Rural America, AMISH FARMS NEAR CHARM, HOLMES COUNTY, OHIO
Winter is a quiet time in Ohio’s Amish country, a time to maintain and repair tools and to visit friends. Children enjoy sledding and ice skating. Most Amish weddings also take place during November or December. Another popular winter Amish activity is harvesting blocks of ice from ponds for ice houses that will supply cooling for food during the warm months. Teams of horses are used to haul the 80-85 pound blocks of ice, which are cut manually or with chain saws. The blocks of ice are stacked in ice shacks that are insulated with styrofoam, and the ice lasts through the summer. As long as the ice house is one-third full or fuller, it maintains a steady temperature of 32 degrees.
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