Food cellar question

[Jonb]

Needing ideas on making a food cellar for storage in south texas mind you we reach 120 outside in the summer and winters can range from freezing to 80 any ideas on a food or root cellar that would be possible without elec. To keep the food at a low enough temp aka canned and dry goods

[wogglebug]

I don't know this for a fact, but what I've heard is that you can make an above-ground, concrete, earth-sheltered tornado shelter. Heap heaps of earth over it. The thermal mass and low thermal conductivity keeps things much cooler inside than outside, and the fact that it's above-ground avoids any groundwater problems there may be. Plant plants in the earth shelter - grass, or a low scrambling (preferably succulent) ground cover. Maybe something edible like Malabar spinach or warrigal greens (New Zealand spinach). I would also suggest that you plant something to shade it. Maybe vines on a trellis (chayote, kiwifruit, passionfruit, grapes, etc), maybe clumping bamboo (NEVER RUNNING BAMBOO!) Something quick, non-invasive, easy to get rid of if you need to.

[Jonb]

Thank you for the idea I've thought about doing a cinder block setup but couldn't come up with a way to keep it cool without running ac units or elec.