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Food Farm Storage Facility
Food Farm installed automatic temperature control and a monitoring system in their rootcellar.
RIGHT PHOTO: John (with black cap) and Jane Fisher-Merritt (on right with back to camera) held a tour of their rootcellar on August 5, 2001.
There are 3 storage rooms kept at different temperatures - one room for rutabagas, parsnips, and carrots, another room for squash, and a third room for onions and potatoes. How well did the
rootcellar perform in the 2001-2002 season? Here's the data taken at the
beginning of March:
Carrots from Food Farm had an average brix of 8.52 (5 carrots sampled) in late October. In early March, the average brix was 7.96 (5 carrots sampled). At harvest in 2003, Food Farm carrots had an average brix of 7.35 (10 carrots sampled). The brix did not change with storage. The average brix of Food Farm carrots in February 2004 was 7.5 (10 carrots sampled). To see how much it
cost to build the rootcellar, click here.
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Food
Farm is a 200-acre community-supported agriculture farm located in Wrenshall,
Minnesota. It has 100 summer vegetable shares, 36 winter vegetable shares,
pastured poultry, and egg shares. The farm is run by John Fisher-Merritt
and his family according to the biodynamic philosophy. The farm also wholesales
certified organic vegetables to the Whole Foods Co-op in Duluth. 
Food Farm received a sustainable agriculture grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to fund this project. Read about this on the MDA website starting on page 34 in the 
PHOTO
LEFT: This box is hooked up to to the computer that monitors, records,
and adjusts temperatures in the storage areas. 
PHOTO
LEFT: When necessary, this vent opens to increase air flow to a storage
bin or room.