Dear slithy: Were you living in Florida when you had harvested ice delivered? Even in MA where I lived, there were some winters when ice did not get thick enough to be worth cutting. I knew one handsome young man who delivered ice. I could readily believe he had more offers of payment in kind than he could accept. Alas that such a lusty livelihood should no longer be available.
I remember how wonderful it was when we got our first electric refrigerator. I didn't have to drink milk that had started to sour.