"MILK house" Ice house

[Mad_Professor]

Anybody still stock up on winter ice from ponds for cooling purposes?

In the old days my grandparents saved the sawdust to ramp up around ice augered/cut from a pond to last through the summer. It kept the milk fresh and did not require external power sources. It was kept in a dedicated building in the cellar.

[NCLee]

Around here, it never gets cold enough to obtain ice from those sources. At most, all we usually see is a thin film of ice over ponds.

However, it's always been a subject of interest, so thank you for starting the topic. Will look forward to seeing replies from those in areas where it can be done, and/or those who have alternatives to doing the same thing in warmer areas. I just might steal an idea or 2. :wink:

Lee

[CapeCMom]

I would love to have an ice house-they have always fascinated me. I remember reading about them in the "Little House" series of books as a kid. I remember them saying something about using sawdust to pack the ice, and how they used long saws to cut the ice into blocks from the pond.

There used to be a large ice house here in town so I know it is possible here. It would take some research on line or in books because I would imagine that having now would be rare.
Good knowledge to have though-just in case.

[AlchemyAcres]

I did have a small one.

Straw bales against the outside walls and above the blocks...sawdust between.

I used rubber buckets for molds rather than cut ice...the ice 'pops' out easily, I think that's the most sensible way to do it nowadays. :D


~Martin

[Mom5farmboys]

Here on our family farm in Michigan we have an old building next to the windmill. It is approx 20-25 feet tall, and is approx 10' x 10' (just guessing as I have never actually measured it) but safe to say it is very tall and narrow.

The bottom half is built out of cinder block and has a dirt floor, with a very high ceiling (it has to be at least 10' to 12' feet high. The 2nd story is built of wood and has a wood floor and holds a redwood cistern, I would guess it holds at least 1,000 gallons of water probobly more.

In the hottest part of the summer when pumping water for livestock needs, and household needs that water would have been pretty icy cold, and we are assuming that the bottom part of the building was used for refrigeration.

Even now with the building in dis-use and the water cistern empty it is always cool in there, even on the hottest days of summer and it is not in the shade.

Just thought I would let you know that apparently there were more ways than one to keep things cool back in the day.

[Mad_Professor]

I have also seen a 1700s New England house that had a spring which ran into the house, through a mortared rock (slate?) through. The water ran back out and it was in the kitchen. This home was unused in winter (vacant at that time) yet the spring water never froze, in the summer it was quite cool.

[AlchemyAcres]

I have also seen a 1700s New England house that had a spring which ran into the house, through a mortared rock (slate?) through. The water ran back out and it was in the kitchen. This home was unused in winter (vacant at that time) yet the spring water never froze, in the summer it was quite cool.

The house at the family farm was set up that way...spring water used to run into a reservoir in the basement and was used for cooling food.

The old spring house for cooling cans of milk is still fully intact and working, even though it hasn't been used for that purpose for about the past 40 years.


~Martin

[Mad_Professor]

The house at the family farm was set up that way...spring water used to run into a reservoir in the basement and was used for cooling food.

The old spring house for cooling cans of milk is still fully intact and working, even though it hasn't been used for that purpose for about the past 40 years.


~Martin

Martin,

Even if your kids/grandkids don't need it now, pass down how it is set up and how to use it. A great resource!!!

Free water from a deep spring is like pennies from heaven. Off the grid and a wonder in winter and summer!!!

My grand parents had a seres of cistrens from a reliable spring, about 1000 gal each, even in bad water times they were set.

[NCLee]

Well said and so true, Professor.

Reminds me of the gris mill that used to be about 1/2 mile from my home. Before we moved out here it was destroyed and the metal sold for scrap. Current owner (not the one who destroyed the mill) has found a couple of the mill stones that were left on the property. At least he was able to salvage those. If you know where to look, you can see what little remains of the old dam.

Whether it's ice houses, spring houses, or mills, IMHO, it's so important to save them for the next generations. Near us a fellow has been acquiring farm land for a number of years. With each purchase, a bulldozer took down the buildings, or the fire department did a practice burn. So much history and more was destroyed by returning the land to un-improved status to save a few bucks on property taxes. (sigh)

One of the houses taken down was a stagecoach stop, originally built with hand forged nails. People lived in the house up to the time he bought the property. I couldn't believe it when I saw the pile of rubble :fie: where that big 2 story house once stood.

Lee

[daffodil]

I did have a small one.

Straw bales against the outside walls and above the blocks...sawdust between.

I used rubber buckets for molds rather than cut ice...the ice 'pops' out easily, I think that's the most sensible way to do it nowadays. :D


~Martin

That's a good idea Martin! I never thought of that! I don't see me cutting and dragging a piece of ice from Lake Erie:), but buckets I could manage.

[TNDadx4]

I too, love the idea of an ice house or spring house. Since I'll probably never live where it gerts cold enough to have an ice house, it's a passing topic for me that still facinates me.

Now, a spring house is something that I'd LOVE to have on my next piece of property... something to keep the milk and food cold... a cool place to go on a hot summer's day to get out of the heat and get a ladle-full of fresh water. It's on my "big" list of things.

I've often thought that it would be pretty cool to have spring water in a trough in the basement with some larger container that I can set a plastic milk crate in and rig a dumbwaiter system to lift the milk crate and cold goodies right above to the kitchen for when they are needed.