Potato storage?

[Wannabefree]

I need some quick ideas on potato storage options key word being quick here. I have 1400 lbs. and have nobody to give them to I am having trouble giving them away, and some are starting to decay and smell really bad I'd like to be able to do something besides can them because I would never have enough jars for that, much less enough patience, but I CAN'T just waste them I'm hoping to find a decent solution to storing them, until some of the people I know go through the umpteen dozen pounds I just handed out. The pig will be getting a bunch of them that are gone bad/going bad, but there are still several hundred pounds of good ones I hate to see go to waste. ANY ideas would be GREATLY appreciated! TIA!!

 

[FarmerJamie]

fire up the dehydrator!!! almost 3/4 of ton? wow. All my ideas would take of maybe a couple hundred pounds at best. I was going to suggest underground pit storage, but I remember how high your water table is.

If you leave now, you can have them to my place by lunch tomorrow....

 

[Wannabefree]

fire up the dehydrator!!! almost 3/4 of ton? wow. All my ideas would take of maybe a couple hundred pounds at best. I was going to suggest underground pit storage, but I remember how high your water table is.

If you leave now, you can have them to my place by lunch tomorrow....

Yeah looks like I am gonna have to get creative. I'm thinking of doing a clamp, not much digging to do it. The underground storage wouldn't work well here, but a clamp in the shade of the big oak out back might do good!

 

[moolie]

A clamp might work if you can keep it cool enough, but I'd make it more like a sand pile so they aren't touching each other since we are coming into summer.

Most of the rest of my ideas take a lot of prep/time:

-Peel, blanch and dehydrate like crazy.
-Make stews, soups, shepherd's pie etc. and freeze.
-Can some of them (if you have a pressure canner).

 

[Wannabefree]

I already have 41 quarts canned from last week.

I am going to have to dehydrate some of them at least.

My freezer is jammed full at the moment. Some of THAT is potatoes

ETA: Now I'm wondering if I could buy a plastic trash can, dig a hole out, and pit store them too. It'd be water proof, and we do have a shaded high spot out there in the edge of the yard. That could hold maybe 200-300 pounds.

 

[k15n1]

The trash can is a good idea. Some people do that if they don't have a root cellar.

You can probably rent space in a meat locker, if you're out of freezer space.

I'd suggest a sloppy peeling method. Use a clean paint can or metal bucket. Punch holds in the sides, driving the nail so that the jagged edges face into the container. Make holes in the sides and bottom. Mount it on a drill and spin it to peel. Like a chicken plucker. It would be great if you could run a hose into the bucket while running, but don't electrocute yourself!

You can get a gang slicer, too. You (and another worker) should be able to process hundreds of pounds in a day.

 

[k15n1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9oO_RCqtMI

 

[k15n1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWz_rK774Sk&feature=related