By: Deb Phillips, Hardin County Director of Tourism

Editor’s Note:  Hardin County is home to several communities of Old Order Amish.  The Old Order Amish do not have electricity in their homes or on their property, and rely on ice houses or ice chests to keep their food cool through the warmer months.  This story is about cutting ice from a pond to stock these ice houses.  The photographs were all taken with permission, and according to their culture, no faces are shown.

January 24, 2025

Recently, I had the privilege of witnessing a most spectacular event last week – that being the observation and participation in an activity the Amish call, “cutting ice”!

I was aware that the Amish use ice chests and freezers that are kept cold or to a frozen state by using ice, but never witnessed this taking place.  My husband and I lived in Amish country in Wayne County (Ohio) for 6 years and became friends with some Amish, so I have shucked wheat, loaded it on the wagon and then helped with the thrashing, but I had never “cut ice”, until last week.

It all began with a  tip from a friend that the Amish were cutting ice and I really wanted to see it.  I asked my friend when he drove by again to let me know if they were still there.  It just so happens; they weren’t and were done for the day.  However, when I got back to work my co-worker let me know she saw the Amish were cutting ice on County Road 155!!  I headed out toward County Road 155, just north of County Road 180, in search of the “ice cutters”.  I took the camera with me, keeping in mind that the Amish are not to be photographed, and I wanted to respect their wishes/ways.  I missed them on the first drive-by because I was looking on the wrong side of the road!!  After turning around, I found them at a pond that belongs to a local resident.  A young man (Amish) was walking across the road and I asked if it would be ok if I took a picture. I would let the Amish know when I was actually taking the photo, so they could look away.  He said it was fine to do so, but wanted to know if I was getting out of the vehicle or staying in it.  I told him if it was more appropriate or better for them if I put the window down and took the photograph from  the vehicle, I was fine with that.  That is what I did (Photo 1).

As I sat there watching them, after taking a couple of pictures, I had so many questions.  As many know,  I am not shy at all and confident enough to go ask my questions, I hopped out of my vehicle and headed to the wagon the ice was being stacked on.  All of these Amish gentlemen (young and middle-aged) were super nice, seemed happy and proud that I had questions, wanted to learn, and yes, I asked if I could “cut ice” with them!!  They were happy to oblige me with answering my questions, handing me the saw and letting me cut a piece of ice – 2’ (long) x 8” (wide) x 7” (thick)!!

The process begins with cutting or busting a hole in the front left or right hand side of a pond.  Lines are scraped into the ice for them to have lines to follow (Photo 2). They begin cutting the width of each all the way across the pond and then they cut the length.  The blocks of ice come loose, floating into the water (Photo 3).  Due to the harsh winds last week, the ice blocks floated to the other side of the pond. Then an Amish would have to retrieve an ice block by pulling it out of the water with an ice hook. The Amish would then “push” the block of ice across the pond, along the frozen outer edge, to the opposite side of the pond where the loading was taking place.  After collecting the ice blocks from the pond, they would slide the ice down a handmade “trough shoot” to a wagon where the ice would be stacked. (Photo 4).

I asked where or who makes their saws, thinking they probably get them from Lehman’s Hardware in Holmes County, but they don’t!  There is  an Amish man who makes ice cutting saws for all of the Amish in this area!  Guess where I’ll be going next!!  I also asked if the same Amish man made their “pushers” and they laughed at me.  They push the ice with a pointed piece that is on the end of a handle like the handle of a pitchfork or a garden hoe.  They said, “no, those are old worn-out hoes from the gardens”!!  I wish I had taken a picture of the “pushers” because if they used to be hoes, they have hoed a lot of ground!!  

Most of the Amish have ice houses at each of their homes .  If the Amish want the ice delivered to their house/residence on ice cutting day, they can bring their team of horses and wagon to be filled or it can be delivered.  If they want it kept at another Amish farm/home, that can happen as well and then when you need ice, you go to the ice house and get what you need.

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to do this on this freezing cold January day!!  I have such an appreciation and admiration for the Amish.  I really do enjoy learning about their way of living.  I hope you enjoy learning/reading about this as much as I did, to actually partake in it.  If you have never seen ice cutting happening before, on cold winter days in January or February while driving out in the country, just keep an eye out on the ponds and you might just get to see the Amish “cutting ice”.