# Buried Garbage Cans



## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

Is anyone using these for food storage? I was looking through a book recently and saw that an alternative to a root cellar is to bury garbage cans flush with the ground. I was wondering how you would keep critters like raccoons out. Also, metal or plastic? Lined, etc?
The book had almost no info, almost like it was a last second addition to fill space.


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## AuroraHawk (Sep 12, 2012)

This is what I found at Hobby Farms/6 food storage alternatives

"5. Garbage Cans or Barrels
Bury a metal garbage can or heavy-duty barrel so the top of the can is several inches above ground level. Dig a moat or ditch around the outside to keep run off from filling in and around the can. Top with a lid, then cover with straw for insulation. Bag vegetables separately (in perforated plastic) for storage."


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

In Texas, within a week it would be filled to the top inside with ants. All they need is ONE hole. I have seen them hollow out a granola bar wrapper through just one hole. Amazing creatures, they are.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Wouldn't put anythin in there I really wanted. You'll never get a garbage can ta seal up well enought ta stop it. ***** will find a way inta it along with the other creepy crawlers. 

Don't know what the temps do where yall live, but the freeze thaw cycle goona raise havoc with em to.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug (Jan 27, 2009)

we like to use old dead chest style deep freezers.......usually have a lock on 'em, sealed fairly good and insulated...fridges work too if ya bury 'em on their backsides......


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

Tribal Warlord Thug said:


> we like to use old dead chest style deep freezers.......usually have a lock on 'em, sealed fairly good and insulated...fridges work too if ya bury 'em on their backsides......


MY FIL used an old fridge buried on it's back - with some holes drilled to let any water out. The seal was removed let some kid crawl inside and suffocate. Seemed to work fine for him for decades.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Garbage cans were lined with straw to keep the food from touching the galvanized metal (back in the 90s when I learned this trick). This kind of storage was called a 'clamp' back in colonial days - they just lined a hole with rocks, then straw, then food, covered with straw for air circulation, then dirt. They left a small chimney of tufted grass through the dirt for air circulation - prevents rot that way. Yes, critters that found your stash would live large off it - they had numerous clamps spread around to try to get around the critter-losses.
However, when they started using barrels on their sides, clay culverts, hardware-cloth cages, and yes, even garbage cans, they lost less to critters. Strong screens help keep them out, and ber sure to put gravel or sand for drainage around your storage pit. Yes it works - I tried the easy version - just leave the root veggies buried, with a straw bale over them to keep frost out. I got the sweetest carrots before they froze (the clamps do not work where cold is very severe - they just lengthen your keeping time). And the onions re-grew in the spring so when I went to dig up the area for the garden, I had very early, very sweet fresh onions! BTW, kale is very cold hardy. Mine is STILL green in the garden, and we had some creamed at Christmas fresh from the patch. 
If I were going to try the clamp again, I'd use the buried freezer route, it would probably insulate better than just dirt in my coldest winter temps (minus 20 at times). Old freezers are cheap at the recylcling centers, esp. since you don't care if they work anymore.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

OldCootHillbilly said:


> Wouldn't put anythin in there I really wanted. You'll never get a garbage can ta seal up well enought ta stop it. ***** will find a way inta it along with the other creepy crawlers.
> 
> Don't know what the temps do where yall live, but the freeze thaw cycle goona raise havoc with em to.


That is kinda what I was thinking. I was just hoping we could go the cheap route. If we can find q cheap broken fridge or freezer, then maybe we will try that instead. It does get pretty cold here, but maybe with a good seal, it would work.


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