Cool Bot Build

Someone somewhere along the way convinced us we needed cold storage.

To be fair, it wasn’t too difficult to convince me. Last year our second fridge was bursting with inventory and despite decent movement of product, we could not establish a consistent harvest schedule to match storage space.  I was frustrated more about mixing our personal foods with inventory than about the potential for loss.

I avoided and ignored the problem primarily because of my limited skills and nervousness for all things construction. ( The potting shed I built still stands, but let’s just say I have a greater appreciation for a level and speed square.)

I was determined to find a solution for our second year of market gardening/small-scale farming. 

All signs and Google search for DIY and cost-effective cold storage pointed to the cool bot. I made the decision, committed, and made the initial purchase.

I spent the next few months contemplating- placement. Inside, outside, freestanding, garage, shipping container… So many Pinterest ideas!

I finally decided on a 9×9 space underneath the overhang of my barn. It had access to electricity, water,  concrete floor, slight slope for drainage, and even basic framing for 2 walls already in place.

Thanks to my keen eye for salvageable materials and frugal habits (read hoarding), my shopping list was not very long. I had rough-cut dimensional lumber from our neighbor and friend lying around. I found plenty of screws and bolts in buckets in the barn. My biggest expenses were the 3 3/4 inch polyiso foam board insulation, the cool-but and A/C, and the T 111 exterior. 

It took a visit from my brother to kick start the project. After all of my reluctance, it was a pretty straightforward build. The Mrs. even got involved to seal up the roof. The walls are solid, dense, dead, and hold temperature pretty well!  Unless I need to get temps down super low, I might not even need to turn on the cool bot to keep the storage nice and cool!

I still have to set up an updated cleaning and packing station, but that’s for another story. I’m just stoked we now have capacity to keep inventory fresher longer!