How to Make an Above-Ground Root Celler
- 1). Purchase or find a broken refrigerator with the motor and cooling unit removed. If the cooling element is intact on your refrigerator, consult with a professional on how to remove it to prevent dangerous chemical spills.
- 2). Unscrew and remove any latching or locking mechanism from the refrigerator and freezer doors. Remove any shelving from the inside of the box.
- 3). Dig out a rectangle in your yard the same size as the back of the refrigerator. Dig down about 6 inches to make sure the entire back surface of the box will have solid contact with the dirt.
- 4). Lay the refrigerator on the ground with the doors facing up. Surround the box with a wall of hay bales on all four sides.
- 5). Cover the hay bales with plastic tarp. Cover the tarp with a 6-inch layer of soil all around, creating a dirt hill around the refrigerator.
- 6). Wait until the outdoor temperature is about 50 degrees, then fill the root cellar with baskets and boxes of food. Close the door, cover the door with hay bales, then cover the bales with a plastic tarp.
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