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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Food Storage
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Kish Creek
# Posted: 4 Jul 2008 09:36
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I recently reacquired a parcel of land along a creek and plan to build a small cabin.

I am seeking information on ways to store food naturally without using
electricity.

timothycharles
Member
# Posted: 13 Sep 2008 15:38
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i read about a system used in north africa. its a clay pot, within a clay pot with sand as an insulator between the layers of clay. it has a hole and plug at the top, to access the sand layer, and at the bottom. you just pour water (pref cold water) into the sand, and that keeps the inner clay pot quite cool.good enough to store veggies and cheese and stuff. maybe not milk...
then there is always the gas refridgerator. or a solar panel rigged up to a car battery to power a camping fridge.
-these are the options im planning on using in my cabin.

drmargy
Member
# Posted: 4 Oct 2008 22:44
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Hello Kish - We live off the grid. Our solar panel and batteries give us light and help us recharge some electronics, but aren't enough for appliances. We use propane for our stove, refrigerator and backup lighting. One 60 pound tank takes care of our needs for about five to six weeks depending on the season. The cost is about $50 for a refill. You can see more about our setup here if you like. - Margy



island guy
# Posted: 24 Oct 2008 15:20
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Use the creek itself. I built a small metal basket and set it in the river near our place. It kept all the food and beer very cold.
Another alternative is the tried and true root cellar. I used to go down into my grandparents root cellar many years ago, and found it always very cool, even on the hottest days.

bugs
Member
# Posted: 31 Aug 2009 14:08
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Has anyone tried this system out? Would be great if it worked as well as suggested.

http://www.greenlaunches.com/gadgets-and-tech/portable-solar-powered-refrigerator-coo ls-like-human-body.php

waldenpond
# Posted: 19 Mar 2010 15:00
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just found this site! love it! will register when i get a minute. live in Amish area and can share tips they use, also "peaceandcarrotsfarm", has good idea for storing cold items. she put some clay tiles into the floor a few feet, surrounded by pebbles, in the root celler i think, and stores the milk jugs in there with a screen on top.
while doing some renovations on an old property we had, needed a potty. cut hole in plastic lawn chair, bucket underneath, tin pot lid on top. put leaves, shavings in. worked great for months. only dumped once. had a hole dug with straw and burned it. made good compost.
humanure book is most excellent.

Moontreeranch
Member
# Posted: 5 Apr 2010 18:31
Reply 


Bugs

just looked at the link of the evaporative fridge, 6 c is just under 43 F...ok for short term...plus adding water water is manual...once dried out it will get warm quick

diane5000
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2010 22:07
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Hi kish Creek,

We live in a very remote area and have a very small solar system.We lived without refridgeration for long time until we discovered the freezer
turn fridge concept. Check it out on our web site, lots of info on this
awesome fridge (no electricity).

Diane and Warren
http://frombeyondthegrid.com

bugs
Member
# Posted: 19 May 2010 09:11
Reply 


I have been following the freezer to fridge idea for some time in its various configurations. (There are even examples of taking a bar fridge and turning it on its back to make a chest fridge with very limited savings by the way). But the converted fridge DOES use electrical power especially when the compressor starts up. The conversion does however mean the "chest fridge" will run much less in normal situations.

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