So you’ve got your homegrown vegetables and yard-bred rabbit yummies all ready to be canned and dried. Some of it, though, you’ll want to eat fresh- but you’ll have a narrow window to do so, especially if you’re way off the grid or, worse, if there’s no grid left to be off of. That’s where the Zeer Pot zero-electricity refrigerator comes in.
Practical Actionhas been putting the Zeer Pot refrigerator to use in hot climates like the Sudan, where women Hawa Abbas used to lose half of her tomato, okra and carrot crop. “They keep our vegetables fresh for 3-4 weeks, depending on the type of crop. They are very good in a hot climate such as ours where fruit and vegetables get spoiled in one day.” It is clear to Mrs. Abbas how important this has been to her family. “Since I learned how to make zeer pots our life has been so much better.”
To make a Zeer Pot, you need nest two ceramic pots, separating them with a layer of wet soil or sand. The “ideal” version looks something like this …
… but you can make your Zeer Pot refrigerator with standard clay flower pots which, while not as efficient as the “official” version (because the rounded shape keeps the amount of insulation uniform) are certainly functional and, perhaps crucially, better than nothing.
Making Your Own Zeer Pot Refrigerator
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Sources | Photos:Practical Action, Lowe’s.
Neil A. Switzersays
Very Nice!
rhondawintersays
This is a super and simple tool, but unfortunately it does not seem to work so well in really moist damp climates, like the Pacific Northwest.