The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-10-28
Storage Hints
By Mrs. GOrda BOney

Miss Pauline E. Gordon and
Mr.. H. R. Niswonger, specialists
from State College assist with
special storage program.
In answer to many of the re-
quests of home demonstration
club families for assistance on
improved storage for canned food,
root crops and other food a speci-
al storage program was launched
when Miss Gordon and Mr.. Mis-
Wonger, Specialists from State
College came to Ashe county and
spent a week with the home dem
onstration agent and the county
agents, going into the various
communities and helping to get
started an improved storage pro-
gram which is being conducted
throughout the State of North
Carolina.
Seven of the q families who
were interested in storage of can
ned fruits and vegetables, apples
potatoes and other root crops had
already built bank or hillside
storages. Of the seven bank stor-
ages, five had the front and part
of the side walls extending out
from the hillside. The other two
families were going to remodel
their storages SO that the stored
food would keep better.
The families who had the con
crete bank storages complained Of
the apples and potatoes rotting
jars of fruit damaged by freezing
during cold weather and thai
moisture and frost accumulated
on the tops Of the canned fruit
Mr.. Niswonger stated that the
spoilage was due to the fact that
concrete always draws moisture
which accumulate on the inside
He suggested that the part of the
side walls of concrete be banked
with dirt and the front wall over
which sheeting is to be nailed
then a layer of building paper
followed by tongue and grooveC
siding. This will provide for {
two inch dead air space and pre-.
vent moisture from accommodating
on the inside.
Since canned fruits and vege
tables were kept in these storages
which were far away from the
house and too damp for the can
ned products, Miss Gordon sug'
gested that a dry storage place
be fixed in the house and con
venient to the kitchen and in
sulated to prevent damage by
freezing weather. Additional in
formation on methods of insula
ton can be secured from the
County home and farm agents.
Miss Gordon stated that if {
dry cool in the summer and fros
proof in the winter storage fol
canned food could be built con
venient to the kitchen, more fooc
could be saved and that many ;
muscular ache and pain of thu
farmers wife could be prevented
for now she must walk miles
during the year in carrying can
of fruit and vegetables to ant
from far distant storage house
located in Ashe County. Mis-
Gordon also stressed that the con
venient storage space provide
strong, well braced shelves O.
desirable depth and height for tn
storage of all types Of containers
It was also found that many o
these families not having storage
wanted to build a combination
milk house and vegetable storage
This would be mistake as
would be too damp for fresl
fruits and the canned product
for the loss in spoliage would still
be greater in the storages de
scribed above. Mr.. Niswonge
stated also that when building j.;
bank storage, only the front wal
or face of the storage should b.
exposed since old mother earth i
the best prevention against wea
Their hazards. He also stated tina
nature rock be used for the front
at least IL inches thick and NJ
concrete be used for the doo