Have you ever seen an ice carousel? Have you ever heard of one? Picture a giant "lazy Susan" rotating on a frozen pond or lake - it's actually very interesting.
Ice carousels are floating discs cut into the ice and then propelled into rotation by an outboard motor. These ice creations originated in Finland, but have grown more popular over recent years here in the United States and in Canada. Recently, my longtime special projects producer, Judy Morris, was in South Bristol, Maine visiting family when she came across a group of individuals making an ice carousel in a backyard pond. The entire process took about three hours, but it made for a very fun afternoon on a cold winter day.
Here are some of Judy's photos and a short video, enjoy.
Before stepping on any pond or lake ice, it is very important to first make sure it is safe enough to do so. Blue to clear ice is the strongest and most dense. White or opaque ice – often called snow ice – usually has bubbles in it making it weaker. Gray or mottled ice is the weakest and the most unsafe.
Judy’s son, Billy, wasn’t quite sure about the ice at first. Ice should be at least four-inches thick. The ice in this pond, where the carousel was being made was about a foot thick.
Here, the guys are cutting away the ice disk. To measure, they first drilled a hole in the center of their planned disk, secured a peg attached to a line of string and scored the circumference with a screwdriver. Then, using a chainsaw, they cut most of the way through and used this ice cutting saw, borrowed from the town’s Historical Society, to cut the rest. Using a chainsaw until it hits water can damage the saw, which they did not want to do.
The saw is about five feet long. The group started making the ice carousel around 9am and were spinning by noon. The total diameter of their ice carousel is 50-feet.
A pry bar is used to remove the chunks of ice after it’s cut.
Here, one can see the chunks removed from between the disc and the surrounding surface – the ice is nice and thick.
And here is what is left behind – a narrow space just wide enough to loosen the disc and allow it to spin once propelled.
This hole was also cut for an outboard motor. An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained engine, gearbox, and propeller. This motor is what will slowly rotate the disc once it is completely cut.
Here, the disc is all cut. Ben was first inspired to make an ice carousel after he learned about the current record holder for the world’s largest ice carousel in Saint Agatha, Maine made in April 2021. It was 1,234 feet in diameter. A trencher, long-bar chainsaws, and six power augers were used to create that disc. The structure in the distance is the restored S Road School, the one-room building constructed in 1860 and used as an elementary school until 1943.
This outboard motor is 2.5 horsepower. It doesn’t need a lot to rotate the ice. As a precaution, it’s attached to its own buoy.
The motor is filled with fuel. This will propel the disc slowly in its space – just enough for guests to walk from solid ice to the carousel without difficulty.
Ben and Katie Fearn own the pond. This is their second annual ice carrousel. They’re hoping to make it an annual tradition. Here they are with their black Pug, Rudy.
One can see a section of the ice carousel all cut – the disc is ready and the motor is set to be turned on. If you’re wondering why the disc doesn’t sink – remember, all ice floats.
Rudy and her friend Vega are quite interested in all the activity.
Ben placed a Solo Stove, or portable smokeless fire pit, in the center of the disc for those who want to stand on the disc while it moves.
Another dog, Dixie, watched as it rotated.
David “Goldie” Goldman and Galen Sanford stand by on land to watch the first few rotations. Another friend, Chris Baden is cooking up hot dogs in the background. Ice carousel making builds up the appetite.
And here is the entire crew – Galen, Ben, Dennis Gunderson, Jeff Hargenrader, and Logan Livingston. What a fun event – I hope they keep the tradition going. Thanks for the great photos, Judy!
Here is a short video showing how the ice carousel in motion.
The New York Botanical Garden's annual Orchid Show starts today, February 26th! If you’re in the New York City area any time from now through May 1st, I encourage you to stop by and see the captivating floral exhibit.
Known as the nation’s largest event of its kind, this year's show is entitled "Jeff Leatham's Kaleidoscope" - a presentation of dazzling installations filled with color, light, and visual effect. Originally debuted in 2020, famed floral designer and artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, Jeff Leatham brings back his enchanting display for The Orchid Show’s 19th year. You’ll be amazed at the garden’s transformation of the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory showcasing thousands of stunning orchid blooms. This week, I attended The NYBG’s annual Orchid Dinner in the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel - this year, as one of its event chairs. The event included stunning table centerpieces created by some of New York’s leading designers - every one was colorful, elaborate, and creative. Proceeds from the Orchid Dinner support NYBG's world-class horticulture, botanical research, and children's education programs. The Orchid Dinner also allowed attendees the chance to purchase beautiful orchid specimens for their own personal garden collections during a pre-dinner sale. The rare orchids were hand-picked by NYBG's senior orchid curator Marc Hachadourian - you'll love the plants I brought home.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Held every year to kick off the annual Orchid Show, this year’s event welcomed more than 250-guests to New York City’s iconic Plaza Hotel.
(Photo by BFA for NYBG)
One way the NYBG raises money is to have an orchid sale prior to the dinner. Marc Hachadourian, NYBG’s Director of Glasshouse Horticulture and Senior Curator of Orchids, selects the orchids for the sale that he knows will appeal to the collectors and aficionados who attend the dinner. Here I am looking at some of those on display – could this be one of the orchids I purchased?
This lovely centerpiece featuring orchid flowers, their bold foliage, and petals all around the table is by Dorothy Pfieffer of Cornucopia.
This tablescape with its colorful palette of pinks and purple orchids is by Petal Design Studio.
Javier Burkle of Burkle Creative donated this creation – clean, white orchids atop a dark ornamental piece.
Bright red and white orchids fill the urn of this centerpiece done by Jeffrey Quaritius.
Another colorful arrangement is this one by Margaret Naeve. I try to fit the NYBG Orchid Dinner into my schedule every year – I love seeing what the designers come up with for their tables.
Hilary Pereira and JSA Studio NYC created this pink and bold green centerpiece with its sprays of flowers over every place setting.
This all-white orchid arrangement was presented by Tara McCauley, a New York City-based interior decorator and designer.
This large centerpiece with beautiful lavender and purple orchid flowers was donated by fleursBELLA.
It was so nice to see Marc again – we’ve known each other for many years. Marc oversees the cultivation of tens of thousands of plants for the NYBG’s many displays. He has shared his expertise on my television and radio shows, as well as in my magazine, “Living.” (Photo by BFA for NYBG)
Jeff Leatham and his team at Jeff Leatham Design contributed this eye-catching table arrangement. All the centerpieces were very elaborate and fun.
And this creation was generously donated by Julie Kantrowitz of JK Interior Living.
The Manscapers: Mel Braiser, James DeSantis, and Garett Magee contributed this piece.
And a fun arrangement of orchids, ferns, and palms topped this table by Jerome LaMaar. I have cared for orchids for many years and always learn something new whenever I come to the dinner and when I walk through the beautiful Orchid Show exhibit.
Here I am with Simon Maill, Wes Gordon, Paul Arnhold, and Kevin Sharkey – they helped carry my beautiful new orchids. What a fun event.
And here they are back in my head house. I purchased these wonderful plants – rare and beautiful specimens including Cymbidium ‘Arcadian Sunrise’, Cymbidium Jim Duffin
‘Mt. Airy’, Cymbidium Via Loch Pixie, and a crisp white Cattleya orchid. If you love orchids as much as I do, I know you’ll enjoy the show at The New York Botanical Garden – I hope you can make it. It may be the most popular Orchid Show yet.
This morning, my outdoor vegetable gardens are covered with a light layer of snow and sleet, but I'm fortunate to have vegetables growing beautifully in a large and special greenhouse tucked behind my Equipment Barn here at my Bedford, New York farm.
Its design was inspired by Eliot Coleman, an expert in four-season farming. My gardeners, Ryan McCallister and Brian O'Kelly, do an excellent job with succession planting and all the maintenance. I'm always so happy to share the bounties with family and friends. Very little goes to waste as these vegetables taste so pure and delicious to eat - it's very gratifying to have fresh, organic produce available through the seasons.
Enjoy these photos.
This entire greenhouse, located next to my tropical hoop house, is almost all glass. Most of the energy comes from the sun through these giant windows, which can be programmed to open for ventilation or cooling when needed. This photo was taken earlier this week when temperatures rose to the upper 60s. Today started with freezing rain, sleet, and temperatures in the 20s.
The ideal temperature inside the greenhouse is around 85-degrees Fahrenheit to keep all the vegetables growing their best. We have a large thermometer at the entrance to the structure, so the temperature can be checked easily several times a day.
Here’s Brian watering the tree ferns and vegetable beds. We built 16 of these wooden garden boxes to fit the entire length and width of the space. Raised bed gardening allows good drainage, prevents soil compaction, and provides protection for those plants that may otherwise get trampled.
Lettuce always grows so well in this greenhouse. These need to grow a little bit more before harvesting. We always plant in succession. Succession planting is a practice of seeding crops at intervals of seven to 21 days in order to maintain a consistent supply of harvestable produce throughout the season. This dramatically increases a garden’s yield, while also improving produce quality.
I always grow lots of varieties of lettuce, so I can share them with my daughter and her children. I love fresh lettuce. It’s a real treat to have lettuce like this all year long.
Lettuce is most often used for salads, although it is also seen in other kinds of dishes, such as soups, sandwiches and wraps; it can also be grilled.
The gorgeous Swiss chard stalk colors can be seen through the leaves. They are so vibrant with stems of yellow, red, rose, gold, and white. Chard has very nutritious leaves making it a popular addition to healthful diets.
The most common method for picking is to cut off the outer leaves about two inches above the ground while they are young, tender, and about eight to 12 inches long.
And here is a white stemmed Swiss Chard. Look at its giant green leaves – so perfect.
These are the leaves of beets. Beets are sweet and tender – and one of the healthiest foods. Beets contain a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains, which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support.
The radish is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, and mostly eaten raw as a crunchy salad vegetable.
Daikon or mooli, Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, napiform root. Compared to other radishes, daikon is milder in flavor and less peppery. And, when served raw, it has a crisp and juicy texture.
This is a beautiful head of radicchio – a perennial cultivated form of leaf chicory sometimes known as Italian chicory. It is grown as a leaf vegetable. Radicchio has a bitter and spicy taste which mellows if it is grilled or roasted.
And look at our broccoli. This is the first time we’ve grown broccoli in the greenhouse. They are all developing so beautifully. To grow broccoli successfully indoors, it must get at least six hours of direct sunlight per day or grow lights timed to provide the same amount of direct exposure. And they need room – each broccoli plant should be allowed at least a couple feet of overall space and six to 12 inches of soil depth.
And do you know… one can also eat broccoli leaves? Eating the large thick broccoli leaves provides another source of the plant’s high content of fiber, vitamins C and K, iron, and potassium.
Harvest leaves in the morning or evening so the cut area can heal in the coolest part of the day. Never harvest more than 1/3 of the leaves, or the plant will suffer.
We will have so many delicious broccoli heads to enjoy from this crop.
Kale is related to cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts. There are many different types of kale – the leaves can be green or purple in color, and have either smooth or curly shapes.
Here’s our parsley. Parsley is a flowering plant native to the Mediterranean. It derives its name from the Greek word meaning “rock celery.”
Last summer, my gardeners planted five of my fig trees in the vegetable greenhouse where they can live all year long in a controlled setting. If you enjoy growing an unusual fruit crop that’s delicious and nearly trouble free, consider figs. Figs will grow well unprotected in zones 8 to 10, and also in colder areas if given good care and proper winter protection.
Also stored in this greenhouse is this grapefruit tree with its waxy green leaves – no fruit yet, but fingers are crossed.
All the beds are watered and weeded – thanks, Brian. I am so pleased with how well this vegetable greenhouse works. Soon, we will be working on the outdoor beds, but for now, I am so fortunate to have this greenhouse where I can harvest flavorful and healthy produce all winter long.
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