I just swapped out my MRE supply. It's a 7 day supply, not too bulky. I rotate them on 36 month basis and I've decided I want to up the cycle time to at least 48 months, if not 60 months. Cooler storage = more shelf life. I know that.
Here's the problem. I really don't have a "cool dry place" to store them. My woodstove is in the basement, which is wonderful, but the basement is 75+ degrees all winter long. My attic is cool and dry in the winter, but an inferno in the summer (130+ degrees). My garage is too hot and too cold no matter what time of year. I don't really want to spend the time hauling from place to place, I have a small house and allocating space is a big issue.
We are seriously thinking of digging a "root closet" directly out from my basement under the garage slab (garage is attached) - but I'm wondering if I'm missing some obvious ideas here. Can't involve electricity.
Dig a hole in the ground say 4' by 4' wide and deep enough to accommodate a number of stainless steel diary churns, line with a concrete floor and building brick. Place the diary churns with MREs into the void and insulate with fibre glass roof insulation between the diary churns then cover with a water proof roof with holes cut out to take the modified evaporative coolers shown in the design above which are welded with the diary churn lids. Arrange for a solar/battery powered electronic temperature control water drip feed system to be operational during the summer months. The water supply could either be a water roof run off/tank system backed up by a mains water supply.
This system should maintain around 6C or below all year round.
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