Practical Storage: Apples, Potatoes, Onions & Winter Squash

Not every family has a root cellar.

Most of us do not have an underground room with stone walls, wooden bins, and shelves filled with the autumn harvest. But that does not mean we cannot borrow some of the old wisdom behind it.

Long before families depended on a weekly trip to the grocery store, they learned which foods would keep, what conditions each one needed, and which foods should never be stored together.

A cool pantry, basement, protected garage, storage room, or even a carefully chosen closet may be enough to keep part of the harvest for later.

The important thing is understanding that apples, potatoes, onions, and winter squash do not all like the same conditions.

APPLES

Choose firm, sound apples without bruises, cuts, or soft spots. Damaged apples should be used first rather than placed into long-term storage.

Apples keep best in a cold place with some humidity. Wrap especially good keeping apples individually in paper or place them in shallow boxes with space for air to circulate.

Check them often and remove any that begin to soften or spoil.

Apples also release ethylene gas as they ripen, which can cause some nearby produce to age more quickly. For that reason, it is generally best to store apples apart from potatoes, onions, and other vegetables.

And yes, the old saying about one bad apple spoiling the barrel had some truth behind it. One decaying apple can quickly affect those around it.

POTATOES

Potatoes need darkness.

Light can cause them to turn green, and green portions may contain higher levels of natural toxins. Potatoes that are badly green, bitter, shriveled, or heavily sprouted should not be used.

Freshly harvested potatoes also benefit from curing before longer storage. Place them in a dark, well-ventilated location for a short period so the skins can toughen and small surface injuries can begin to heal.

After curing, gently brush away loose dry soil, but do not wash potatoes before storing them. Moisture encourages spoilage.

Keep them in a ventilated box, crate, basket, or paper sack in a cool, dark place. Do not seal them in an airtight plastic container.

Potatoes also need to be kept away from onions and apples. Storing them together may shorten their keeping quality and affect their flavor.

ONIONS

Onions prefer things much drier than potatoes do.

Before storage, onions should be properly cured until the outer skins are papery and the necks are thoroughly dry. Spread them in a dry, well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight until they are ready for storage.

Once cured, they may be stored in mesh bags, open baskets, crates, or even old stockings so air can move around them.

Keep them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place.

Do not store onions in a sealed plastic bag, and do not keep them beside potatoes. Potatoes need more humidity, while onions keep best in drier conditions. Placing them together is not ideal for either one.

Check stored onions regularly. Any onion that becomes soft, damp, moldy, or begins leaking should be removed immediately.

WINTER SQUASH

Winter squash likes a cool, dry place with good airflow.

Unlike potatoes, squash should not be stored in a damp, very cold corner. A temperature somewhere around 50 to 60 degrees is generally better for winter squash than a colder, wetter storage area.

After harvesting, many winter squash varieties benefit from curing. Keep them in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place for a short time so the rind can harden and small surface injuries can heal.

Leave a short length of stem attached whenever possible. A broken stem can create an opening where decay may begin.

Place squash on a shelf, rack, or piece of cardboard rather than directly on a cold concrete floor. Leave a little space between each one so air can circulate, and avoid piling them into a deep heap.

Turn and inspect them from time to time. Use any squash with a broken stem, bruise, soft spot, or damaged rind first.

A FEW SIMPLE STORAGE RULES

Store only sound, mature produce.

Cure potatoes, onions, and winter squash before longer storage.

Use bruised or damaged pieces first.

Do not wash produce before storage unless reliable instructions for that particular food say otherwise.

Keep potatoes dark.

Give onions plenty of dry ventilation.

Keep winter squash cool and dry, but not in the coldest or dampest corner.

Store apples and potatoes apart.

Keep everything off damp floors.

Allow air to circulate.

Label boxes or baskets with the variety and harvest date.

Check the storage area regularly.

Remove anything beginning to spoil.

And perhaps most importantly, remember what is stored and use it.

 8/6/26  Time and good friends are two things that get more valuable as you get older.

     Sunshine, calm, 70 degrees. Sunshine today, a light west breeze, high 92.  Mostly sunny tomorrow, a light NW breeze, high 92, low 60.  Scattered thunderstorms Saturday, a light ESE breeze, high 81, low 68.  AM thunderstorms Sunday, a west breeze, high 84, low 63.  33% showers Tuesday, a west breeze, high 80, low 62.  Mostly sunny Wednesday, a WNW breeze, high 82, low 59.  34% chance of showers next Thursday, a WSW breeze, high 81, low 59.  36% chance of showers next Friday, a brisk west breeze, high 75, low 57.   Partly cloudy the weekend of the 15th and 16th, Highs 76, lows 56.  A strong WNW breeze Saturday, lighter breeze Sunday.  Partly cloudy the week of the 17th, WNW breezes, highs in the upper seventies, lows in the mid fifties.

      I'm checking the blueberry patch today.  I think the kingbirds have left, I haven't seen them for a few days.  I googled them.  They migrate at the end of July or late August.  They eat insects why the fledglings are in the nest, switching to fruits and berries just before they fly south.

    We are keeping everything watered but the flowers don't look very perky.  Peppers and tomatoes often drop their blossoms when temperatures are in the nineties.  Bees spend their time trying to keep the hive cool by fanning their wings.  Even the cows, especially Mabel, complain about the heat.  The cows and chickens get fresh, cold water mid day.  This heat breaks Saturday with scattered thunderstorms.  And we're not real happy about that.  Jordn and Chiara are getting married at their home Saturday.  They've spent all summer making their yard beautiful.   They do have a large tent.   Whenever we start complaining about our hot days we stop and say a prayer for the many people affected by wildfires

    May your day be blessed, Sally.

 8/5/26  Every sunrise is a fresh start. Be thankful.

   Clear, calm, 61 degrees.  Sunshine today, a WSW breeze, high 90, low 62.  Sunshine tomorrow, a light west breeze, high 92, low 68. Mostly sunny Friday, a light WNW breeze, high 92, low 68.  Thunderstorms Saturday, a light ESE breeze, high 81, low 67.  Thunderstorms Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 88, low 63.  Partly cloudy Monday, a brisk west breeze, high 85, low 63.  50% chance of showers Tuesday, a west breeze, high 80, low 61.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday through Saturday the 15th with brisk WNW breezes. Wednesday and Thursday's highs about eighty, , lows 58.  Friday and Saturday's highs eighty, lows 56.  Possible showers Sunday the 16th, a brisk WNW breeze, high 77, low 54.  Partly cloudy the next three days, WNW breezes, highs about 75, lows about 54.

    I'm pleased with my kombucha.  I had never tasted any.  I made it because the bacteria that make it are good bacteria.  More and more I'm seeing articles about how important a healthy gut is tied to a healthy brain.  Fermenting foods not only is a way of preserving food  but gives our bodies bacteria that will help the body prevent damage from the toxins that surround us.

   It is important to use pure salt when fermenting foods.  We've used sea salt in the past.  Now we find out that sea salt has a lot of microplastics in it because so much plastic garbage has gone into our oceans.  I've ordered  pink Himalayan salt, a suggestion from the class I took.

   I have friends in Alaska who have made sauerkraut in an old stone crock for years.  Now they make it in a food grade plastic bucket because the crock got a crack in it.  The crack may have done them a favor.  I learned in class that the glazing in old crocks often contained lead. I was able to buy a new lead free crock fifty percent off on a black Friday sale.  We also plan to use glass  jars.

   Monday all the fledglings were fighting with each other.   Because it was a rainy, windy day I kept the feeders full.   The kitchen garden was filled with squabbling birds because they all decided eating at the feeders was easier than finding food in nature. I usually only have seed in the feeders in late afternoon, perhaps early morning if the birds didn't empty the feeders before going to roost.

    TodayI'm deadheading bee balm and delphiniums in hopes of getting a second round of blossoms.  Yesterday I made butter.  We are thankful for the high butterfat in Mathilda's milk.  This is the time of the year for lobster feeds.  People who don't usually buy our butter buy it for lobster.  When they spend the money on lobster they want our good butter to go with it.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 8/4/26  Gratitude has a quiet way of changing everything. Even on the hardest days, there is still something to thank God for.

   Sunshine, breezy, 57 degrees.  Sunshine all day, a light west wind, high 84, low 60.  Sunshine tomorrow, a SW breeze, high 90, low 62.  Sunshine Thursday, a WSW breeze, high 92, low 67.  Scattered thunderstorms Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. A WNW breeze Friday, high 91, low 67.  A light west breeze Saturday, high 85, low 65. Brisk WSW breezes Sunday and Monday, highs 87, lows 63.  Possible showers next Tuesday, a brisk west breeze, high 80, low 60.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday through Tuesday the 18th with WNW breezes.  Highs about 77, lows about 56.

   With eight kids in the house we didn't get a lot of cleaning done.  Maegin did a lot of baking.  When she wasn't baking she played board games with the kids. The nursery order needs to go in this week, that is taking a lot of Behah's time.

   I finished my fermenting class. I'll ferment cucumbers and cabbage first, that's what we have.  I've never made good sauerkraut, hopefully this time I will. Today is the day the kombucha is ready to be sampled.  I'm opting to only let the second ferment be a few days, I don't think I want it very strong.  I used lemon juice for flavoring for the second ferment.  Today I'm going to start more.  Plain kombucha is used for a starter in most of the fermenting recipes.

   I read this morning that for lots of blooms Christmas Cactus plants should go outside in indirect light for the summer.  The article said to put the plant outside today if it wasn't already out.  Water and fertilize it weekly during August.  Stop fertilizing and cut back on water in September when it comes into the house.  The article suggested using African Violet fertilizer.  Christmas Cactus should only be repotted in late winter/early spring.  I'm going to put mine outside this morning!

    May your day be blessed, Sally

The Root Cellar
Before refrigerators, deep freezers, and grocery stores filled with produce from every season, many families relied on a root cellar to help carry the harvest through winter.
A root cellar was usually a cool, dark, slightly damp place tucked beneath the house, dug into a hillside, or built underground. It did not freeze the food, and it did not preserve it forever. It simply slowed down the natural process of spoilage and helped certain vegetables remain usable for weeks or even months.
After the garden had been gathered, potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, onions, apples, and winter squash were carefully sorted. Anything bruised, cut, soft, or damaged was used first. Only the soundest produce was chosen for longer storage.
That part mattered.
One damaged apple really could begin spoiling the apples beside it. A soft potato could quickly become a problem in a bin. Our grandparents did not simply put the harvest away and forget about it. They checked it regularly, removed anything beginning to spoil, and used the foods that would not last as long before touching the better keepers.
Different foods also needed different conditions.
Potatoes and many root vegetables preferred darkness and cool air. Onions and garlic needed a drier place with good airflow. Winter squash liked cool, dry storage and did not want to be crowded together. Apples were best stored apart from some vegetables because ripening fruit can cause nearby produce to age more quickly.
Families learned these things through years of experience. They knew which corner stayed driest, which bin was best for potatoes, and which apples would keep until Christmas—or sometimes longer.
Most of us do not have a traditional root cellar today, but we may still be able to borrow the old idea.
A cool basement, an unheated pantry, an insulated garage that does not freeze, a protected storage room, or even a cool closet may work for certain foods. A few crates, baskets, ventilated boxes, or sturdy shelves can create a small storage area without requiring a stone cellar beneath the house.
The important things are simple:
Keep the area cool, dark, and well ventilated.
Never store produce that is bruised, cut, diseased, or beginning to soften.
Do not wash potatoes, onions, or winter squash before long-term storage. Brush away loose soil and allow them to remain dry.
Keep produce off bare concrete floors, where moisture and temperature changes may cause trouble.
Do not pile everything together. Air needs to move around it.
Check the stored harvest often and remove anything beginning to spoil.
Use what you have stored. A root cellar was never meant to become a forgotten room full of shriveled vegetables. It was part of the household rhythm. Families cooked from it through the cold months, using potatoes in soups, carrots in stews, apples in pies and sauce, and squash roasted beside the evening meal.
The old root cellar reminds us that preserving the harvest does not always require jars, pressure canners, or a freezer full of bags.
Sometimes it simply means learning which foods will keep, giving them the right conditions, and paying attention to what we already have.
We may not all be able to build a true root cellar, but we can still bring back the wisdom behind it: grow what we can, store it carefully, check it often, waste less, and let the summer garden continue feeding the family long after the vines have gone bare.
Did your family have a root cellar, a basement pantry, or a special place where potatoes, apples, and onions were stored through the winter?
—Nana Banana
From a Simpler Time

8/3/26 Your past doesen't need you anymore.  Your future does.Fog, calm, 67 degrees.  Rain starting shortly becoming showers later this afternoon. A light SSE wind today, high 75.  Partly cloudy tonight, low of 62.  Sunshine tomorrow. a west wind, high 84, low 60.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a SW breeze, high 89, low 62.  Mostly sunny Thursday, WSW breeze, high 91, low 68.  Possible PM thunderstorms Friday, a west breeze, high 90, low 65.

Partly cloudy Saturday, a WNW breeze, high 88, low 65. Sunshine Sunday, a brisk WSW breeze, high 90, low 65.  Partly cloudy next Monday  through Monday the 17th.   A brisk WSW breeze Monday, high 87, low 65. NW breezes starting Tuesday.through the 17th.  Tuesday's high 83, then highs in the upper seventies.  Lows in the upper to mid fifties. 

    Pleasant weekend.  Busy with lots of watering, lots of harvesting and lots of customers.  We ran out of eggs, milk and hamburger Saturday.  So we defrosted the refrigerator and freezer.  Until the pullets start laying we'll be running out of eggs a lot.  We have more customers in summer and with the children home from school we use a lot more eggs ourselves.  The pullets start laying at the end of this month.

     The first of next winter's firewood went in the garage.  Seasoned maple so it was stacked with the wood left over from last winter.

     Some dove fledglings came to the feeders this morning.  They are losing their baby feathers, their adult feathers are just starting to grow.  They are pretty sorry looking.  Some of the finches are sorry looking too as they are losing their brown baby feathers.  They are getting their winter colors, not their summer gold.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 Copied From A Simpler Time·
In earlier days, people understood the value of an animal not only in the raising, but in using what had been provided with gratitude and care. Nothing was wasted if it could be helped.  A family did not look at beef as only a few familiar cuts wrapped in plastic at the store. They understood that one animal could feed a household in many different ways. There were roasts for Sunday dinner, ground beef for everyday meals, stew meat for hearty suppers, soup bones for broth, and fat that could be rendered and put to use.
That old way of thinking came from necessity, but it also came from respect.
When people worked hard to raise livestock, feed them, water them, and care for them through heat, cold, wind, and drought, they did not take that gift lightly. They understood the effort behind every meal. Using the whole animal was one way of honoring both the work and the provision.
There is wisdom in that way of life.
It reminds us to waste less, to be more thankful, and to remember that food does not simply appear on a shelf. It comes from the labor of hands, the care of families, and the blessings of God.  Perhaps that is something worth recovering in our own time—a little more gratitude, a little less waste, and a better understanding of what it takes to place good food on the table.
If you buy local beef, cook from scratch, save your bones for broth, or make good use of what you have, then you are carrying on a way of living that was once simply understood.
And maybe it still should be.

 8/1/26  If you tell the truth you don't have to remember everything.

Sun and clouds, calm, 64 degrees, Mostly cloudy today, a light north breeze, high 83, low 62.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a stiff south breeze, hugh 64, low 66.  Rain Monday, a south breze, high 76, low 67.  Sunshine Tuesday, a brik WNW breeze, high 84, low 59.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a WSW breeze, high 88, low 62.  PM showers Thursday, SW breeze, high 88, low 67.  PM thunderstorms Friday, a west breeze, high 88, low 67.  Partly cloudy Saturday. a west breeze, high 87, low 65.  Scattered thunderstorms next Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 87, low 65.  Partly cloudy the week of the 10th, WNW breezes, highs near 80, lows about 58. 

   We've had a lot of pleasant summer days this summer.  Dryer than the plants want, we are hoping Monday's forecast doesn't dry up!  Sun and breezes evaporate water in the garden pond, we have to add water.  When I checked it the other day I realized the pump that runs the waterfall was unplugged.  Jay thinks the cows stepped on the cord.  Some algae formed.  Usually we scoop it out but it was covered with honey bees. We cater to the bees, the algae stays.

  Heather's cutting garden is beautiful.  Jordn and Chiara's wedding is next Saturday, the flowers' timing is perfect.  Heather can make a lovely bouquet out of odds and ends.  With so many flowers to choose from, the wedding flowers will be gorgeous!

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 7/31/26  A family will  be  held together by love, not things.

Clouds, calm, 62 degrees.  Partly cloudy today, a brisk north breeze, high 78, low 58.  Cloudy tomorrow, a NNW breeze, high 83, low 61.Mostly cloudy Sunday, a stiff south breeze, high 82, low 66.  Rain Monday, a south breeze, high 75, low 63.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 84, low 59.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a west breeze, high 88, low 63.   39% chance of showers Thursday, a SSW breeze, high 87, low 66.  Partly cloudy next Friday through the weekend.  WSW breezes, highs in the upper eighties, low 67, 64, and 62.  Partly cloudy the week of the tenth with WNW breezes.  A high of 82 Mondy with the high temperatures dropping to 78 by Friday the 14th.  Lows from 62 on Monday to 56 by Friday.

   The sun has broken through the clouds.  The half inch of rain we got yesterday afternoon watered everything.  Everything is vibrant this morning.  The lily pads are covered with honey bees getting a drink.  The red winged blackbird fledgling are squabbling at the feeders.  They squabble all the time!

  A neighbor found some cauliflower seed.  I planted it even though it's late,  I'll plant the seedlings close to the house and plan to put remay over it if frost is threatened.

   May your day be blessed, Sally