Harvesting Ice! One Block At A Time!

[@Daveco82]

Always a good time with Gierok Farms!

[@lonelypatriot9334]

I remember harvesting ice as a little kid with my family about 60 years ago in Montana. The ice was about 3 feet thick as i remember and they cut it with a crosscut saw into approx. 2'x2'x3' then my dad and uncles would lift it with ice tongs onto a stone boat and drag it home. From there it went into a small building with thick walls filled with sawdust. Stacked inside and covered with more saw dust from the sawmill. The ice would last well into the summer and was used for the ice box on the ranch. As a young boy we had no electricity and that was the fridge. A year or two later we got electric to the ranch that was a game changer. Cool stuff thanks for the vid.

[@DickCleasby]

You guys just can’t take time to relax more power to you

[@MorganOtt-ne1qj]

I guess Ice Carving is his way to relax. Like woodworking, or hunting , it's a hobby that takes a little stress out of your life, if that's your thing.

[@davepatti2296]

"So cold I couldn't sneeze!" LOL. Yeah I bet, super cold there now. Right down the road from me (upstate NY) there is a pond next to the Lutheran Church where well into the 1950s they harvested Ice out of the pond. The barn next to it is the olc ice house. there is a good photo in the historical society, shows drawing the blocks on the "beach side", meaning more of a less steep slope. Horses of course, but also they sawed them into smaller blocks. Kudos to you guys for doing this.

[@mypetblackhole5793]

Where's u at in upstate? Be interested on looking up some of that local history you speak of. CNY here Tug Hill region 315. Thought this was a fun thing to do not cause you have too but cause you can. Awesome videos Gierok Farms.

[@MorganOtt-ne1qj]

I heard stories about harvesting ice, and my Great Grandfather had an "ice pond" that was about 3' deep, and they would divert water into it in the late fall, and then cut 2' blocks of ice out in January. The pond was big enough to fill the ice house ( thick walled with sawdust insulation) and my Mom remembered having ice cream in August, made using the ice from the ice house. I'm not complaining, but the thickest pond ice I have seen in my life was only 6", and I know because I had to break it for the heifer's to drink. The"Good Old Days " don't really seem to have been THAT good!😂

[@bobrat]

Fun home Video. My Grandpa used to harvest ice on the Milwaukee River for Hometown ice and coal. He also drove a one horse ice wagon (summer) and Coal wagon ( winter).

[@RichLeick-k2f]

Looks like a good place for some pond hockey

[@mrclaus859]

Thanks for posting

[@stanhensley3082]

Fun to watch,not so fun to do!! Looks cold as all get out!! Got to be tough to put your arm in that ice water!! Can not wait to see the ice carving. Thanks 😊.

[@markflick1641]

Need a motor on that boat Mason 😂😂 . Great video fellas

[@garykawlewski8534]

The only thing you missed in this was hold my beer I’m going to try something 😂. Looks like you are having fun! Can’t wait to see what it becomes!

[@tomgrissom5990]

This is the best video you ever done! Bar none!

[@t-rex558]

That's a heck of an ice fishing hole!! Must be some big ones in there!!😅

[@Evelyn-cy6hw]

Ice harvesting into gigantic blocks, then storage, with sawdust, was a nationwide major industry in all of the northern states prior to the invention of electric refrigeration in the 20th century. Even in huge cities, ordinary people had iceboxes that they kept cool with purchased ice, that came out of sawdust-insulated warehouses. Farmhands kept employed in the winter with the horrible job of cutting ice blocks out of frozen northern lakes. I've seen a detailed exhibit all about this in an Iowa historical museum. My own Illinois grandparents still had their 1920s icebox, in perfect condition, sitting unused in their basement.

[@MorganOtt-ne1qj]

​@Evelyn-cy6hwI would hope you inherit that ice box. You can make a neat cooler (and conversation piece) for beverages, without changing much of it's value. Good luck, if you want to pursue that direction. 👍

[@miketaddy549]

Love, love it!

[@dennishayes65]

The St. Paul, Mn. Winter Carnival have ice sculptures & castles every year. They have contests to see who can build the most beautiful sculptures.

[@nathanalmond8280]

Neat video. Something different for sure. Can't wait to see what gets carved out of the ice.

[@jimjohnson9237]

Sometimes it’s a lot of work to have fun😮

[@angelahorne867]

Cool thanks ❤

[@davidliverseed2942]

Sturgeon spearing season is just around the corner!

[@larryrobinson44]

Thats so neat

[@kennethmorgan6591]

A few winters ago while driving on a country road in Livingston County NY (East of Buffalo and South of Rochester) I saw a large group of Amish men and boys with two large teams of horses pulling large sleds piled high with ice blocks that they harvested on a near by lake or pond. I wish I had taken a picture that I could share. Needless to say, it was a "cool" sight. 😃

[@clinthochrein888]

Cool video fellas 👍🏾

[@whew5]

Take some heavy wire or small rod and bend a hook on one end to reach the chair in the water

[@mikebrown1188]

I bet Mason is the youngest person in the state doing this. You guys can't sor still. More power to you.

[@crazyoldbat7600]

Harvesting ice = Polar Plunge.

[@rockfarmer8095]

Make a pivot pin for the Chain so you don’t have to reach in the water !

[@herbmartin9717]

Cool!!!🧊

[@waggtech4883]

Time for a Polar Bear dip!

[@anthonyhengst2908]

My Grandpa used to do this with other farmers to keep their foods cold through the summer. Cut blocks of ice from the lake and pack it in sawdust. They had ice tongs and a stacking conveyor. It was quite a system. This may be where a stone boat will be helpful to keep the ice from breaking?

[@scottburris9842]

youns are crazy

[@kevinwittstruck8764]

Hi good morning gierok farms from Indiana keep warm

[@TANGO22222222]

What do you us the ice for?

[@jerrybarlar9768]

Have never seen an ice harvesting.

[@kylestrandquist962]

Should have a fire going to warm up by or a Nipco heater.

[@brianwestveer9532]

Are there fish in those ponds

[@alaskanrockfarmer3596]

Your talking about the World ice art competition here in Fairbanks Alaska👍.

[@pamelastilin7893]

So all this for ice 🧊 carving?

[@dougkaylor2528]

you need a 4x4 skid to place them on while still on the ice,, strap them down and then pull them up the bank. or just use 4x4 as a ramp up the bank

[@Bentwrench28]

The two smart ones aren’t in this video 😂👍👍

[@dennistembreull2718]

Why are you harvesting ice for what are you going to use it for

[@kjmatson3721]

George is doing an ice carving with it

[@brianwestveer9532]

Ice fishing shanty hole

[@harveypenner2386]

Interesting!! Another ambitious undertaking!! Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Thanks for sharing!!

[@veetwin75]

Im confused on what the purpose is, what are you doing with it

[@alfredomarotta6604]

George does ice carving, with chainsaws.

[@veetwin75]

@@alfredomarotta6604 Oh, Thank You

[@DickCleasby]

Mason looks like as much fun as a hard birth with a calf

[@commonsenserules7995]

Reflecting on how they harvested ice before modern refrigeration, chainsaws and the skid steer.

[@JulianKeller-om6wz]

There were no skidsteers before refrigeration.

[@commonsenserules7995]

@@JulianKeller-om6wz I believe that's what I stated. Reread and comprehend.

[@reginabraok939]

First😮😊

[@dennisbelles9236]

I would be very interested to see what he cares

[@alleyoop916]

WHY??????????

[@alfredomarotta6604]

George does ice carvings, with chainsaw.

[@dennishayes65]

For the FUN of it !!!!!

[@alfredomarotta6604]

Looking forward to see what dad's going to carve out of them.

[@EricMcminn-h5q]

Do u put vegetable oil in for bar oil so ya don't put oil in the water

[@dennishayes65]

Don’t need oil cutting in water !