Blandford, in the early part of the century, was a popular summer resort. Some owned their homes and there were also many boarders. Of course that meant the preparation of umpteen meals. The keeping of butter, milk, meat, etc., without spoilage, was vital.
My father-in-law probably started his ice business in the early 1900's. There was a pond on his farm, so why not get a cash crop from it. As he grew older, my husband carried on the business until electric refrigeration killed the demand for ice.
Along in January or February, he would go to the pond and cut a hole to check on the thickness of the ice. When it measured 18" or 20" the time was right. Next he rounded up eight or ten men for the harvesting crew. At that time Blandford had not become a bedroom town and there were usually enough stout fellows willing to make a little spare cash.
Often the first thing to be done was to scrape the area clear of accumulated snow with a pair of horses. Sometimes luck was with him and this was not necessary. Then he scratched a straight line the length of the ice field - also another at right angles to the first. This was a guideline for the plow in marking out the ice cakes. The ice field was about 10' to 15' from the shoreline.
The plow had six blades, one ahead of the other, fastened rigidly to the beam to which a horse was hitched. A guide extended 18" away and this ran in the first marked line. Usually two or three passes were needed to sink the cut down about 6". The plow was then moved over and the guide ran in this cut. The maneuver was repeated across the field and again at right angles. The result looked like this:
My father-in-law probably started his ice business in the early 1900's. There was a pond on his farm, so why not get a cash crop from it. As he grew older, my husband carried on the business until electric refrigeration killed the demand for ice.
Along in January or February, he would go to the pond and cut a hole to check on the thickness of the ice. When it measured 18" or 20" the time was right. Next he rounded up eight or ten men for the harvesting crew. At that time Blandford had not become a bedroom town and there were usually enough stout fellows willing to make a little spare cash.
Often the first thing to be done was to scrape the area clear of accumulated snow with a pair of horses. Sometimes luck was with him and this was not necessary. Then he scratched a straight line the length of the ice field - also another at right angles to the first. This was a guideline for the plow in marking out the ice cakes. The ice field was about 10' to 15' from the shoreline.
The plow had six blades, one ahead of the other, fastened rigidly to the beam to which a horse was hitched. A guide extended 18" away and this ran in the first marked line. Usually two or three passes were needed to sink the cut down about 6". The plow was then moved over and the guide ran in this cut. The maneuver was repeated across the field and again at right angles. The result looked like this:
Next, one cake on the shoreline side was freed by using an ice pick. The cake was then pushed down into the water and back under the ice out of the way. This opening allowed the big ice saws to come into play. These were about 5' long, with huge teeth. A channel a bit wider than 18" was cut, extending toward the ice house.
The ice house stood almost at the edge of the pond with an opening from top to bottom at the pond side. Inner walls were built about 6" from the outer walls all around. From the opening an ice run was placed with the outer end well into the water of the channel. The run was simple and looked like a chute. It was along this run that the ice was conveyed into the house. This will be explained later.
Now the ice crew began the hard work of sawing out double blocks of ice. They were 36" by 18", leaving a center groove made earlier by the plow. At first only one or two men could work until some of the cakes were pulled out, or run into the ice house. Later the work area enlarged. The blocks were sawed back 18" and then with a heavy iron ice chisel, the whole block was split off to float in the water. It was usual to cut only enough cakes each day to keep the men busy until quitting time.
The ice house stood almost at the edge of the pond with an opening from top to bottom at the pond side. Inner walls were built about 6" from the outer walls all around. From the opening an ice run was placed with the outer end well into the water of the channel. The run was simple and looked like a chute. It was along this run that the ice was conveyed into the house. This will be explained later.
Now the ice crew began the hard work of sawing out double blocks of ice. They were 36" by 18", leaving a center groove made earlier by the plow. At first only one or two men could work until some of the cakes were pulled out, or run into the ice house. Later the work area enlarged. The blocks were sawed back 18" and then with a heavy iron ice chisel, the whole block was split off to float in the water. It was usual to cut only enough cakes each day to keep the men busy until quitting time.
One never knew what the weatherman had up his sleeve. The next day might be ideal fair and cold enough so the surface of the ice did not thaw and become slippery to walk on. Or a storm could dump 6" to 8" of snow overnight. This meant another session of scraping snow. If a thaw came, or rain, the ice markings filled in and later froze. Then when work could be resumed, the plowing must be done over. Thankfully these things did not always happen. Harvesting ice was as tricky as getting in a crop of hay - with the weather an enemy or an ally.
At times I liked to go down to the pond and "float" ice. This was merely guiding the big cakes along the side of the ice field as they floated in the water. One could line up several like "choo-choo cars" and once momentum was gained by the first, a second could be nudged up behind it and so on. All were headed toward the channel near the ice house. Sometimes the wind was "ornery" and blew against the line of travel - then more pushing was needed.
To float the cakes while standing on solid ice, pike poles were used. Some had quite long handles in order to reach out farther over the water; others were about the length of a hoe handle. At the end were sharpened pieces of metal. One pointed ahead and the other was bent backward. Thus the cake could be propelled forward by pushing, but if it got out of line the hook pulled it back into position. Once these cakes reached the channel, the first one was jockeyed into position to float over the end of the ice run, which slanted up to the ice house.
At times I liked to go down to the pond and "float" ice. This was merely guiding the big cakes along the side of the ice field as they floated in the water. One could line up several like "choo-choo cars" and once momentum was gained by the first, a second could be nudged up behind it and so on. All were headed toward the channel near the ice house. Sometimes the wind was "ornery" and blew against the line of travel - then more pushing was needed.
To float the cakes while standing on solid ice, pike poles were used. Some had quite long handles in order to reach out farther over the water; others were about the length of a hoe handle. At the end were sharpened pieces of metal. One pointed ahead and the other was bent backward. Thus the cake could be propelled forward by pushing, but if it got out of line the hook pulled it back into position. Once these cakes reached the channel, the first one was jockeyed into position to float over the end of the ice run, which slanted up to the ice house.
My husband was ready near the end of the run with a single horse hitched to a whiffletree. Block and tackle had previously been secured in the ice house opening. One end of the rope was hooked to the whiffletree it then ran back over the block and returned to the end of the channel where a grapple was hooked into the back of the ice block by the "tag" man. A word to the horse and he started out on the pond, drawing the ice cake up the run into the ice house, with the tag man following alongside the run. When the ice reached the top, the tag man pulled the grapple back to the start- ing position. This went on all day long and the calks in the horse's shoes cut a deeper and deeper oval out and back.
In the ice house, two or three men were waiting to pack and quickly grabbed the ice with ice tongs, making use of the momentum to slide the block into position something like packing thick dominoes in layers. The tongs used by these men had long handles so it was not necessary to stoop.
These operations went on for about a week if all went well. Then the ice crew was paid off and went home tired, but with spending money in their pockets.
My husband's part was not yet finished. He had to draw load after load of sawdust to fill in the hollow spaces between the inner and outer walls of the ice house. Also a thick layer covered the top of the ice. Fortunately in those days a sawmill was often nearby and the sawdust could be had for the taking. Once the ice was properly put to bed in this way, it would keep thru the summer and was ready to make ice cream, cool lemonade or homemade root beer, as well as keep perishable foods.
My feeling is that a man should have written this article, but this is as I recall it. I would like to give credit to Elmer Hart of Blandford for refreshing my memory about certain operations. He was many times one of the crew who worked at harvesting ice.
from Stone Walls Magazine, Spring, 1976
My husband's part was not yet finished. He had to draw load after load of sawdust to fill in the hollow spaces between the inner and outer walls of the ice house. Also a thick layer covered the top of the ice. Fortunately in those days a sawmill was often nearby and the sawdust could be had for the taking. Once the ice was properly put to bed in this way, it would keep thru the summer and was ready to make ice cream, cool lemonade or homemade root beer, as well as keep perishable foods.
My feeling is that a man should have written this article, but this is as I recall it. I would like to give credit to Elmer Hart of Blandford for refreshing my memory about certain operations. He was many times one of the crew who worked at harvesting ice.
from Stone Walls Magazine, Spring, 1976