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Bergen County Historical Society : the Water Yoke

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

River Edge NJ, in the  Bergen County Historical Society’s Friday’s Fare post from Historic New Bridge Landing the Bergen County Historical Society focused on a device called  the Water Yoke . Given the near draught conditions in the county the Water Yoke could be making a comeback .Water was  so important in any 18th century Out Kitchen; boiling & scalding, soups & stews, rising & washing, and just in case, a bucketful to douse a fire. Never taken for granted, it always needs to be carried in. Over the OK east window hangs a shoulder yoke, and n the 18th century, it may have been a older child’s job to haul water several times daily, even more on laundry day.

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During the August Summertime Tour at HNBL, our visitors got some experience of this relentless chore with two buckets of water, each with just 1 gallon in each, using the yoke. Water weighs 8-1/3 lb. per gallon x 2 buckets=16-2/3 lb., plus containers. We have two bucket types; one of wood staves with metal bands made by a cooper; a style found on every Bergen County farm. The other bucket is canvas; the fibers expand when wet, and surprisingly is pretty watertight. Collapsible and lighter, it is easier to transport when troops moved around, and usually filled and set by the Camp Kitchen, when in use. There is so much to do on a farm, if anything can make work easier, it is used. The physics of carrying water; two balances out the weight distributed over a larger area, takes pressure off the arms, & the buckets don’t bang on your legs, or cause water loss sloshing out. Anything in two containers may be transported; buckets of fresh milk, or baskets of fruits & vegetables. The kids, overall, were not especially thrilled-it was work, but the parents thought it was so cool to try. The kids, overall, were not especially thrilled-it was work, but the parents thought it was so cool to try. BergenCountyHistory.org

 

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