For keeping of the ice everyone has mentioned saw dust, and wood shavings.
Remember in the old days they also used dried swamp grass to keep the ice in
the icehouse.

Tully Area Historical Society has an ice harvest festival every February
(the third weekend).  Ice is cut from Green Lake near Tully, N.Y. and is
stored until June when it is used to make homemade ice cream for our
Strawberry Ice Cream Festival.

Eleanor Preston, President
Tully Area Historical Society