Yep, I have a breadbox that was from mom's house. Its metal but, she used it all the time. I don't. I don't think it keeps it any fresher. They were probably started to help, not the same wrap products we have now, plus it kept bugs & varmits away.
Besides - stale bread is great for French toast, bread pudding, toast, croutons, bread crumbs, stuffing, chicken feed, etc.
My water lines are basically all underground, except where they come up at various points for spigots to fill water troughs. But, I do have an underground cut off at each of those, with a 2nd spigot just above the cut off which lets me drain the pipe going up for use.
Mulch has been used for a lot of "protection" issues. It works. People without cellars used to dig a hole, line with leaves/boards/tub, etc., add winter veggies to store, cover those with flour sacks or burlap, then cover heavily with mulch. Carefully move some to get a portion of the food in winter. Then recover the spot. It works.