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Archiver > BANAT > 2003-07 > 1057341923


From: "Eileen & George" <>
Subject: Re: [BANAT-L] Ice Harvesting
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2003 13:05:23 -0500
References: <BB2B1033.5FFD%bonsai@hrcreditunion.net>


This is quite familiar to me. My Donauschwaben grandmother and
Swedish grandfather did this in Minnesota. Our family farm (in the
early 1960's) did not have running water and had just installed
electricity. I remember helping a time or two with the ice cutting,
although I believe they were just showing the grandchildren how it was
done. Many times the conversation ran to stories of the neighbors
helping each other cut the ice, move it and store it with sawdust in
sheds and barns for the winter.

Very good memories indeed.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Zink" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2003 10:06 AM
Subject: [BANAT-L] Ice Harvesting


Hi All!

How did the "old timers" keep things cool in summer before
refrigeration?
The technology of keeping ice during the warmer months in an ice house
(Eiskeller or Eisgrube) has been around for hundreds of years.

But as little balls of hail? Of course not. The ice harvest (Eisernte)
was
an annual event. In winter, big blocks of ice were cut from bodies of
water
(where available) with an ice saw (Eissäge), hauled by sleigh and kept
insulated in buildings or pits with natural materials such as sawdust
and
straw.

Ice Harvesting at a "Living Historical Farm" in Stroudsburg, PA:
<http://www.quietvalley.org/ice_harvest.html>;

Old technology. And of course, our Donauschwaben _did_ know how. ;)
--
Greetings from Rock City Falls NY,
Robert Zink



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