Preserving potato for 11-12 months
Method to keep mushroom fresh
Farmer households in loess plateau have accumulated experience to successfully preserve potato for 11-12 months. This is done by making a cellar by digging a vertical well 4 - 5 m deep followed by an underground horizontal tunnel 4 - 5 m long and 1-1.5 m high. One month before storing potato, open the door of the cellar to ventilate for keeping the cellar dry and clean. If the cellar has been used in the last winter, scrape the thin top layer of the soil from the ground and the walls and throw this soil out of the cellar. If the cellar is covered by bricks on the ground and the walls, a rinse of quick lime should be given. Spray disinfectant two days before putting potato in the cellar. After that close the door of the cellar till potato is stored. Before storing, dry the potatoes in the sun for one day soon after harvesting. Select only good potatoes for storage and reject sick and damaged ones. Also easily decomposable varieties should be rejected. To prevent damage handle the potatoes gently. Fill only one third of the cellar with potatoes to allow space for ventilation. When potato turns from white to green by being exposed to sunlight and wind, it becomes poisonous and is not fit for consumption. Potato should be checked in the cellar from time to time. Temperature should be decreased and the heat diffused during October/November when the potato is stored in the cellar to prevent decomposition due to more carbon dioxide, moisture content and heat. Also care should be taken to prevent the potato from freezing.
Put fresh mushroom in 0.6% concentration of salt Water for 10 minutes, then drain out the water and put the mushroom in a plastic bag and keep it at a temperature of 10-24°C for 5 hours. The mushroom will become white in color. By this method mushroom can be kept fresh for at least 3 days (sketch below).
