans of food become froze solid when I have left them up there for a year or two. And the metal cans never break. Glass jars and most glass containers will break as I have sadly found out. Plastic jars will not break when frozen either.
One has to have a well sealed and deep underground shelter for the temperature to remain fifty degrees or so year round. I have experience with that also....
One has to have a well sealed and deep underground shelter for the temperature to remain fifty degrees or so year round. I have experience with that also....
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We use 55-gallon steel drums. They are food-grade and withstand most anything. I get them from a local twinky factory for free.
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Sorry, I should clarify, the factory makes an assortment of sponge-cake pastries, some with pineapple or banana fillings.
The drums are food-grade but smell of vanilla, or pineapple, or banana. And some were full of lard.
The drums are food-grade but smell of vanilla, or pineapple, or banana. And some were full of lard.
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Drum storage for foos etc
I have a question about using metal drums for storage. Are there any issues with them rusting through?? Also with the large open topped plastic drums can you seal them so that they are water proof??
Any help would be great...
I have a question about using metal drums for storage. Are there any issues with them rusting through?? Also with the large open topped plastic drums can you seal them so that they are water proof??
Any help would be great...
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They can rust through, given 40 years.
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Lets see I will be about almost 100 yrs old then, so I guess that's long enough.
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I live in a cold climate and I can tell you that once you get below the frost line, even frigid cold temperatures don't matter. The water and sewage lines here are buried at least 4 to 5 feet underground and are unaffected by the cold or heat. Temperatures in the winter can get down to -40 F.
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Just looked it up for here in Mo. 2 feet is good, Still thats a bunch of digging for a big drum.
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