| Freezer blocking is a method that can save you | | | | obtained. An alternative are the insulating peanuts |
| money with your household freezer. | | | | used for shipping and packaging. Others suggest filling |
| With the fall weather upon us this is the time when | | | | the boxes with old newspapers. This would work but |
| people are starting to put away the excess bounty | | | | the insulation value would be far less than the |
| of their garden. Vegetables that have not already | | | | fibreglass method. Also the newspaper would pick up |
| been consumed need to be stored for use | | | | moisture and become extremely heavy to lift. |
| throughout the winter months. | | | | Whatever is used the boxes should be completely |
| Once you have bottled and/or packaged your | | | | filled, and then sealed and taped shut. You do not |
| vegetables they will have to be stored in a cold | | | | want insulation mixing openly with food products. Also |
| environment that is below their freezing point and at | | | | boxes of varied sizes work best because they allow |
| a low humidity level. A cold environment slows down | | | | you to fill up the open spaces better. |
| the natural deterioration of vegetable matter that | | | | If the freezer is only half full then place the boxes |
| occurs. Most vegetables that are placed into a cold | | | | either at the bottom of the freezer or all to one side. |
| environment will go into a type of dormant state. | | | | This way you have easier access to the food during |
| Obviously a cold storage room is the most | | | | the winter. Placing the boxes on top will be |
| economical method. It uses the winter temperatures | | | | frustrating because you will have to remove them |
| to keep foods cold. Unfortunately its downside is | | | | every time you want to get to the food. |
| that the temperature cannot be regulated. If the | | | | Another way of doing this would be to place |
| outside temperature changes so does the | | | | blankets or sleeping bags inside the open areas of |
| temperature inside the cold storage room. Also few | | | | the freezer. The insulation method is usually preferred |
| modern homes have a cold storage room. It is | | | | though because it is much easier to move around |
| considered unnecessary in today's fast paced society. | | | | boxes than an old sleeping bag. |
| For those without the basement cold storage room | | | | An alternative method is to add containers of water |
| an alternative is the household freezer. Many people | | | | to the freezer...partially full containers - remember |
| use a small chest freezer for this purpose. Chest | | | | water expands about 10% when frozen. |
| freezers seem to be the answer for many | | | | This is not true freezer blocking. Rather it is a |
| gardeners. An upright freezer will also work but they | | | | method called heat sinking. Containers of water |
| are not as efficient (or as cold) as the chest variety. | | | | added to the freezer will themselves freeze into |
| Also the small chest freezer is generally less | | | | blocks of ice. Every time the freezer shuts off the |
| expensive than an upright of the same size. | | | | cold stored inside the ice blocks will help keep the |
| But if you invest in a freezer is it not economical to | | | | food frozen. The ice should slow down the natural |
| operate if only partially full. Freezer blocking is a | | | | heat transfer between the freezer walls and the |
| possible answer for this problem. | | | | food. The colder the freezer interior the less the cold |
| Basically freezer blocking is filling up the unused space | | | | control will turn on the compressor. |
| inside the freezer. The theory is ... the less air inside | | | | Although heat sinking is good in theory I am not |
| the freezer the less electricity will be required to | | | | convinced this method really saves money. |
| freeze the food. Anything that lowers the internal | | | | In all of the above methods the overall affect (in |
| volume of the freezer will cause the compressor to | | | | theory) is to make the freezer operate less. So the |
| spend less time keeping the interior cold. It would be | | | | less it operates the less electricity it will consume. |
| equivalent to having a smaller freezer. | | | | How much can be saved by these methods has not |
| To do this cardboard boxes called "blockers" are | | | | been properly tested. The best estimate is that it |
| placed inside the freezer. These boxes are filled with | | | | could save you 5% to 15% per year. |
| insulation. Any form of insulation will work, but basic | | | | But then, that's a pretty good saving for an hour of |
| household wall insulation (fibreglass) is most | | | | your time, and some cardboard boxes full of |
| commonly used. It is both inexpensive and easily | | | | insulation. |