HOPEWELL TWP.: Ice harvest opens winter season at Howell Living History Farm

Howell Living History FarmHowell Living History Farm will open its season on Saturday, Jan. 30, with a program featuring its annual ice harvesting operations and other wintery fun.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors can help farmers cut ice and fill an ice house and learn how ice was once used for fueling ice boxes, preserving perishables during transport and, of course, making ice cream. At 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., visitors can make and sample old-fashioned snow cones and hand-cranked ice cream.
What if, against the prediction of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, there is too little ice on the pond? The work will go on, as it would have a century ago when farmers faced with warmer winters filled their ice houses with commercial ice.
“Ice Candles,” a craft program for children, will be offered inside the Visitor Center Barn from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Crafts take 20 minutes to complete and cost $3.
Throughout the day, visitors can see farm animals, tour a sugaring operation where maple syrup is already in production, and enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides. Rides cost $5 for adults, $3 for children. Those needing to “take the chill off” can relax inside the heated Charles Fish Barn at the Visitor Center, where hot chocolate and other warm fare will be available.
Howell Farm is maintained and operated by the Mercer County Park Commission. It is located on Valley Road, just off Route 29, in Hopewell Township. The GPS address is 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township, 08530. Parking and admission are free.
For information, contact 609-737-3299 or visit www.howellfarm.org or www.mercercountyparks.org.