Campers in New Hampshire roll up their sleeves. They wipe their brows. And to keep food and drinks cool, they break out the ice.

Good thing ice is on hand! People harvested it months ago from a frozen lake.

Are you baking in hot weather right now? If so, you’re not alone. Much of the United States is stuck in a heat wave. Around the country, people adjust to the hot temperatures. New Yorkers opened pools and beaches early. Kids in New Jersey leave school sooner. Highway crews in Indiana start work at 6 o’clock a.m. to beat the heat.

On Squam Lake in central New Hampshire, people thought ahead. They cut blocks of ice from the lake. And we’re not talking ice cubes. The blocks are about the size of microwaves!

People packed the ice in sawdust in winter. They stored the chunks in an insulated hut. Ice keeping has been a tradition at the rustic Rockywold Deephaven Camps for more than a century.

Of course, the history of harvesting ice goes back much further than that. People have cut and stored ice to keep food cool for thousands of years.

In the 1800s, ice became big business. Americans harvested ice in huge blocks from New England waters. This ice could be shipped all over the world. It could be shipped with food—meaning perishable food could be shipped farther than before. Eventually, ice made its way into people’s houses. The “ice box” was an early type of refrigerator. A big piece of ice inside kept food cold.

Angela Wilcox has vacationed at the New Hampshire camp for 16 years. She took her children and nephews boating Thursday. They searched for the lake’s coldest swimming spot.

“This is the hottest it’s ever been, especially in June,” she says.

By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. — Job 37:10