A New England winter tradition
“Harvesting ice is not a spectator sport,” said Whit Richardson in National Geographic Traveler. My arms and back learned that during my last trip to Maine. Every February, the Thompson Ice House museum in South Bristol revives the New England tradition of ice harvests. Though electric refrigerators long ago killed the ice industry, visitors can still participate in this “quintessential Maine activity.” Starting early on Feb. 20, “seasoned volunteers” will use a “sled-mounted circular saw” to cut deep into the ice in a local pond. Guests will then ply antique saws and hooks to “guide the floating blocks to the cradle-and-pulley system that feeds the ice to the ice house.” By 3 p.m., hundreds of blocks, “each weighing as much as 300 pounds,” will be stacked for storage. That ends the harvest, but guests won’t fully savor their achievement until July, when the museum uses the blocks to make the headlining treat at its annual ice-cream social.
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