Ice Harvest Returns

After several winters that were not cold enough to support the tradition, the Hanford Mills Museum held its historic ice harvest on January 31 in East Meredith, New York.

The event marked the return of a long-standing winter practice and offered visitors an opportunity to reflect on the history of ice harvesting in the region. Before mechanical refrigeration, ice harvesting was an essential seasonal activity. Ice cut and stored during the winter was used to preserve food and agricultural products throughout the warmer months.

Following methods used more than a century ago, museum staff and volunteers monitored ice thickness and weather conditions to determine the safest and most effective time to harvest. Visitors learned about the process, from measuring and cutting the ice to transporting and packing it into the ice house for long-term storage.

The program also highlighted why ice was once considered a valuable crop. Ice stores energy and releases it slowly as it melts, helping to keep stored goods cold for months. Hanford Mills Museum continues this tradition by using the harvested ice later in the year, including to serve ice cream during its Fourth of July celebrations.

The event also underscored the effects of climate change in Upstate New York. Warmer winter temperatures in recent years have made it increasingly difficult to hold ice harvests, impacting historical traditions as well as local environments and economies. The return of this year’s harvest reflected both a celebration of history and the increasingly rare winter conditions required to sustain it.