How long will green beans and tomatoes keep at approx. room temp of 80 degrees? In mason jars.

-- tim (tvgrealtor@earthlink.net), December 19, 1999

Answers

Everything I have read says to keep as cool as possible. Where are you that it is going to be 80 degrees all the time?

-- Mary (CAgdma@home.com), December 19, 1999.

tim,

We have kept canned tomatoes for nearly a year in an uncooled pantry in East Texas. I know it got hotter than 80 several times during the summer, but by the same token, it got pretty cool during the winter months also. We didn't notice an appreciable amount of deterioration on the last of the canned tomatoes opened in the fall just about a year after they were canned.

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), December 19, 1999.

I live in Florida and 80 degrees is about what my pantry stays at for most of the year. You ought to get about two years or so of good storage before noticing significant deterioration in taste, texture or color. They do need to be stored in the dark though.

..........Alan.

The Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@sprintmail.com), December 20, 1999.

I have read that ten or twelve feet down it is 55F or so year round. Perhaps it would be worth it to make a root cellar for your jars of food. You could incidentally shelter there from weather, etc

-- RT (Rngfr49@yahoo.com), December 20, 1999.

Florida living is great...down here for 25 years! Keep the a/c going almost all year round at about 75 and am hoping and praying that works! Also, don't dig 12 feet down...we are only 8 feet above sea level. Everything in southern Florida is above ground or you are going to swim. Maybe we should move north! Good luck!

-- Tricia Mancini (TriciaM123@aol.com), December 20, 1999.